VINEYARD for viticulturists in Great Britain ™
JULY 2021
Rosy future for organic wine
INSIDE ◆
Coping with a changing climate
◆
Going wild at Oxney Estate
◆
Forecasting yields
◆
Low down on oak
◆
Matthew Jukes on the Pinot cousins
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VINEYARD for viticulturists in Great Britain
™
www.vineyardmagazine.co.uk VINEYARD Kelsey Media, The Granary, Downs Court Yalding Hill, Yalding, Maidstone, Kent, ME18 6AL 01959 541444 EDITORIAL Editor: Jo Cowderoy vineyard.ed@kelsey.co.uk GRAPHIC DESIGN Jo Legg Flair Creative Design jo.legg@flair-design.co.uk ADVERTISEMENT SALES Jamie McGrorty 01303 233883 jamie.mcgrorty@kelsey.co.uk PHOTOGRAPHER Martin Apps www.countrywidephotographic.co.uk MANAGEMENT CHIEF EXECUTIVE: Steve Wright CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER: Phil Weeden MANAGING DIRECTOR: Kevin McCormick PUBLISHER: Jamie McGrorty RETAIL DIRECTOR: Steve Brown RENEWALS AND PROJECTS MANAGER: Andy Cotton SENIOR SUBSCRIPTION MARKETING MANAGER: Nick McIntosh SUBSCRIPTION MARKETING DIRECTOR: Gill Lambert SUBSCRIPTION MARKETING MANAGER: Kate Chamberlain SENIOR PRINT PRINT PRODUCTION MANAGER: Georgina Harris PRINT PRODUCTION CONTROLLER: Kelly Orriss DISTRIBUTION Distribution in Great Britain: Marketforce (UK) 3rd Floor, 161 Marsh Wall, London, E14 9AP Tel: 0330 390 6555 PRINTING Precision Colour Print Kelsey Media 2020 © all rights reserved. Kelsey Media is a trading name of Kelsey Publishing Ltd. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden except with permission in writing from the publishers. Note to contributors: articles submitted for consideration by the editor must be the original work of the author and not previously published. Where photographs are included, which are not the property of the contributor, permission to reproduce them must have been obtained from the owner of the copyright. The editor cannot guarantee a personal response to all letters and emails received. The views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the Editor or the Publisher. Kelsey Publishing Ltd accepts no liability for products and services offered by third parties. Kelsey Media takes your personal data very seriously. For more information of our privacy policy, please visit Kelsey Media takes your personal data very seriously. For more information of our privacy policy, please visit https://www.kelsey.co.uk/privacy-policy/ . If at any point you have any queries regarding Kelsey’s data policy you can email our Data Protection Officer at dpo@kelsey.co.uk.
www.kelsey.co.uk
NEWS 8 Plumpton College further
develops WineSkills short courses
10 WineGB announces a new Chair 11 App built by growers
REGULARS 20 In conversation
The specialist English wine shop, Hawkins Bros Fine English Wine has seen spectacular sales – as has the enthusiasm for buying English and buying local.
22 Matthew Jukes
Redressing the imbalance of varietal hierarchy.
36 The agronomy diary
Helping vines make up lost ground.
38 The vine post
Going sustainable - our rhyme and reason.
43 Crushing it
At first glance, the function of a de-stemmer/crusher would appear very simple. However, the pitfalls of doing this badly can have a significant negative effect on wine quality.
50 BIOProtection
Selecting microorganisms to add to grapes or must to outnumber harmful ones.
52 Representing you New wine tourism trails.
54 Meet the people
behind the wines
Profiling the careers of people working in UK vineyards and wineries.
57 Machinery
Vine-Works invests in a Wagner planting machine to meet growing demand.
FEATURES
45 The importance of cleanliness The benefits of ozonated water for winery sanitisation.
Front cover image: Oxney Organic Estate © Martin Apps, Countrywide Photographic
vineyard.ed@kelsey.co.uk twitter @VineyardMagGB facebook VineyardMagGB
CONTENTS Features Naturally adventurous
24
Vineyard finds out how Oxney’s resourceful and imaginative approach is resetting the expectations of organic wine production.
Counting on yield
32
Unreliable yield forecasts cost money, waste resources and depress profitably. Vineyard finds out why it’s important to improve accuracy and which forecasting methods work.
Building resilience in a perfect storm
40
Vineyard asks Dr Alistair Nesbitt what the likely changes to our growing conditions will be and what opportunities or threats face our industry.
Curious Quercus
46
Vineyard finds out how oak barrels influence the sensory profile, the wine quality and if they can be replaced by staves, chips or other oak alternatives.
Jo C
specialists Hutchinsons offers specialist Viticultural agronomy advice, guidance on nutrition, precision soil mapping and soil health. We supply all production inputs and a range of sundry equipment for vine management, together with a comprehensive range of packaging materials. Our professionalism is coupled with our commitment to customer service. With a highly experienced Horticultural agronomist team and dedicated Produce Packaging division covering the whole country, we have all the advice you want and all the inputs you need, just a phone call away.
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TRURO
From the editor
Turn up the heat.
The Vineyard
ALNWICK
eroy d ow
www.hlhltd.co.uk
At last, we and the poor vines, can throw off our winter fleeces and warm ourselves in the sun! After such a cold spring there are concerns that the vines will not catch up during the season – and that harvest will be nearer Christmas. I remember the mid-1980’s at Rock Lodge Vineyard in Sussex, when it wasn’t uncommon to be picking grapes on 5 November – before heading off to firework displays. Of course, in those few decades our climate has changed, and harvest dates are now many weeks earlier. These changes present both opportunities and challenges for wine production in the UK, but we are a young and innovative wine region and I personally think that the future is very exciting and the opportunities limitless. I have visited several vineyards recently, all of them impressive, but there is one estate that I think will significantly influence the UK’s future – with their still, not sparkling, wines. Their Pinot Noir is truly world class and their Chardonnay – well I can honestly say is the best I have ever tasted – creamy texture, superb complexity, with the most delightful hints of tangerine… I could go on. These grapes are benevolently grown and the wines tenderly hand-crafted by an erudite and passionate team. The business is visionary and recognises the longer-term potential for wine in the UK – and will be setting the still wine bar high. Oregon initially struggled to ripen fruit and now has the deserved reputation of producing some of the best Pinot Noir in the world – let’s look forward to the UK stealing that spotlight – with no disrespect to Oregon. The estate is not ready to be revealed yet – but you will read all about it as a Vineyard exclusive soon! The machine planters are whirring away, with the operators barely pausing for breath. WineGB informs me that we will likely have another 1.4 million vines in the ground increasing the UK’s vineyard area yet again. Interestingly the production figures for last year, which were just over eight million bottles showed a shift in split – there continues to be a sparkling dominance, but less so than previous years, with an increase in the volume of still wine produced. The continued increase in production raises many questions concerning pricing, quality and routes to market. Vineyard’s new letters page is for readers to have their say and communicate their views on the industry’s future, its direction, its regulation – and any other pertinent issue.
PRODUCE PACKAGING
Marden: (01622) 831423
info@producepackaging.co.uk www.producepackaging.co.uk
6 J U LY 2 0 2 1 | V I N E YA R D 20235HUT~Update_existing_Vineyard_Specialist_Advert(93x270).indd 1
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Send your thoughts and comments
by email to vineyard.ed@kelsey.co.uk
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NEWS
Plumpton College further develops WineSkills short courses > Sarah Midgley
Plumpton Wine Division is set to further invest in their WineSkills Programme by diversifying the range of short courses offered, as the demand for wine industry skills and development continues to rise. Sarah Midgley, Plumpton’s award-winning winemaker, will be leading the programme development alongside her Higher Education targeted teaching, as she returns from maternity leave next month. WineSkills, which was first launched in 2010, is a training programme designed to support the UK wine production industry. Covering the principles of vinegrowing and winemaking in a series of short courses held throughout the year. Dr Greg Dunn, head of Plumpton Wine Division commented “As a leading land-based college, Plumpton have always developed programmes specifically to meet the needs of the sector and local employment opportunities. The vision for WineSkills going forward is to continue to up-skill the UK Wine Industry and provide current and Photos: Christopher Lanaway Photography
8 J U LY 2 0 2 1 | V I N E YA R D
wine skills industry relevant short courses and masterclasses. We are delighted to welcome back Sarah and are very much looking forward to driving and developing this arm of our Wine Division.” Sarah Midgley commented: “I am very much looking forward to getting stuck into my new role which will also allow me to use my winemaker knowledge and teaching skills.”
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9 J U LY 2 0 2 1 | V I N E YA R D
NEWS
WineGB announces Sam Linter as new Chair
> Sam Linter
WineGB Chairman Simon Robinson has announced that he is to step down at the beginning of August, after four years at the helm. The position will be filled by Sam Linter, Managing Director and Head Winemaker at Bolney Wine Estate, who has served on the WineGB Board for some two years. Commenting on the news, Simon Robinson said: "Some time ago I indicated that the board has been considering succession planning. This meant not only trying to ensure that there is balanced producer representation, which was a key aim when WineGB was formed, but that good skills are available to the board, and that the board is diverse and inclusive. While these changes cannot happen overnight, I always believe it right to lead from the front. Hopefully I've left WineGB in a much stronger state and that we have created a resilient, united and effective organisation to represent producer interests." Simon Robinson has been Chair of WineGB since its inception, and before then Chairman of English Wine Producers (EWP). He played a pivotal part in founding Wines of Great Britain when EWP merged with UK Vineyards Association in 2017. Simon is owner and Chairman of Hampshirebased Hattingley Valley Wines. Nick Wenman from Albury Vineyard, who joined the Board last year has stepped up as Deputy Chairman, replacing Peter Gladwin, whose retirement from the role was announced in March. Both Simon Robinson and Peter Gladwin have been appointed Honorary Vice President of
New planting of Wrotham Pinot at Barnsole Vineyard
10
Barnsole Vineyard has planted a block of Wrotham Pinot – a variety considered the indigenous vine of England. According to Phillip Watts, owner of Barnsole Vineyard, near Staple in Kent: “The variety was originally found growing wild in Wrotham in Kent, and research last century suggested that this vine may have descended from vines brought to England by the Romans two thousand years ago. Curiously, the leaf is the same shape as Pinot Noir, but is furry on the upper side. "It is such a romantic notion that I had to plant this varietal. We'll start at a small parcel with cuttings from the original vine. See what the wine is like after maturing in French oak. Then, if successful, we will increase the plantings to a sensible commercial scale,” added Phillip.
J U LY 2 0 2 1 | V I N E YA R D
> Phillip Watts
WineGB, recognising the significant contribution they have both made to WineGB. Sam Linter commented: "It's an honour to have been appointed as chair of WineGB. We have an amazing association full of creative and talented people and it continues to be an exciting time for our industry as we move forward into this new phase for WineGB. "During my tenure as chair of WineGB I want to ensure we bring greater diversity within the board and association as a whole, so that we get the best possible people with the widest range of skills, as well as seeking greater collaboration and communication with the whole membership."
> Simon Robinson
NEWS
Photos: Thomas Alexander Photography
App built by growers Simpsons' Wine Estate is located in one of the sunniest corners of the British Isles, just a short drive south of Canterbury in the nation's south-east corner. The vineyard began in 2014 with its first 10 hectares of Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier and Point Noir. A couple of years later, a further 20 hectares were planted with all 30 hectares coming into full production by 2019. The results of the past seven years are nothing short of impressive. With up to 250,000 bottles of still and sparkling wine being produced each year, the business is growing both domestically and abroad. The wines are selling particularly well in both Sweden and Norway, often exceeding the available supply. We asked Estate Manager, Darryl Kemp, what this success means? “My role is to manage the production so we can meet the growing demand for the wine; it’s exciting but it also means we’ve had to focus on adopting best practices. As a smaller operation, we had all the data in hand-written diaries and while I’d tried many different apps to help, I just never settled on a system to keep organized.” In August 2020, Darryl uncovered a relatively new tool, Farmable, in his search for a solution that would simplify the team’s documentation and decided to give it a proper trial at Simpsons’. “What struck me first was that it was designed for fruit growers”, recalls Darryl. “We have a lot of information to visualise in a vineyard, it’s more than your average arable farm.” Farmable is a technology platform, developed in collaboration with Norway’s largest fruit farm. Development began in 2018 with a vision to simplify data management exclusively for orchards and vineyards while acting as an entry point to agtech adoption for fruit producers globally. The user-friendly app can be downloaded on iOS and Android devices and Farmable offers a freemium model that provides more than most growers are accustomed to receiving before swiping their credit card. “With other systems I’ve tried, I’ve been reluctant to spend the time adding data in fear of
needing to pay money just to find out essential information. I don’t have the same hesitation with Farmable, I get valuable feedback from the tool. For example, when we record tasks, we get quick recalls on the job status so we can plan accordingly. It’s motivating to see that our time is being used in the best way possible,” said Darryl. Farmable, a lean and light farm management tool, is relatively early in its product development. The freemium tool can be used for managing crop treatments, capturing field observations including scouting work, and collaborating across the farming team. There are still features which need to be developed and the team has dedicated fulltime engagement managers to work with growers in Spain, Germany, Australia, South Africa and the UK to ensure that future modules meet the needs of the global viticulture and horticulture market. Upcoming additions to the Farmable tool will include auto-populated spray reports, through the Jobs Export module, at a cost of £49/year/farm and a labour management module (pricing to be released later this year). The team is committed to keeping its existing freemium offering which allows its users to opt-in to more advanced, paid features if and when they are interested. While price is often cited as a barrier to the success of technology on the farm, usability is also an important consideration. The Farmable team understands the real-world challenges of using technology on the farm because farming is part of their daily life; simplicity is prioritised in every feature they design. “Intuitive and easy to use is high on my list of requirements for any tool”, explains Darryl. “We’ve been able to easily onboard other members of our team into Farmable and it’s only making everyone’s day better to have real-time access to data. It’s even been helpful for our team members leading tours of the vineyards, with
i
> Farmable being used by Darryl Kemp on his farm at Simpson's Wine Estate two clicks they can double check the withholding period on a field and know if it’s safe to proceed,” he continued In the UK, more than 250 fruit farms have joined the Farmable platform since it first launched in 2019. The product continues to grow in response to the feedback provided by growers. The most recent example of this is a feature for multi-location jobs, an idea initiated through collaboration with British growers. Beyond the upcoming features, Farmable is laying the groundwork for integrated data with connected weather stations and sensors with the goal of offering all the farm’s data in one, user-friendly platform. With dedicated users, like the ones at Simpsons’ Wine Estate, the team hopes to be the platform of choice for vineyard management for years to come.
You can download the Farmable App here or contact Kaye Hope at kh@farmable.tech for more information
11 J U LY 2 0 2 1 | V I N E YA R D
NEWS
A new English wine with attitude Saddle Goose, a small craft wine company have launched their 2020 ‘tattoo’ wine collection in collaboration with a charity to help protect British geese. For the first release, Saddle Goose is focusing solely on the grape variety Bacchus, made into three distinctive styles; a barrel aged still, a skincontact white and a sparkling pet-nat. Owner and self-acclaimed ‘Head Goose’ Adam Collins commented: “Brands have a responsibility to the planet and should tread lightly on the environment around them. Saddle Goose has pledged to give 5% of its annual profits to The British Waterfowl Association, a UK
based charity who conserve and protect British waterfowl. The brand’s rebellious spirit that aims to appeal to the younger consumer, can be seen in the visual identity. The logo and brand symbol, the Saddle Goose, was designed by London tattoo artist Jack Watt. For the launch Saddle Goose are offering 10 limited edition Buff Back Geese tattoos along with a bottle of the skin contact wine. The Buff Back Goose is on the UK’s Rare Breed Survival Trust watchlist. Each tattoo purchased, at a price of £150 each gives £50 to The British Wildfowl Association. The Saddle Goose journey can be followed on Instagram @saddlegoosewine.
Kent farmland with viticulture potential SWANLEY
| KENT
BTF Partnership is offering for sale three parcels of agricultural land that will provide a boost to the south east land market, which has seen a shortage of land onto the open market over the last few years and new opportunities for farm businesses looking to expand. The Franks Farmland at Horton Kirby, near Swanley is 164.29 acres of mainly arable land available as a whole or in two lots. Lot 1 is 143.01 acres of arable land which is mostly Grade II and Grade III. Lot 2 is 12.45 acres of arable land and 6.33 acres of deciduous woodland. The land has grown an arable rotation in recent years
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APPLEDORE
| KENT
THROWLEY
with some maize. Due to the chalky sub-soil of both parcels of land this might be suitable for vineyard planting. The guide price for Lot 1 is £1,275,000 and Lot 2 £225,000. Also for sale is land known as Keepers Field at Throwley, near Faversham is a parcel of Grade II arable extending to about 33.14 acres. The guide price is £300,000 and the closing date for informal tenders is Friday 25 June. The third opportunity is at Appledore, Kent with land and buildings available as a whole or in three lots with a guide price of £2.5m. Lot 1 consists of 141.63 acres of Grade III agricultural land. Lot 2 is 1.52 acres with buildings and
| KENT
a residential consent and Lot 3 is 5.01 acres including a strategic rural building plot. Richard Thomas at BTF Partnership comments: “These sizeable parcels of land open up some new opportunities for existing farm businesses that are looking to expand as the land market here in Kent has seen very little land coming onto the open market in the last couple of years. The Franks farmland is particularly interesting as it has potential for vineyard planting, a growing sector here in Kent. Now with both the uncertainty of Brexit and to some extent the worst of the pandemic behind, farmers and landowners can plan ahead for the future.”
www.btfpartnership.co.uk paper-plane challock@btfpartnership.co.uk 01233 740077
ENWARD
HORTON KIRBY, Dartford, Kent
164.75 acres of good quality Arable Land as a whole or in two lots.
Kenward Construction based in Horsham, West Sussex offer a full design and build service for your next steel framed building including composite cladding, concrete panels, roller shutter doors and bespoke designs to meet individual planning conditions. Kenward Construction also offer a wide range of services offering a truly one stop shop for your next building project. Demolition, plant hire, access roads, drainage, sewage treatment plants, rainwater harvesting, paving, concrete floors/ slabs, walling and site landscaping.
To discuss your project in more detail email enquiries@kenward.co.uk or call 01403 210218
www.kenward.co.uk
Lot 1 – 143 acres of arable land, mostly Grade II and some Grade III, with 2.50 acres of woodland. Lot 2 – 12.45 acres of arable land and approximately 6.33 acres of deciduous woodland. Accessible location in The Darenth Valley within 1.5 miles of the M25 (J3). Loamy soils over chalk considered suitable for viticulture.
Details and Guide Price available on request.
www.btfpartnership.co.uk E challock@btfpartnership.co.uk
T 01233 740077
E heathfield@btfpartnership.co.uk
T 01435 864455
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13 J U LY 2 0 2 1 | V I N E YA R D
& WINERY SHOW
For viticulturists in Great Britain 24th November 2021
Kent Event Centre, Detling, Maidstone, Kent ME14 3JF
In association with
Ferovinum announced as show seminar sponsor
14
The Vineyard & Winery show and WineGB seminar sessions, on 25 November, will provide top level advice from experts that are current and pertinent to members of the industry – from releasing capital and financing against stock to fund growth, to improving yields in the vineyard and increasing tourism revenue by ensuring the best visitor and cellar door experience. “We’re thrilled to be sponsoring the seminar programme this year. It’s an opportunity for the industry to come together and cultivate ideas, innovation and strategic discussion at a crucial moment for the flourishing UK wine producing industry. We’re looking forward to sharing how we can help unlock new capital to help fund sustainable growth, build resilience and nurture innovation as the industry continues to develop,” commented Mitchel Fowler, Founder, Ferovinum Ltd. Ferovinum Ltd is a working capital platform that enables wine producers and wholesalers to release capital against their inventory during ageing and marketing periods. “Since launching our wine producer product in 2020, we’ve released capital for over 200,000 bottles in the UK. This allows our clients to re-invest capital, which would otherwise be tied up in stock unproductively, into growth and efficiency projects – such as marketing, winery expansion, tasting and tourism facilities,” explained Mitchel Fowler. “Ferovinum Ltd will consider any bottled wine stock, including unfinished on-lees sparkling wine,” commented Daniel Gibney, fellow Founder of Ferovinum. “The producer finishes
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the wine as usual at their current facilities and Ferovinum can release further capital as value is added through this process.” “The service is currently active at seven Excise warehouses and contract wineries in the UK and is adding locations all the time; any bonded storage location, including own-wineries can be considered. We also can hold stock en-route from origin to export markets. It is free to setup on the platform, can be used ‘on-demand’ and is highly flexible in integrating with your working capital cycle and supply chain. “Our fees are competitive with the overall costs of bank lending and aren’t payable until the stock is repurchased – aligning our client’s cashflows to their sales without reliance on bank or private debt. In addition, unlike bank lending, it provides flexible cashflow optimisation without heavy administrative burden or legal/setup costs,” he added. The type of product from Ferovinum is essentially the first of its kind to be offered to the wine industry anywhere in the world.
Mostly wine regions are under-served by banks. Ferovinum operates differently from a bank in that it buys and holds inventory for clients and sells back on a ‘just-in-time’ basis. Historically traditional lenders have shied away from stock, as it is difficult to value and to understand the risks, however Ferovinum provides a structure that lowers the risks for the banks, bringing capital to the industry which Ferovinum can deploy to customers large and small. Ferovinum are therefore able to access capital more easily than individual companies and pass on this benefit. The business was set up in 2018 and the product for wine producers, which was developed with input from some of the UK's larger producers and WineGB, was launched in 2020. “The service is for both smaller and larger producers. So far it has been used for investment in tasting rooms, event space, cellar doors as well as winery expansion. We are very excited to be working with UK wine producers,” Daniel added.
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LETTERS
Talk to us! @VineyardMagGB
paper-plane vineyard.ed@kelsey.co.uk
Agricultural Flat Rate VAT and the death of the cellar door Dear Mr Sunak, I write to bring your attention to the damage that you have done to the English wine industry. I would have preferred that my industry body, WineGB, would have already acted on behalf of its members. But the Board of WineGB is made up of representatives from big English wine producing companies. It is in their interests that small producers, like me, do not benefit from AFR. Consequently, WineGB is silent on this issue. As you may know, AFR was originally envisaged as compensation to small farms across the EU. Barnsole, for example, is a small business that owns all land, buildings and equipment with CAPEX costs long behind us. VAT inputs are minimal. We sell what we make from our rich English soil. In the UK, most farms and their products are exempt from VAT. Consequently, the NFU doesn’t think that the loss of ARF is an issue for their members. But I make wine from my soil and you have chosen to attack my sector. There are nearly 900 vineyards in England. Most have been planted within the last five years. Approximately 50% of those vineyards are small (10 hectares, or less). Most are still in the establishment phase. So recovering VAT inputs is important. But when they mature, VAT inputs drop. AFR could have been a key tool in maintaining their long-term viability. With regard to my own AFR registered business, I am at £200K turnover and growing at 25% p/a. I had been striving for £500K and I could have achieved this by selling direct to consumer (from the cellar door). I am a tourism business and I attract visitors to the countryside, from both urban centres in England and the near continent. Every group of visitors I host goes on to visit other rural businesses in the vicinity. The given is that for
every pound spent in an English vineyard, three more pounds are spent locally, distributing much needed revenue to rural businesses. My current £200K business pays Duty at typically 20% of my turnover. Good revenue for you and one of the highest rates of alcohol Duty anywhere. Other taxes, from insurance tax, NI, PAYE, Corporation Tax, etc., etc., further increase my tax burden. If I now grow beyond £230K, you want to take another 20% off the top. That’s an additional £46,000 p/a in tax to be paid. Forever. I won’t do it. That tax take is capricious. As a consequence, I have halted my expansion. Marketing spend has stopped. Plans to employ more staff cancelled. Ironically, WineGB has been lobbying your office for a dispensation on Duty for English wine producing businesses like mine. The idea being that funds released by this dispensation are then spent on enhancing their cellar door proposition. WineGB have made this argument based upon the benefits of rural tourism. This Duty dispensation proposition is entirely useless if it now pushes those businesses into paying an extra 20% tax on their turnover. I don’t suppose that a small rural business, like mine, that has been damaged by your changes to AFR is going to change your mind on this subject. But please be aware of the consequences of your changes to AFR. You might have caught out a few who were taking advantage of the AFR rules. But you have done untold damage to my sector for the future. Those new UK vineyard businesses that have recently set-up as tourism destinations because they have witnessed the early success of our sector would be wise to consider the negative implications of their strategy and to be aware of your new tax hike. Phillip Watts, Barnsole Vineyard, Kent (Copy of letter sent to Mr Rishi Sunak, HM Treasury)
VINEYARD for viticulturists in Great Britain ™
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The independent monthly publication dedicated to viticulture and wine making in Great Britain
www.vineyardmagazine.co.uk
CLA South East @CLASouthEast
Our #Surrey summer social will take place at the lovely @ denbiesvineyard. Join us for a tour, tasting & lunch, including a talk from Simon Robinson, Chair of @Wine_GB, talking about English vines, wines & winegrowers in the UK. Details & booking: https://portal.clahosting. org.uk/MY-CLA/Events/Event-Details/ eventDateId/3656
Ridgeview Wine @RidgeviewWineUK
In celebration of #EnglishTourismWeek we have been sharing comments from visitors to our Ridgeview Wine Garden #escapetheeveryday Join us Clinking glasses https://ridgeview. co.uk/wine-garden/ @Wine_GB @VisitSEEngland @Love_Brighton @SussexModern @VisitBritain @ExpWestSussex @ExpMidSussex @VisitDitchling
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LETTERS Thoughts on a strategy for the UK wine industry Dear Editor, In the UK, the area under vine has grown rapidly in recent years to more than 2,500ha. New plantings over the past 10 years represent a capital commitment of over £250 million into the UK wine industry. I have written a paper to explore what the industry might do to maximise returns on this investment. This letter summarises my views. Industry growth comes with the optimism that this new UK industry has opportunities. But the expansion is not without risks. The wine market is crowded, the UK industry is new, and does not have a recognised place or reputation in world markets. Strengths: The industry has proved that it can make world class wines. Sparkling wines have led the way on this, but there are now top quality, uniquely styled still wines emerging. There is a steady stream of capital available to support the industry’s expansion and development. Opportunities: There is the opportunity to establish these wines on a global stage, with worldwide recognition. Weaknesses: Yields in the UK are low compared to the yields achieved by competing products from elsewhere in the world. The low yields in the UK mean that production costs will always be high relative to competing wines. These high production costs make it difficult for UK wines to compete sustainably on price alone. It would be difficult for the UK industry to establish itself by “buying” distribution at low prices. Risks: The principle risk for the industry is a commercial one; the industry becomes trapped between the Scylla of overproduction, leading to a fall in prices, and the Charybdis of high production costs. This will lead to a squeeze on quality standards as producers grapple to stay viable in a market with lower prices. The steady decline of quality will make it difficult to recover prices and will determine the perception and positioning of UK wines in the future marketplace. If quality standards fall too far, the industry’s reputation will be damaged and there will be little prospect of recovering it. Threats: Unable to push production costs down low enough to buy distribution, and unable to create value through a lack of identity and control of quality, returns on capital will become negative for a prolonged period. The flow of capital will dry up, and the industry’s ambition will not be achieved. Marketing to create value: The UK industry would benefit from a strategy that makes the most of the industry’s strengths and opportunities, whilst mitigating against its weaknesses and threats. Other winemaking regions, that have entered the UK marketplace
more recently, have relied on pricing to establish themselves. For the UK, there is a problem adopting this strategy as it emphasises the UK’s weakness – low yields leading to high production costs. Any long term strategy for the UK must play down this weakness; the industry should market to create value. Use flagship products to the pave the way: Establish unique global identities for these products and manage their reputation to maximise their perceived value. All premium priced products have a clear identity. An identity provides a “pull” effect, increasing demand, and sales. Research by Wine Intelligence shows that awareness increases exponentially with volume of distribution. This means that having a shared common identity for some UK products will increase awareness of those products by more than the sum of its parts. Everyone would benefit from co-ordinated, consistent messaging. An identity also allows the standards of the product to be regulated, so that its reputation can be managed, to minimise the risk of a poor consumer experience. All premium priced products should meet minimum standards. To market for value, the industry must be able to manage the minimum standards of its flagship products. Without a unique managed identity, there is no way the UK industry can establish and maintain premium priced products. Mitigate against threats and weaknesses: Initially, promote products with production and distribution costs that mask the high cost of fruit. It is easier for the UK industry to look competitive when trying to establish products that have high production and marketing costs. Controversially, high Excise Duty rates help to mitigate the uncompetitive aspects of high growing costs. It will be more difficult for UK wines to establish themselves in markets with low Duty rates. To be successful the products must, of course, have the quality to appeal to consumers prepared to pay a premium price. Quality must be achieved. But, whilst quality is a necessary condition of success, it is not a sufficient condition. Would this strategy restrict innovation? No. Producers can experiment and innovate as they wish. Their obligation is not to mislead when placing the product on the market. Would there be a huge cost to the industry? No, as promotional costs need be no bigger than they are now. Producers committing their products to minimum industry standards would promote those products through their own labels and existing marketing channels. Likewise, industry bodies would use existing channels to promote the unique identity of the products they are responsible for. Ian Edwards, Furleigh Estate, Dorset
@diary_of_a_vineyard_worker Getting there slowly. I think this is creating alot of work for @staninthevineyard. Hope you have your counting head on! :-)
Cellar Door Relief Scheme
Dear Editor, The WineGB report in the May edition included reference to the ongoing discussions with the Treasury on the review of alcohol duties; and noted the WineGB proposals to bring sparkling wine duty in line with still wine and the adoption of the Cellar Door Relief Scheme. We are all in favour of reducing the amount of Duty that we pay on the wine that we produce, but the proposals put forward by WineGB raise the question: what problem are they seeking to address? At a time when we have seen record levels of new plantings, with the majority being to the traditional sparkling wine varieties, it is difficult to argue that WineGB’s proposals are where there is most need for Duty relief. By contrast, an argument that Duty relief should be focused on the small vineyards, say those producing less than 35hl per annum (roughly equivalent to 1ha), akin to the small producer duty exemptions that exist for both beer and cider, is more likely to gain traction with the Treasury. This would focus support on those who do not qualify for agricultural subsidies or have the benefits of scale of the larger vineyards, and where we have not seen the significant increase in the levels of plantings in recent years. Having spent many years as a senior civil servant working in Whitehall with both the Treasury and the Cabinet Office, it is clear to me that we should be focusing our arguments on Duty relief to encourage and foster these smaller vineyards, who represent more than half of the vineyards in this country, to provide support for the breadth and innovation that they engender within the industry. From a Treasury perspective such a proposal would also represent the best cost benefit trade-off. Simon Routh, Wellhayes Vineyard, Devon
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AWARDS
INTERNATIONAL WINE CHALLENGE
UK wide winners in the International Wine Challenge The International Wine Challenge has announced the winners of its 2021 competition, with the medal results showing how the UK wine map is evolving. While the south of England remains Britain’s wine heartland, medal-winning wines are now being produced throughout the nation, extending out from the established south. Medals were awarded to wines in Staffordshire, Shropshire, Worcestershire and Derbyshire as well as Conwy, Powys and Monmouthshire in Wales. With such a strong medal haul, Great Britain has once again ranked in eighth position worldwide for Gold Medals. Wines from 21 counties across England and Wales were awarded medals including 12 Gold, 48 Silver, 58 Bronze and 18 Commended. Shropshire winery, Hencote, took this year’s only Gold medal for an English still wine, awarded to a red wine – Mark I 2018, made from a blend of Pinot Noir, Précoce and Rondo grapes. In particular, there was a notable boost for Staffordshire, which received six medals this year, including one Silver, two Bronze and three Commended, compared with only one Commended award last year. Kent led the medal wins for English wines with
30 medals, three of which were Gold and also took home the English Sparkling Trophy with The Squerryes Partnership Squerryes Blanc de Blancs 2014, which also won the English Sparkling Blanc de Blancs Trophy. The English Sparkling Classic Blend Trophy was awarded to Squerryes Brut 2011. In Hampshire three Gold medals went to Hattingley Valley, Raimes English Sparkling Wine and Grange Estate Wines. The latter was also awarded the English Non-Vintage Sparkling Rosé Trophy for The Grange Hampshire Pink NV. Roebuck Estates and Artelium in Sussex, Greyfriars Vineyard and High Clandon Estate Vineyard in Surrey and Camel Valley in Cornwall were also recipients of Gold medals. Roebuck Estates also received the English Vintage Sparkling Rosé Trophy for its Rosé de Noirs 2016. Oz Clarke, one of the six co-chairs for the International Wine Challenge and author of English Wine commented: "Over the past few decades, it’s been incredible to witness the progress Great Britain has been making on the world stage for its wine, especially the sparkling wines from southern England. What’s really exciting to see now however, is the quality of wines we are tasting from other regions in the UK and the diverse styles being produced there."
HIGH CLANDON ESTATE VINEYARD
High Clandon Euphoria Cuvée, 2016
CAMEL VALLEY Pinot Noir Rosé Brut, 2018
THE SQUERRYES PARTNERSHIP Blanc de Blancs, 2014
ROEBUCK ESTATES
Rose de Noirs, 2016
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THE SQUERRYES PARTNERSHIP
Squerryes Brut, 2011
ARTELIUM
Makers Rose, 2015
HENCOTE
Mark 1, 2018
RAIMES ENGLISH SPARKLING WINE Classic, 2015
HATTINGLEY VALLEY WINES
Hattingley Valley Blanc de Blancs, 2014
WOOLTON
Sparkling Rose, 2014
GRANGE ESTATE WINES The Grange Hampshire Pink, NV
INTERNATIONAL WINE & SPIRITS COMPETITION
Britain brings home the medals in the IWSC
INTERNATIONAL WINE & SPIRIT COMPETITION
The outstanding quality of wine from Great Britain’s vineyards was proven at the International Wine & Spirits Competition this year. As Michelinstarred chef, wine connoisseur, and member of the judging panel Roger Jones summed up, “it was a proud moment to be British”. Never in the 50 plus years of IWSC history has such an array and quality of English wines been on offer for tasting and assessment, with over 90 entries scoring medals spread across production from 10 different counties. Judge Rebecca Palmer, Associate Director & Buyer at Corney & Barrow Ltd summed it up, “the bar just gets higher every year, in general. But there are also more wines with what I call ‘star quality’; wines that thrill you, stop you in your tracks.” 21% of the medals went to still wines this year, showing an interesting array of grape styles. English Pinot Noir is emerging as a popular style, gaining medals, whilst the delights of drinking rosé have come to the shores of Britain, the judges commenting on their freshness of fruity flavours. Bacchus and Bacchus dominated blends accounted for more than 50% of medals awarded to whites in this category. The judges all commented on its fresh mouthfeel and the elderflower and hawthorn notes that many samples displayed. In the sparkling category, over 70 samples won medals with 10% winning coveted golds and 32% silvers. Judge David Kermode, Journalist & Broadcaster said: “A gold haul, the likes of which I have never previously experienced.” With highlights coming from the 2014 and 2015 vintages. He went on to enthuse that the wines displayed, “thrilling acidity and freshness, but also real complexity, harmony and a luxurious level of depth.” Rebecca agreed saying, “wine after wine, beautifully pitched, poised and with a personality all their own.” Almost all the sparkling wines were made with the classic grapes in a variety of styles and percentages, only a few choosing other more traditionally English growing grapes. Four of the medal winners came from Bacchus, Pinot Gris or a blend of other varietals. Sparkling rosé has always been a firm favourite with consumers and the judges agreed, awarding over 20 medals to the style. Comments highlighted the strawberry fruits, cherries, spice and red apples with classy and subtle mousse and acidity. The 2021 judges in this category were: Rebecca Palmer, Associate Director & Buyer for Corney & Barrow Ltd; David Kermode, Journalist & Broadcaster; Roger Jones, Michelin Star Chef; Elliot Awin, Partner at Awin Barratt Siegel Wine Agencies. IWSC highlights for UK: ◆ Over 90 entries of wines received medals across 10 different counties. ◆ 21% of medals were awarded to still wines, with Pinot Noir from England emerging as a popular style. ◆ Bacchus holds its position as the iconic grape variety from England, with more than 50% of medals given to the single-varietal and Bacchus-dominated blends. ◆ English sparkling wine continues to ride one wave of success after another, with 10% of wines receiving a gold.
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SALES AND MARKETING
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awk i ns
The specialist English wine shop, Hawkins Bros Fine English Wine was opened in December 2016, by brothers James and Simon Hawkins. Sales have been spectacular – as has the enthusiasm for buying English and buying local. So much so that the shop in the courtyard at Secrett’s Farm Shop, near Godalming in Surrey, is now bursting at its seams – so it is time to expand and open another three premises.
H on
In conversation...
es a nd S im Jam
What did you do before opening the shop? We have always been involved with alcohol one way or another. Our parents owned and ran pubs, we have run several pubs together, and also worked in the hospitality sector. I particularly love the ‘showmanship’ and performance aspect of hospitality – a perfect skill for giving talks and tastings,” James smiled. James’ interest in English wine was first sparked by his neighbour who planted a vineyard in Sussex, and he was fascinated to watch it grow and develop. “The wines were made at Ridgeview and I was amazed.” Then another vineyard near me was planted – so English wine really was the zeitgeist. James then ran the Exceptional English Wine Company from 2013, so quickly realised the potential of a specialist English wine shop.
What is different about Hawkins Bros Fine English Wine? James and Simon focus on direct-to-consumer sales and have a wide selection of wines to choose from. They also sell a little in the trade, to local and London based restaurants. “We don’t want to be just another wine merchant, we like to get to know individual producers and they become our friends, so we are able to give our customers great advice as we are hand selling wines that we have a special relationship with. We always have a few bottles open to taste,” said James. “We have an online shop – fortunately. When lockdown hit, sales temporarily slumped – a worrying moment – but then the online sales suddenly took off. This year they increased by over 180%,” Simon exclaimed. “I have become very good at packing boxes, and Digby the dog tries his best to help,” James added.
Own brand
Hawkins Bros now have their own brand – a range of award winning sparklings and stills. Grown and made locally, from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. “We approached Mike Wagstaff at Greyfriars Vineyard, who is very local to us, to ask if he would make our wines – and he said yes. We then wanted to add a Bacchus to the range, so approached Simon Woodhead at Stopham Vineyard – and he also said yes,” exclaimed James. “Our 2014 Brut Reserve vintage won a Gold Medal at the IEWA (Independent English Wine Awards) in 2019 and a Bronze at the Decanter World Wine Awards in 2018 – and our Rosé Reserve sparkling won a Bronze at The International Wine Challenge 2018 – we were thrilled,” Simon commented. “In fact, the range is selling so well we are hoping to increase our production,” James added.
Which wines are your bestsellers?
“Over the winter our best-selling wines have been all the reds. In 2018 more vineyards than usual made red still wines and we have had some fantastic Pinot Noirs. I really think there is a great future for Pinot Noir, its blends and red wines generally – and people no longer question the price – they understand. However, our challenge at the moment is rosé – we just can’t get enough.” “Our own brand sells well – which is a relief – but also Ambriel, Wiston, Greyfriars and Stopham are very popular,” James explained. “I also think there is a great future for wine in cans as it opens up the market for the youngsters, the millennials. Cans are really popular with our younger customers as they suit their lifestyle and values – being recyclable and sustainable – and are cheaper than buying a bottle.” Simon added.
“Another interesting area is non-traditional fizz; they certainly have their place in the market. Customers need to know the difference – and as we hand sell, we can explain. We are waiting for some more frizzante from Albourne Estate – which was very popular – as was the Fitz charmat. “We have witnessed such a massive increase in interest in English and Welsh wines from consumers – and the comments ‘isn’t it a joke, or isn’t it expensive’, are now outdated and just never happen anymore – people understand and are more knowledgeable about English wine,” explained James. “So many people say they have made a decision – since Brexit – to buy local and support British,” added James.
How can producers help you sell their wines? “One of the most helpful ways to boost sales is to join us for tastings. Everyone likes to meet the winemaker or producer. The winemakers have been brilliant in lockdown joining us for online tastings and Instagram live events – these have been so successful, lots of fun, and a great way to talk about and promote the wines,” explained James. “We do find that professionally designed labels and smart packaging are important – an attractive eye-catching bottle is the first to be picked up,” James added. “We can’t wait to resume our Saturday winemaker tastings here at the shop. Hearing the vineyard and winemaking stories really helps people get involved and take ownership – they then want to buy the wine, take it to friends and explain all about it – and quite rightly show-off a bit,” Simon added.
Future plans?
“With such a dramatic growth in the industry, and new vineyard plantings we are being approached by more and more producers,” explained James. “But currently we just don’t have enough space, and this makes it very difficult. We can only stock about 40 vineyards, so try to have an evolving or rotating system. We select on taste, and try to keep local, within driving distance so that we can buy direct and collect by car. “So, it’s obvious we need to expand – and soon. With sales going so well we are now planning three new shops – all local – one within a delicatessen and two further concessions,” commented James.
Most recent imbibes?
“Well, we are tasting all the time, and have the choice of so many wonderful wines – and couldn’t possibly select a favourite – but the last one I sat down to drink was the delightful Chilworth rosé,” smiled James. “For me it was the wonderful Stopham Pinot Gris,” added Simon.
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21
WINE REVIEWS
Mat h e w
Kissing cousins
es Juk
Redressing the imbalance of varietal hierarchy. www.matthewjukes.com paper-plane vineyard.ed@kelsey.co.uk I am calling for the Pinot Class System to be abolished. Posh Pinot Noir lauds it over middle-class Pinot Meunier and Meunier looks down on working-class Pinot Noir Précoce. This varietal hierarchy is both outdated and also blinkered and so I have decided to spend this month’s column inches on endeavouring to redress this imbalance. I get it – Pinot Noir makes DRC (Domaine de la Romanée-Conti), but we don’t live in Burgundy. We have a radically different climate than continental Europe and so we need to consider this when we are trying to make the finest wines that we possibly can. Pinot Noir used for still wines often struggles to ripen fully and this means that you are always running the risk of encountering greener notes in your glass. You have to work it harder, too, so along with more colour, you extract more tannin, which we certainly don’t need alongside our naturally perky acidity. Précoce wears its fruit and colour on its sleeve. These two traits are its calling cards and while this grape is unlikely to make wines that will live forever, it is extremely adept at adding fruitiness and ripeness to lacklustre red wines. To my mind it is a fantastic red wine component for use in sparkling rosés because it is aromatic and also pale pink, as opposed to onion skin brown in the glass. Once you have made it through a tricky flowering, Précoce stands a good chance of reaching true ripeness before the autumn rain comes in and with its low tannin, it is ideally suited to making early-drinking red wines. Meunier, on the other hand, is a superstar
In association with
grape, capable of performing at the very highest level. Emma Rice, at Hattingley Valley, got me thinking the other day when she commented that the Champenois have missed a trick not planting Meunier on some of the great hillsides in the Côte des Blancs and Montagne de Reims, as opposed to relegating this grape to less starry postcodes. She thinks that Meunier wines made from great terroir could blow us away – Billecart-Salmon’s limited release Les Rendez-Vous de BillecartSalmon N°1 Meunier Extra Brut is a fleeting insight into what is possible with this underrated
Sponsored by
grape. Emma’s favourite Meunier comes from their Chalky Hill Vineyard, in Hampshire, and in conjunction with nice, old French oak, she thinks it makes some of the most interesting and layered fruit flavours in the country. Let’s all shine a light on these two Pinot cousins and give them the attention and credit that they are due. Pinot Noir snobs should stop looking down their noses at Précoce and Meunier and welcome them into the fold. After all, I happen to think that without these two grapes our industry would be very boring indeed.
Vitifruit Equipment Sales and Hire
& WINERY SHOW
For viticulturists in Great Britain
24th November 2021: Kent Event Centre, Detling, Maidstone, Kent ME14 3JF
22 FOR GENERAL ENQUIRIES PLEASE CONTACT ONE OF THE TEAM:
Event Director Sarah Calcutt 07827 642396 Booking enquiries Jamie McGrorty 01303 233883
2017 Oxney Organic, Classic Pinot Meunier £37.00 www.oxneyestate.com Only 533 bottles were made of this absolutely sensational wine and so it is one of the rarest releases I have written about in Vineyard and, as you can imagine, it is not sold in indie merchants or even restaurants, which is a shame because it is my favourite English 100% Pinot Meunier to date. The plan is to make more in the future which is great news because this wine is a stellar advert for the charms of Meunier with its white pepper and ginger root details over a sleek, buoyant chassis. Whole-bunchpressed into barrels and given a decent stir, this is a highly accomplished sparkler and with only 4g/l dosage so you can really get a sense of the beauty and individuality of this ravishing grape. Drinking perfectly now, I cannot recommend this wine enough so please hurry to secure stock because I have a feeling it will not hang around for long after this article is published.
2018 Hattingley Valley, Rosé Brut £36.00 www.hattingleyvalley.com The wondrous 2017 vintage may well still be listed at various merchants around the country, but Hattingley HQ has sold out and so this means that I have the great pleasure of introducing you to the brand new 2018 vintage of this epic wine. Using both of my focus grapes in the blend, alongside Pinot Noir, this is a 50% Pinot Noir, 45% Pinot Meunier and 5% Pinot Noir Précoce elixir with gentle oak influence and undeniable finesse in every sip. Winemaker Emma Rice adores her Meunier pointing out that King’s Cuvée, the top wine at Hattingley, has around 40% in the blend. Précoce is perfect for making the red wine addition for rosés not least because it is less tannic and juicier than Pinot Noir. I happen to think that the colour is often prettier, too. And while we are at it, there is an even more daring sparkling red from Hattingley, which is soon to appear on the shelves. 2019 The English Lady (£19.00) is a 67% Pinot Précoce, 33% Pinot Noir creation which is likely to make an appearance on every smart picnic blanket in the country this summer! There are few people in the world as keen on Précoce and Meunier as Emma and these wines prove why!
2020 Vagabond, Pinot Noir Précoce £17.00 www.vagabondwines.co.uk We have seen a 100% Meunier and a few blends so far on this page, so my final wine simply has to be a 100% Précoce number! This is the brand new vintage of Vagabond’s epic Précoce and with a zany, Beaujolais-like bite of fresh red berries over an earthy, vital core, this is one of my favourite wines of all time from the mercurial hands of Gavin Monery. Bless him for letting me know that the only reason he got so heavily involved in Précoce was because of a Sixteen Ridges wine I poured at a Vineyard magazine event I hosted a couple of years ago! Gavin reports: "I love it. It’s gorgeous, juicy and vibrant and makes a proper vin de soif." And, no surprise, you can taste his enthusiasm for this grape in this delicious, lip-smacking wine. Get out and buy yourself the finest charcuterie you can find and drink this wine, slightly cool, alongside – sheer bliss.
TAKE PART IN MATTHEW JUKES’ STRUCTURED WINE TASTING
All proceeds raised go to The Drinks Trusts
h
c a e 0 2 £ S T E TICK
World renowned wine writer and monthly Vineyard columnist Matthew Jukes will be conducting a structured wine tasting for 120 guests at this year’s Vineyard & Winery Show.
All proceeds raised go to
Starting at 13:00 each guest will be presented with six UK wines to sample. Selected by Matthew, these will include still, sparkling and Rosé. Over the course of an hour, Matthew will explain why he feels each one is special and warrants acclaim. This is your opportunity to have an exclusive insight into the very best of British wines with one of the world’s leading wine writers.
TICKETS ARE £20 EACH. All proceeds raised go to The Drinks Trusts.
To book go to: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-vineyard-and-winery-show-tickets-140979015029
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EDITOR'S VISIT
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Before setting up Oxney Organic Estate, co-owner Kristin Syltevik used to make a lot of noise as founder of a large international PR agency for new technologies, that flourished after the dot com crash. But now Kristin hardly uses her PR skills – even the Instagram account is quiet. “We don’t like to make a lot of noise, and I don’t have time. At Oxney we prefer to concentrate our efforts on growing our grapes and creating beautifully expressive wines. But my background does help, I know my brand, its organic and sustainable – I live it from the bottom up in everything I do. If I couldn’t do what I do organically I wouldn’t do it – as it’s core to my values and principles,” explained Kristin.
itor
Quietly getting on with producing some of the country’s top award-winning wines is Oxney, the UK’s largest single organic estate, tucked away near Rye in rural East Sussex. The focus is on organic production, low intervention winemaking, preserving the soils and treading lightly on the environment. Many may see organic production as an impossible challenge – but Vineyard finds out how Oxney’s resourceful and imaginative approach is resetting the expectations of organic wine production in England – with soils, sheep and silence.
Ed
Naturally adventurous
Jo Cowdero y
The vineyard is named after the Isle of Oxney and is part of a large organic 800-acre farm. It was established in 2012 and is now approaching its eighth harvest. Co-owner Paul Dobson, a former professional golfer, also manages other nearby farms. Kristin and Paul started farming in 2009, but neither had a background in agriculture. “We had to learn on the job, we read a lot and constantly ask questions. I think the lack of tradition has meant that we are more open to learning, more resourceful and inventive. We are always looking for new technologies and innovative approaches. For example, we have just bought a new drill for the farm, a System
Photos: Martin Apps, Countrywide Photographic
“We are always looking for new technologies and innovative approaches.”
Chameleon, which is guided by GPS and drills in exact spacing allowing for precision inter-row hoeing post-planting, which avoids the use of herbicides,” commented Kristin.
A closed-loop system
The 35 acres of vineyards at Oxney are Soil Association certified, and planted with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Seyval Blanc. “All our wines are estate grown, we do not buy in grapes, so all our fruit is site-specific. Rather than inoculate the wines with commercial yeasts, we allow spontaneous fermentations by natural yeast from the vineyards – this augments the sense of terroir, producing wines that are unique to our site and have individual character,” explained Kristin. Oxney aims to achieve a ‘closed loop’ system of nutrition in the vineyard. “Our neighbouring farmer uses the vineyard to graze his sheep during the winter, which keeps the grass and weeds down – and of course they add fertiliser as they go. The farmer also pays us for the winter grazing in muck – he gives us his farmyard >>
> Kristin Syltevik
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> Paid in manure
“Oxney is fortunate having a low annual rainfall.”
<< manure, which we rot down and add to the vineyard. This means that over winter we are building the level of nutrients that the vines will need during the growing season, restoring the soil and avoiding the need to use any additions to target nutritional deficiencies during the growing season. Our team of woolly mowers keep the grass short which allows the cold air to flow out of the vines and hopefully avoid any damage to buds during spring frosts,” commented Kristin. In all decisions the team at Oxney try to choose the most environmentally friendly option. “We do not see the need to cultivate and plant a cover crop, involving extra tractor work, as we already have plenty of self-seeding annual grasses in our vineyard alleys. We allow grass to grow as they help to maintain
John Buchan AGRONOMY LTD For independent advice on: Interpretation of soil and tissue Formulation of nutrient programmes Supply of tailor-made products General agronomic advice
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soil structure – and they stop the vineyard turning into a mud-bath! “We also compost our marc from the winery and add to the vineyard – which is like gold. This year we’re mulching all of the prunings from the 2020 harvest to return the nutrients that are stored in these canes back to the soil,” added Kristin. Oxney do not use herbicides and manage weeds mechanically not chemically. “We have a German manufactured weeder that lifts the weeds, rotovating and aerating the soil as it goes, bringing oxygen to the soil aerobic organisms and suppressing the harmful anaerobic ones. This also allows waste gases arising from the breakdown of the manure and organic matter to escape,” explained Kristin.
Challenges of organic
Organic wine production is hard, but it is possible, explains Kirstin. “The challenges are disease and weed control. It’s about being diligent, observant, and using the right control methods at the right time – you can’t stand still or rest on your laurels you always need to be a step ahead and be willing to try new techniques. We use Trichoderma on our pruning wounds and would like to trail its use against downy mildew in the future. We have a limited armoury: copper and sulphur, potassium bicarbonate and biological control agents such as Bacillus subtilis – which out completes Botrytis. John Buchan provides us with great advice and suitable products. However, it is the cultural methods of control that are most important in managing diseases – you need to know where your disease pockets are and be very good at canopy management,” commented Kristin. Oxney is fortunate having a low annual rainfall. “It’s super-dry here, due
EDITOR'S VISIT
> Salvatore Leone to a rocky outcrop near Hastings that causes most of the rain to be dumped there – sadly for Hastings! We are also lucky that this is not an early site, and generally have a later bud burst, which this year has thankfully meant we have mostly escaped the late spring frosts. But I do think UK vineyards have to take frost on the chin – as to protect against frost is expensive and not always environmentally very kind,” added Kristin. “Going forward our main focus will be soil improvement. I love the quote from James Millton “We’re not standing on dirt, but the rooftop of another Kingdom.” We chose organic for ethical reasons; we couldn’t bear the idea of contributing to the destruction of habitat, wildlife and soil health. We need to respect this underground world, and it makes sense to allow it to work for us. We don’t use chemicals which damage soil life, we look after
the soil organisms with manures and composted marc, which in turn builds nutrients, we keep the soil covered and encourage biodiversity around the vineyard. We have found that our vines are healthier, stronger and more resistant to diseases year on year – and producing fantastic quality fruit.”
Going wild and low
The winery is in a converted Grade II listed square oast house, but with state-of the art equipment, including temperature controlled tanks, use of inert gases and a gentle pneumatic press. “Our sustainable, low-intervention approach, minimising inputs, continues into the winery. We favour wild ferments, no filtration and minimal use of SO2,” explained Kristin. “We used to have a full-time winemaker, but we now share our winemaker, >>
T: 01273 380158 E: info@vinecareuk.com
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EDITOR'S VISIT
> Home grown woodchips
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<< Salvatore Leone, with a couple of other vineyards – which makes such economic sense and is far more sustainable for the business. He is also an excellent winemaker. The wine is made organically, so we need to comply with a series of regulations. Our winemaking is a natural process, and our philosophy is to have as little intervention as possible. To do this you need great quality fruit – and it’s a common but true statement that great wine is made in the vineyard. The fermentations are mostly spontaneous with wild yeasts that come from the vineyard and this summer we will be doing a study to see if we can find the best vineyard strains. We spend a lot of time and effort growing top quality ripe organic and want to allow their character to shine through. Anyone can buy the standard cultured yeasts, but we think that wild ferments are a one-off celebration of their terroir – loaded with their own unique personality. “Oxney will continue to focus on the vineyard to produce the best possible fruit for creating low intervention wines, representing our terroir, with minimal SO2. By taking the necessary precautions in terms of hygiene and employing other natural antioxidants like tannins, lees contact and minimal filtration, we aren’t forced into over-reliance on SO2. Currently our Chardonnay has no S02, and there is just a little in the rosé.” Oxney will also continue to use natural yeast, spontaneous fermentation and practically no fining or filtering in the winemaking. “You cannot remove the things you don’t want in a wine without removing some that you do want – so we avoid fining and only filter lightly. Sterile filtration is absolutely out of the question – so much of what makes the wine uniquely ours would be left in the filter. Every vintage comes with a thrill of the unknown, because every passing year tells a new story in the Oxney vineyards. We are producing fantastic, world class wines that are winning lots of medals – so I think the wines speak for themselves,” Kristin added. >>
With more than six decades worth of experience, Bruni Erben provides a full suite of packaging products and solutions for vineyards of all sizes in the United Kingdom and beyond. With a complete offering of stock products including glass, corks, wire cages, foils & more, and design services for bespoke branding, we’re ready to streamline your supply chain and boost your profits. www.BruniErben.co.uk • +44 (0)1473 823011
EDITOR'S VISIT Escape from it all
Tourism is an important income stream for the vineyard, and it is a perfect tranquil destination in which to relax. “As we are a bit off the beaten track and not near a main road, tourism essentially drives traffic to the vineyard for sales. We have a beautiful Jacobean house right next to the vineyard, as well as two cosy shepherds’ huts overlooking the vines. Nearby we have several cottages and converted barns ideal for peaceful holidays and short breaks. We find people come to escape, to enjoy the moment – and do absolutely nothing. They can lounge in the hammocks, wander around the vineyard with a glass of wine and chill-out around a fire pit. Tourism is certainly growing in our area and we have joined several tourism groups; Rother Valley Vineyards, Sussex Modern and Visit 1066 – which is a brilliant organisation, really hot on social media and supportive of vineyards.”
“We find people come to escape, to enjoy the moment.”
Our changing climate
The Oxney team are passionate about making the right choices. “We should all be thinking about our impact on the environment – all the time and in everything that we do. If I see a new diesel car, I think what is it that these people don’t understand. There needs to be political action for climate change, but we all need to help by modifying our own behaviour. We need to embrace new technologies that can help us. We have an electric car and are planning to get an electric tractor. We generate biomass heat for our buildings and winery using wood chip sourced from our own coppiced woodland. We must be creative and imaginative – there is one world and no one else is going to save it. In the wine industry there are many opportunities to be resourceful – as the saying goes “good wine doesn’t have to cost the earth!”
R E L I A B L E C LO S U R E S T H AT H E L P S E A L , PROTECT AND A DD VALUE TO BRAND S CROWN CAPS
SPARKLING WINE CO R
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ST ILL
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CA M A OL Y L P & N TI
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Quality Stoppers and Closures Since 1774
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+44 (0)1844 203100 sales@rankincork.co.uk rankincork.co.uk
GRAPE GROWING
Why calculate the carbon footprint of your vineyard? With global temperatures rising, and a marked increase in extreme weather events, climate change is recognised as a major challenge across many industries, including wine production. Vine growing and wine making are not major contributors to climate change compared with other industries, but everyone needs to play their part, and the wine market is very influenced by consumer trends towards more sustainable patterns of management.
On the other hand, the winemaking process has a high carbon footprint, principally due to the use of glass bottles, which can account for up to 70% of emissions, so bottle manufacturers are now starting to use more renewable energy sources. Wineries also use a considerable amount of electricity (which can be generated through renewable sources) and release carbon dioxide to the air during the alcoholic fermentation (which can be captured or recycled).
Reducing footprint and reducing costs
The Carbon Calculator
The principal cause of climate change is the increase in greenhouse gas (GHG) levels in the atmosphere, and the carbon footprint of a bottle of wine is a measure of the level of these emissions produced during its manufacture. In order to mitigate against climate change, it is essential that wine producers measure their carbon footprints and understand the factors that contribute to it. With this aim in mind, Sustainable Wines of Great Britain (SWGB) have been working with the Farm Carbon Calculator company to develop a bespoke wine production carbon calculator. There are strong commercial reasons for measuring and reducing carbon footprint. Reducing the use of inputs such as diesel and electricity consumption will reduce costs, and, from a marketing point of view, showing an honest interest in carbon footprinting has a clear sales benefit, particularly from younger wine consumers. In addition, future UK Government regulation on carbon emissions in agriculture will likely be related to farm payments. There are now 56 vineyards (totalling 1,276 ha) and 33 wineries that are members of the SWGB Scheme, all of whom have to calculate their carbon footprints per hectare of vineyard, ton of grapes and bottle of wine on an annual basis. Carbon emissions from vineyards contribute a relatively small share of the overall carbon footprint of a bottle of wine; most UK vineyards are carbon positive, in that they capture more atmospheric carbon through vinegrowing than they release through maintenance tasks. The primary sources of carbon emissions on a vineyard are from energy consumption (principally diesel). The best way to reduce GHG emissions is by using tractors less, or changing the power source, for example to electric vehicles.
i
There are a number of different methods for calculating carbon footprints and different wine producing regions have adapted varying forms of carbon tracking. The Organisation Internationale de la Vigne et du vin (OIV) has also published an excellent inventory of factors concerning GHG emissions and sequestrations. The SWGB working group considered several proposals and chose the Farm Carbon Toolkit Company, an existing calculator that was readily adaptable to the requirements of the UK wine industry. The website has a bespoke landing page, where any wine producer can register and follow video instruction for using the carbon calculator free of charge. Producers can see the results in terms of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) in tonnes per year, in a diagram like the one opposite.
Carbon sequestration
Carbon sequestration is the capture and storage of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Vineyards have great potential to be net carbon sinks, because of the perennial nature of the crop and the low level of soil cultivation required to grow vines. However, some systems will be sequestering more carbon than others, for example the burning of prunings releases carbon back into the atmosphere, and results in a lowering of organic matter levels in the soil, which is why this practice is prohibited for those seeking SWGB Scheme Certification. Soil management is perhaps the best opportunity to increase carbon sequestration in the vineyard. To reduce losses of soil organic matter, ensure that cultivations are minimised. Bare soil will also likely lose carbon, so best to keep covered. Soil carbon levels can also be increased by adding compost and allowing cover
Live results Fuels 8.263 (35.6%) 37.1%
35.6%
15.8%
11.6%
Emissions Totals Type
t CO2e/year
Fuels 8.26 Materials
2.68
Crops 3.67 Inputs 8.60 Total 23.21
Offset Totals Type
t CO2e/year
Land Use
-24.12
Total -24.12 crops to grow longer and assimilate more carbon, whilst reducing fuel use through mowing. Soils higher in organic matter not only sequester more carbon, but often have improved biodiversity (above and below ground), better water retention and drainage, and are generally more fertile. The WineGB Carbon Calculator considers soil organic matter levels, alongside surrounding woodland, hedgerows, wetlands and uncultivated field margins, as these can make a substantial contribution to carbon sequestration. Chris Foss, Chair of SWGB says “SWGB is leading the way in measuring GHG emissions in the wine industry. In fact, there are plans to further develop the WineGB Carbon Calculator into an international tool for mitigating against climate change.”
To find out more about the SWGB Carbon Calculator, go to the WineGB Carbon Calculator website (https://calculator.farmcarbontoolkit.org.uk/winegb ) or email: swgb@winegb.co.uk
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GRAPE GROWING
Counting on yield Unreliable yield forecasts cost money, waste resources and depress profitably. Poor forecasts are one of the largest causes of tension, stress and conflict between vineyard managers and winemakers. Vineyard finds out why it’s important to improve accuracy and which forecasting methods work. Even as the season starts the winemakers will be asking the vineyard manager how much fruit there will be at harvest. If the vineyard manager under forecasts and more fruit comes in than expected, there may not be enough capacity in the winery and picking may need to be delayed - with quality implications. Staff and storage space could also be in short supply. But if less fruit comes in than expected capital investment in tanks, other equipment or oak, could be wasted expenditure. Both scenarios also have an implication on consistency of supply to the market – a challenge for the sales and marketing team.
> Plumpton Wine
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Improving accuracy
Dr Greg Dunn, Head of Wine at Plumpton College, is a leading expert on yield forecasting, as this was his area of research when Associate Professor at the University of Melbourne, Australia. “Vineyard managers across Australia were asking how to get forecasts right due to the cost implications for both over and under forecasting – and these economic and quality implications can be substantial. Ideally winemakers want an accuracy of + or - 5% from the vineyard managers forecast, but the data in the Australian wine industry at the time showed that forecasting accuracy was more like + or - 30%. Although I do not have enough data for the UK
to determine, on average, how accurate yield forecasting is, I suspect it would not be dissimilar. If any grower would like resources to improve their yield forecasts, then contact me at Plumpton College. “The winery needs to organise harvest, arrange labour, allocate tank space, plan oak requirements, schedule fruit receival, and purchase winery supplies. From a broader perspective, production and stock management need to be linked to marketing efforts. However, crop yields vary substantially across the vineyards and from season-to-season, making forecasting a challenging task for the vineyard manager,” Greg commented.
GRAPE GROWING “Yotes Court Vineyard is a fairly new vineyard and 2018 was our first harvest so we had no historical bunch weights to use in the calculations, but the last two seasons have been very accurate, 100% accurate in 2019,” commented Tony Purdie, Vineyard Manager. “Our forecasting varies from season to season and block to block, but overall its usually pretty good, usually within 5% – but block variability always makes it difficult to get every block correct,” explained Cameron Roucher, Vineyard Manager at Rathfinny Estate.
Components of yield
Photos: Christopher Lanaway Photography
“The components of yield, that is the weight of fruit per vine, is a function of the number of bunches per vine, the number of berries per bunch and berry weight,” explained Dr Greg Dunn. “Our research in Australia showed that bunches per vine closely tracks yield per vine, more so than berries per bunch. In fact bunches per vine accounted for around 60% of seasonto-season variation while berries per bunch accounted for 30%, and weight per berry only 10%. So, forecasting starts with bunches per vine and then it can be fine-tuned with berries per bunch. My advice is that if you do one thing – take time to make sure that your inflorescences counts in spring are accurate. Then after fruit set, you can
reassess to fine tune your forecast.” Greg suggests initially sampling 30 vines per block. “To avoid bias these vines need to be randomly selected, using appropriate software. It’s OK to keep the same vines year on year as marker vines, as long as these vines are not managed any differently and you don’t sample fruit from them during the season. It’s important that all vines have the same chance of being samples. This includes weaker vines and even missing vines as these all contribute to overall yield. Finally, it’s important to collect data at the end of the season (at harvest) to find out where your forecast might have been out and to use this knowledge to improve your forecasting for the following season. “Yield forecasting is not easy so it’s important to be rigorous and diligent when taking measurements. If it’s not done properly you are wasting your time,” Greg added. Tony Purdie at Yotes Court Vineyard uses technology to help his forecasting, and reporting. “We use Vidacycle’s Sectormentor app on our phones to gather all the inputs and generate specific or general reports based on the detail required. We have 4 x 5 vine sampling bays which are data tagged and GPS located per block. These 20 vines are routinely observed and recorded throughout the growing season.” “The first round is counting bud numbers left at pruning which gives us the fundamental information at the start of the season. We then do shoot and floret counts pre-flowering, when they are still easily found and if required this information can be used to determine a shoot thinning regime. “The next task is during the lag phase (after the berries undergo a rapid cell division from flowering to post pea size), when we take bunch counts of the 20 vines. This is followed by a “destructive harvest” of one vine per bay in each of the four sample bays. The fruit is cut and counted off the vine carefully into a bucket. This is kept as a single vine sample so each bunch can be weighed, and each berry per bunch counted. The stem is then weighed and deducted from the initial bunch weight to give an accurate berry weight at lag phase. Then the maths, as a multiplication number needs to be determined. As a general rule the lag phase berry will double in weight through veraison to harvest, so we use a multiplying factor of two. At pre-veraison, using the lag phase destructive harvest bunch and berry count numbers, we can now determine the final harvest weight by multiplying the average determined harvest bunch weight per vine by the number of cropping vines per block. All non-productive vines or missing vines need to be subtracted from the total block vine count,” explained Tony.
New technologies
There are potentially new technologies that will help with improving the accuracy of yield forecasting in the future. “We have started to use the Greenview AI product from Bitwise Agronomy this season. This sort of technology is the future of yield prediction (and more!). At present we have used it to do node and cane counts, and will be using throughout the season,” explained Cameron Roucher. “Sectormentor has really streamlined the data gathering and reporting process of crop estimation and is evolving every year to help the grower fine tune the process. Spectral analyses of crop loading is still a work in progress but I am sure will be a tool in the future,” commented Tony.
Winery planning
Nick Lane, Winemaker at Defined, a contract winery based in Kent, finds that accurate yield forecasting is crucial for his planning. “We encourage our clients to do the best they can. Some things can be adjusted late, but some are more fixed. Determination of tank space and pressing capacity are investments that require a long lead time. Harvest labour and winery supplies can be fine-tuned much closer to the harvest. However, an overestimate may result in capital investment (tanks and presses for example) that might not have been necessary. “To help vineyards we run quarterly viticulture sessions with a vineyard consultant and crop estimation and management is a popular topic. Closer to harvest we will go and visit some vineyards to cross check their estimations. Having another set of eyes is really useful for fine-tuning the harvest requirements. “We find that the most effective and useful method is sometimes the simplest. Walking the vineyard, counting inflorescences and later weighing a certain number of bunches at certain stages. After that it is basic arithmetic. One aspect which is really important for yield estimation is historical values which can be a challenge for young vineyards,” commented Nick. “Ask any winemaker – forecasting is very important - for the basics such as dry goods ordering or what block goes into what tank, through to scheduling of jobs and labour requirements,” added Cameron. “A year when practically every berry sets and every bunch is picked is a dream scenario for a grower – and the accountant – but a nightmare for a winemaker if they are not properly informed of potential volumes,” explains Tony. Vintage logistics and volume requirements in the winery have to be determined fairly early for the winery to adapt to the expected harvest, but late lastminute crop estimations or unrealistic predictions can have very impactful ramifications in the winery.”
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SALES AND MARKETING
New platform from Defined Wine Wine and Grape Trading UK.
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Defined Wine Ltd have launched a new service to match buyers and sellers of wine and grapes in the UK. Wine and Grape Trading UK (www.wineandgrapetrading. co.uk) provides a marketplace for grapes, bottled wine or bulk wine. It is an easy to use, free to look, no commission, web-based service that links buyers and sellers in the UK directly and confidentially. Defined Wine owner, Henry Sugden, and Head Winemaker, Nick Lane, recognised that the UK industry did not have the same trading facilities as most other wine regions around the world, so set to work to rectify this. “Our aim is to connect grape growers, winemakers, vineyards and brands in order to help them find what they need,” commented Henry. “We wanted a really simple system. We looked at many other trading platforms across the world and in the end used some New Zealand developers to develop a site tailor made for the needs of the UK – it is a simple, confidential way to put people in touch,” explained Nick. “For example, a new business may have just opened a tasting room, but their wine is not quite ready, or they don’t have enough stock, so they are in the market for some clean skins. They can post their requirements on the website and a winery that has excess wine in tank or bottle due to a larger than expected harvest can respond. Both are happy!” Users looking for grapes or wine can search the site and contact listers via the website for free, enabling listings to be made without disclosing the grower, vineyard or buyer. The person who made the listing can then decide whether to reply and all further communication is made directly, outside the website. Those looking to list on the site will need to first set up an account and can then list grapes or wine for sale, and as well as grapes or wine wanted;
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each listing will cost just £10. When logged in, all listings are shown on a registered user’s dashboard, allowing them to manage postings. “Wine and Grape Trading UK enables
growers and producers to trade confidentially and securely, generating cashflow and increasing access to English wine, so we hope that this platform will perform an important role in our industry,” commented Henry.
○
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AGRONOMY DIARY
Rob S
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Helping vines make up lost ground
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The slow start to the growing season may have implications throughout the rest of the year. Hutchinsons Rob Saunders and Chris Cooper offer some advice to help growers maximise crop potential. Accurately assessing crop load and ripening potential is vital when growers are concerned bunches won’t ripen in time, and some will consider manual thinning. The lack of Growing Day Degrees (GDD’s) throughout April and May reduced the frost risk, but caused concern for many growers, prompting questions about what crop load can be successfully carried through to ripening and harvest. GDD’s or Latitude Temperature Index (LTI) is never an exact science and we have seen before how quickly the situation can change given increased sunlight and the warmth of mid-summer. So if things haven’t changed much through June, then this is the time to re-assess. In 2018 vines suffered a similarly slow start following the “beast from the east” only to race through growth stages, resulting in many crops reaching veraison slightly earlier than normal, by late July into early August. At the time of writing at least, there are still countless possible outcomes and depending on conditions, some sites could again be close to veraison by the end of July. But, if a soggy summer occurs, flowering will be protracted, pollination poor, coulure apparent and bunch weights compromised. In seasons where fruit setting coincides with unfavourable cool and wet conditions, we have seen good results from products like Cultigrow and Lallemand products such as Vineus Pro-Flowering on Pinot varieties (Noir and Meunier) in enhancing pollination, berry set and quality such as anthrocyanin levels and Total Soluble Solids.
Nutrition
Potassium supports sugar accumulation, so there is some scope to influence the Brix value and harvest date by optimising levels within vines. While calcium and potassium drive grape quality, all macro/micro nutrients and trace elements play a part; boron, molybdenum and zinc particularly for enhanced fruit set. Any deficiencies must be avoided.
Botrytis control
A strong, protectant approach to Botrytis cover is important in any season, and canopy management is part of this. However, end of flowering to bunch closure are key timings to effect good control. Elicitor products such as Fytosave and Romeo can be effective. These work by activating the vine’s natural defences, so are best applied around flowering before disease gets established. Elicitors are not a one-off treatment and routine applications are required to keep the plants’ natural defence mechanism switched on through the season. The growth regulator prohexadione-calcium is frequently used on Pinot Noir and Meunier for improving bunch architecture, by forming loose bunches which reduces turgidity within the bunches, reducing Botrytis risks. Empirical observation indicates it can bring forward harvest slightly (a few days), by redirecting nutrients from extension growth into remaining bunches and reducing the number of passes for trimming and topping. The new biocontrol agent Botector was a revelation last season, combining cost-effective Botrytis control with a very short harvest interval and no residues. For those wanting a “soft” control approach, alternate Botector with Prestop.
The nutrition focus at this time is on protecting and enhancing this season’s crop, but also on building strong, healthy canes to lay down for next year. Determining nutrient requirements is especially important where growing conditions have been challenging and crop demands are less clear, so a second leaf tissue analysis to fine tune foliar nutrient applications could be worthwhile. Remember these are not taken from opposite the berry clusters. Growers often worry about overdoing nitrogen in vines, as an excess delays berry maturity, and while this is a risk, beware that any deficiency can also have implications for the utilisation of many other nutrients, so it is vital to understand crop requirements. Calcium and potassium are two essential nutrients during flowering and towards bunch closure particularly for enhancing grape quality. Calcium is integral to cell membrane structure, so low levels can lead to weakened skins and the risk of splitting, increasing the likelihood of Botrytis, SWD and sour rots.
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www.hlhltd.co.uk paper-plane information@hlhltd.co.uk 01945 461177 J U LY 2 0 2 1 | V I N E YA R D
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Going sustainable – our rhyme and reason. Vine-Works Ltd is a keen contributor to the Sustainable Wines of Great Britain (SWGB) initiative, with its own certified sustainable vineyard, producing still and sparkling wine under the Bee Tree Vineyard label. Just as the best wine is produced with the best grapes, the aim of producing sustainable wine begins with sustainable viticulture. In two words, this means we are aiming to satisfy customer demand for a crop that is going to be able to be grown year after year, within its means financially and within its means environmentally. The environment is rightly the main focus and understandably we cannot expect to produce wine in the UK by bleeding the land dry. Luckily it rains a lot here, so water out – in the form of grape juice – will very rarely, if ever, surpass the volume of water in. This is the mentality required when considering sustainability, looking at both the bottom line or our impact on the environment. At Vine-Works, we aim to reduce soil compaction and work to prevent erosion when it rains. In technical terms, this means we encourage our clients to drive vehicles in the vineyard only when it is absolutely necessary. Our vineyard alleyways are planted to hard-wearing grasses and flowering cover crops that have deep root systems to improve the drainage ability of the soil. We encourage our clients to do likewise, with bespoke crafted soil management plans. Continuing in this vein, we take broad spectrum soil samples annually, and we evaluate soil health with aims of improving and maintaining the permanent home of the grapevines that we farm. Included in our Vineyard Management and Technical Scouting Service, is the option for us to do all the boots-on-the-ground work required to get your vineyard certified as sustainable with WineGB. We help people to create and keep up a vineyard maintenance diary, define their
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vineyard parcels, implement a vineyard soil and vineyard floor evaluation and management plan, we monitor all the growth stages of the vines, controlling for disease and recording yield estimates ahead of harvest, as well as yield itself and pruning data for the following year, all in line with SWGB requirements. Camilla Murray is a new team member of ours at VineWorks, who is completing her Master of Science degree in oenology, viticulture and marketing at the École Supérieure d’Agriculture in the Loire Valley. With a research emphasis on carbon footprinting vineyards in the UK, she is an example of our focus on providing a holistic viticultural service, from brand new vines to the final raw material for fine wine. Camilla is a Vineyard Supervisor, and is one of our team of four Technical Scouts, that includes Daniel Bojan, Vineyard Manager; Charles Martin, Senior Regional Operations Manager/ Viticulturist; and myself. We're a tight knit group with a wealth of knowledge and experience at our beck and call. The sustainability initiative in this country owes many thanks to Chris Foss for its existence and to the hearty team efforts of the WineGB sustainability committee – of which Bee Tree Vineyard is a member. With a view to “going sustainable”, we will help anyone in any way we can. Successful implementation of sustainability initiatives around the world can be observed in many places. If Vine-Works has anything to do with it, we’d like to see the already threefold leap in SWGB certificate applications this year reach new heights in the years to come.
www.vine-works.com paper-plane sales@vine-works.com 01273 891777 J U LY 2 0 2 1 | V I N E YA R D
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GRAPE GROWING
Building resilience in a perfect storm Great Britain is an island of weather with many different and competing patterns – and to top that we are now dealing with climate change. Dr Alistair Nesbitt is a Viticulture Climatologist with significant expertise in how weather and climate interface with wine production. He is based in the UK but advises globally and holds the UK’s first PhD in Viticulture and Climate Science. Vineyard asks Alistair what the likely changes to our growing conditions will be, which opportunities and threats face our industry – and how producers can become more resilient to the changes of the future. 40
Dr Alistair Nesbitt has always held an interest in viticulture and the environment. “I remember my first harvest in Australia in 1999 when hail had ruined most of the crop – it was depressing stuff but that sparked my interest in weather and wine. I returned to the UK and completed a BSc in Viticulture & Oenology at Plumpton College, then a Masters in Wine Science and as I enjoyed academic work and research, I decided to challenge myself with a PhD. I actually wrote down my ideal PhD title – the impact of climate change on viticulture. Shortly after, rather bizarrely, my perfect PhD appeared on the ‘Find a PhD’ website. It was posted by Professor Steve Dorling a meteorologist and climatologist at the University of East Anglia (UEA). So, 15-years after that hail damaged harvest in Australia, I began my PhD research, supported by a scholarship from the Natural Environment Research Council.” Ideal UK weather conditions for viticulture in 2018 led to a record harvest, but could this be a sign of good thigs to come? “Long-term Growing Season Average Temperatures (GSTs) in southeast and south-central England have noticeably increased with six of the top 10 warmest growing seasons over the last 100 years, occurring since
2005. However, weather and growing season conditions fluctuate markedly from year to year, meaning that yields and grape quality continue to vary significantly. As weather extremes are anticipated to become more frequent under future climate change these could further threaten the stability of production in the UK,” explained Alistair. Alistair’s research has resulted in numerous published papers, but his main current research project is focussed on climate resilience in the UK wine sector – called CREWS-UK. “The project is a collaboration between climatologists, wine sector specialists and social scientists from the Grantham Research Institute and the University of East Anglia. It will provide information on how climate change will affect the wine production sector to inform better decision-making, investment and adaptation,” explained Alistair. “It will do this by firstly mapping and analysing climate trends and impacts on UK grape growing and assessing ways to support climate change adaptation in UK wine production. The project outcomes will be published in about six months’ time, which will provide user-friendly information on anticipated climate changes in order to help the industry plan for a resilient future,” he commented.
According to Alistair, current Met-Office general projections for the UK are for hotter drier summers, along with warmer, but wetter winters - but that some parts of the UK are likely to experience greater extremes of weather with high rainfall intensity, heat waves and drought events. “This will result in variability within seasons and from one season to the next. Although the UK already experiences seasonal variations, this will increase for some areas. The CREWS-UK research project will provide the detail that is relevant to viticulture and wine production to help producers adapt and build resilience – for example improve yield consistency,” added Alistair. “We need to look to the future, as the varieties, clones and rootstocks that are suitable now, may not be ideal in 20 to 30 years’ time when conditions change. For example, the open structured bunches of the German clones may be more suitable than the tighter Champagne clones, and certain rootstocks are more drought resistant than others. We need to look at opportunities also as the warmer growing season temperatures may favour varieties for still wines such as Sauvignon Blanc, as well as Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir.” Some of Alistair’s previous published research shows that although there appears to be many suitable sites for viticulture in the UK, many vineyards are established in sub-optimal locations. “Going forward site selection will need to focus even more on those areas of the UK that are more climatically stable year on year, those that will have a higher frequency of good years, which also means more stability from a
commercial point of view. Already, some areas of the UK are being recognised as having untapped potential, one of these being parts of southern Essex ,” added Alistair. Producers need to look at future climate models – what growing conditions and soil conditions will likely be like in 20 or 30 years’ time – selecting those that will be more favourable in the future, and not necessarily the most suitable now,” he added.
Why is the climate changing?
“There is no longer the balance in the climate system that there used to be – the climate has been knocked off course,” explained Alistair. “The heat accumulation in the atmosphere is due to greenhouse gas emissions, the warming atmosphere is causing ice melting and the oceans to warm – and causing the balance in the climate systems to change. Coincidentally, these are the conditions that have underpinned the expansion of viticulture in the UK.” Are frosts the new norm? Over the past few years, there have been several springs with long periods of high pressure, explained Alistair. “This results in an earlier bud-burst, due to increased daytime temperatures, but high pressure also brings ideal conditions for radiative frosts – so a perfect storm for viticulture – early bud-burst and late spring frosts. However, as yet there is no evidence to show that this is the new norm, but climate researchers are looking into this at UEA. In my view, an established vineyard in the UK should plan and budget for frost events unless they are in a very low risk area, such as >>
> Dr Alistair Nesbitt
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GRAPE GROWING
Challenges ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆
Access to a skilled workforce Variations in yields New diseases Red tape and regulations
Opportunities << close proximity to the coast. Not only do late spring frost events cause significant crop losses, they can also set the vineyard back more than just a year.”
More resilience
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There are several areas which Alistair advises producers to be aware of regarding climate change. “Accept variability in yield and build this into the business model – for example, mitigate against variable volumes by holding reserve wines from higher volume years.” “It is going to be increasingly important to have a skilled workforce. Vineyard Managers and Winemakers need to have the knowledge and experience to be able to anticipate and adapt to differing seasons and conditions, some of which will be beyond ‘normal’ - in both the vineyard and winery,” he added. Site selection is not just choosing the right vineyard sites for now, explains Alistair, “but selecting suitable sites in areas that are more climatically stable - so that yield variations are not as extreme, and businesses are more secure. Soil management will become increasingly important – as sink for carbon – that is also able to retain nutrients and hold moisture in drier years. Vineyards can also select varieties and rootstocks that are better able to withstand drought, that are flexible and can perform well in both warmer and cooler conditions. “Good planning will ensure that you have the equipment and resources to manage extreme
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◆ Tourism, rural employment and investment in the rural economy ◆ Focus on high quality with more favourable growing conditions ◆ New technology and innovation – things like remote sensing, robotics, AI and plant breeding.
weather conditions, especially frost. As well as the skilled workforce that can focus on cultural techniques to help mitigate risks - such as selecting sacrificial canes and opting to prune later,” said Alistair. Although a long way off, Alistair says that growers will need to be aware of the risks of drought and sunburn damage. “We may, over time need to look to other areas for viticultural techniques, such as shading and irrigation, such as central Australia. “We will see diseases here that are currently prevalent in warmer climates and this will again require a skilled viticulturist to manage them – along with suitable varieties that are more resistant, maybe the PIWIS, and appropriate plant protection products. “For climate resilience we need to have flexibility and be able to adapt our growing practices to changing conditions. We must avoid limitations and restrictions imposed by ‘red tape’ and excessive regulations. Look at how parts of Bordeaux have recently had to peel back regulations in order to approve new varieties that would be better suited to their changing conditions.
Opportunities, challenges and threats It’s crucial that new entrants and existing vineyards understand our changing climate, explains Alistair. “As well as a good site, businesses need to map out a credible route to market from the very start. There are lots of viticultural opportunities in the UK, and the sector is growing fast – but sales must match this growth. “As the climate changes, with warmer growing seasons and better ripening conditions, there is an increasing opportunity for businesses to diversify away from English sparkling wine to produce still reds, white, rosés and other innovative products that will help their cash flow and allow a range of products placed at different price points. There are already plantings of Sauvignon Blanc and still Pinot clones in areas of the UK – could these move us more toward New Zealand’s wine styles than Champagne?” Asked Alistair. Alistair lectures internationally on viticulture and provides advice to new vineyards, governments and the global wine industry. He is the founder of Vinescapes which helps UK wine production businesses establish and operate sustainably. “Our research is being recognised at government level with its interest in the changing rural landscape, rural employment as well the importance of the landscape for health and wellbeing. The recent South Downs National Park study showed the opportunities for viticulture in a protected landscape and how valuable destinations can be incorporated in the future,” added Alistair.
David
Speed isn’t everything
It is possible to achieve a high throughput with a small unit by making it run very fast, but with significant negative results. Never select a unit based on the maximum production rate but instead opt for one that can achieve double the desired production. Always opt for variable speed. The speed should be varied during production so that it is fast enough to knock off the berries whilst causing minimal damage to stems.
Drum and paddle design
The direction of rotation of the paddles and drum is also important. If they work in the opposite direction to each other, the shear force is high and stem damage is therefore inevitable. The best units have both rotating in the same direction, with the paddles faster than the drum. The cheapest way of producing a drum is to laser cut stainless or punch out the holes. But this can leave sharp edges. These will act as knives,
h y/ ap gr
cutting any stems that poke through. Whilst these can be smoothed off, a plastic cage is much gentler. Berry size varies from variety to variety and the cage should take this into account. One option is gradation of hole size down the length of the drum. The other is to have more than one drum, with one for large berry varieties (such as Seyval Blanc). Paddles can also be made simply out of cut stainless steel. But the optimum is rubber coated ‘fingers’ where the pitch can be adjusted. This affects the angle the bunch is hit and the rate at which it progresses down the cage. Giving another possible adjustment for the process. Ease of cleaning is essential. It should be simple to remove both the cage and paddles so that cleaning can be done quickly and efficiently. If not thoroughly cleaned of all grape residue at the end of each day, a de-stemmer will quickly become a source of infection of acetobacter. For a perfect result opt for secondary selector. These units use a series of rotating disks that allow berries to fall through but any remaining stem fragments get separated out. For machine harvested fruit, one of these on their own will suffice in place of a de-stemmer.
o
to
At first glance, the function of a de-stemmer/ crusher would appear very simple: separate berries from stalks without damage to either and lightly burst the berry to aid juice extraction. However, the pitfalls of doing this badly can have a significant negative effect on wine quality. In particular damage to stems will result in excess astringency and bitterness, as will the crushing of seeds. The equipment that is available varies wildly in its design and this article discusses some important considerations.
W in e
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Crushing it
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Crusher options
There are fewer pitfalls in the selection of a crusher. The rollers should be rubber coated (as 99% on the market are) and with a gap that can easily be adjusted to suit the berry size. The aim being to just burst the berry and not flatten it. And of course, cleaning should be easy.
www.bevtech.co.uk David Cowderoy 01444 411141 / 07400 208205 paper-plane david@bevtech.co.uk
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WINEMAKING
The importance of cleanliness The benefits of ozonated water for winery sanitisation. Evoqua Water Technologies understand the importance of cleanliness in the winemaking business and offers ozone solutions for winery equipment and barrel sanitisation. Many wineries in the US and Europe use either Evoqua’s portable ozone systems in applications that include barrel washing, tank and transfer hose sanitation or they integrate the generators to their automated clean-in-place (CIP) processes. However, ozone is not a cleaning agent, and will not remove dirt and solids, it is a no-rinse non-chlorinated sanitising agent – more a final safety step. Ozone is made up of three oxygen molecules (O3) and is much less stable than the oxygen that exists in our atmosphere (O2). The O3 is created in a mobile generator by an electrical discharge between two plates. It has to be generated for use when needed, as it can’t be stored. The O3 is soluble and used as a cold-water solution, rather than in its gaseous form, but this rapidly breaks down – after 20 or 30 minutes. This makes it safe for the operators and no respirator or breathing apparatus is needed. The device is rather like a car wash or pressure washer, with a spray gun, and it’s a small piece of equipment designed as a portable cart. Other solutions to integrate to automated systems are also available. The ozone containing solution is then applied to the equipment as a spray wash that sanitises the surface that it comes in to contact with. It is a strong oxidising agent, and damages the cell walls of microbes, including yeasts, moulds, bacteria biofilm – and any organic compound. It leaves little or no residue, no taint or any change in pH meaning there is no risk for the product. Ozonated water is particularly suitable for barrel cleaning. In the past, barrel cleaning and sanitation practices included the use of chemicals. Barrel sanitation was a trickier challenge because of the porous properties of oak and possible change in flavour profile of the wine due to chemical retention. The
use of ozonated water for barrel and tank sanitation are now widely adopted by the wine industry as it is an oxidant, that decomposes naturally into oxygen, without the harmful disinfection by-products of harsher agents. The wash with ozonated water is done by ambient temperature, which corresponds to energy savings. Another benefit of the ozone treatment process is that it does not damage the interior nor reduce the useful life of the barrel. Using ozone in the sanitising process saves time, energy and costs. Hot water steps can be reduced, so saving on heating costs, and
it has low running costs. It is a very simple process only water, air and energy, items which are available in any facility. Ozonated water methods of sanitisation generally have a lower water footprint than other methods, and a lower energy requirement. It also reduces the chemical cleaning product costs. As ozone breaks down to oxygen, it has little environmental impact – it is really a very natural sanitiser. A green and sustainable solution! Evoqua has facilities in the UK and throughout Europe, so the ozone generator, service, parts and support are readily available.
www.evoqua.com/en-gb Chris King +44 (0)300 124 0500 paper-plane chris.king@evoqua.com J U LY 2 0 2 1 | V I N E YA R D
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WINEMAKING
Curious Quercus Barrels in the distant past were typically used to store and transport goods, including wine and although we have more convenient means of storing wine, oak barrels are still a feature in many wineries. A well-lit cellar stacked with barrels certainly adds to the romance of wine, but Vineyard finds out how oak barrels influence the sensory profile, the wine quality and if they can be replaced by staves, chips or other oak alternatives.
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The sensory story
Dr Heber Rodrigues is a researcher and lecturer at the UK Centre for Excellence on Wine Research, at Plumpton College, Sussex, where he focusses on the mechanisms of perception and wine sensory evaluation. “Oak is one of the most important external influencers on the sensory matrix of a wine. This can change everything, for example, red wine maturation in oak barrels helps the stabilisation of colour, modifies its aromatic profile and its flavours. It helps reduce vegetative and green notes, reduces astringency so improving the sensory palatability of the wine.” Charlie Holland, Winemaker at Gusbourne Estate, in Kent, recognises the attributes and contribution to character from the use of oak. “In our sparkling wines we use the old, neutral oak to provide mid-palate weight, texture and richness to the wines. We also add 2-3% of new oak to add ripeness and spice. As we are only adding 2-3% of new oak, we want this to be quite impactful, so
use a high toast level.” James Lambert, Head Winemaker at Lyme Bay Winery in Devon, uses a range of different formats and ages of barrels, depending on the wine. “With the new barrels the contribution depends on toast and size. For us, the larger barrels give a more subtle range of flavours, derived from oak, and a silkier tannic structure than the 225L. The 225L barrels definitely tend to a quicker extraction of flavour and tannin. Flavours, tannin and intensity all depends on toast and size – as well as the wine that’s in them. One thing we insist on is that for Chardonnay and Pinot, MLF (malolactic fermentation) is carried out in barrel – we have certainly found that everything is more integrated that way. “We also use a selection of older barrels. Depending on the age, very little ‘oak’ character is derived from the barrel. However, we do value them for the added texture and complexity – both through micro-oxygenation and also in the higher surface area relative to volume of lees. Barrels also provide the opportunity for bâtonnage, which
WINEMAKING subsequently gives a fuller mouthfeel and a more complex array of flavours,” added James. “I am fortunate to work with Seguin Moreau, and have both new and renovated oak barrels, plus a small selection of older barrels (10 years plus) – and even some bourbon barrels. Oak used well enhances and improves the finished wine; it adds extra complexity and really layers up the flavours,” commented Kieron Atkinson, Winemaker for the English Wine Project. “I find that fermenting in oak has the largest impact – but how much oak can the wine handle? New oak has the ability to overpower some English wines, so it is best used as a blending tool with wines produced in stainless steel. Renovated oak allows the wine to develop whilst picking up oak flavours, that show off the wine’s subtlety and complexity. Used oak (up to three vintages) can also be great – but be careful where it is sourced and ensure that the barrel has not been empty for long,” Kieron added. Dr Akshay Baboo, also part of the team at the UK Centre for Excellence on Wine Research, at Plumpton College, currently focusses his research on wine chemistry and ageing. “The timing of the use of oak will affect both the colour and aroma compounds. Multiple studies have noted
that oak ageing will cause a loss in the intensity of colour and this is entirely expected given that ageing, in any case, will cause a loss of colour due to the polymerisation of pigments. In the case of oak, studies also show this will be further exacerbated, as the quantity of tannins available for polymerisation will increase. “In terms of aroma compounds, multiple studies have shown that ageing in general diminishes the esters (compounds responsible for fruity aromas) as they are hydrolysed in the presence of alcohol and are converted to aldehydes (aromas of bruised apples, vanilla, toasted nuts, empyrumatic aromas etc). The void in perception, left by the loss of the esters is filled by compounds extracted from oak. However, a recent study has shown that the ageing of wine pre and post MLF has significant differences. The wines that underwent MLF post ageing showed a greater propensity to regain fruity aromas than the converse. Studies have also shown that fermentations in oak barrels can lead to the production of some interesting reductive aromas such as furfurylthiol (coffee). “Oak barrels are expensive, and so are oak alternatives, but they do help differentiate your product, and the choices are many. It is my belief that oak can create a significant value addition to
many wines,” added Akshay. On a practical note, David Cowderoy, consultant winemaker, generally advises, that, “as a rule of thumb the contribution of new oak to aromas and flavours is around 50%, but this drops to about 30% for a one-year-old barrel, and to 20% for a two-year-old barrel. A barrel older than two years will contribute very little in terms of flavour and aroma, but re-shaving and re-toasting can bring this back to around 20%. The other benefit of using oak is micro-oxygenation – new barrels allow around 20 to 30mg/l/year and an older barrel maybe 10 to 15mg/l/year. There is a sulphite pick up, which winemakers need to be aware of as this can inhibit MLF.”
Selecting oak
Barrel size, age, toast level and origin are all considerations that will influence sensory attributes, so the selection process can be daunting – especially for use with some of the delicate and aromatic still wines of the UK. “The type of oak, their toasting level and their time of use will impact markedly the sensory matrix of a wine. Vanillin and smoke flavours (furans, volatile phenols) generally increase with toasting, whereas whiskey lactone decreases >>
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Photos: John Anderson Photography
WINEMAKING
> Renishaw Vineyard
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<< thereby increasing the perceived complexity of the sensory matrix. Studies have shown that wood also releases some non-volatile substances such as ellagitannins into the wine, impacting the taster’s mouthfeel perception,” explained Heber. “When selecting oak, avoid compromising on quality – I think it’s always better to buy less, but buy better,” advises David. “The quality factors and variation in barrel attributes are influenced by the origin of the oak, which can be France, America, or Eastern Europe, and the tightness of the grain – which is influenced by the growth rate of the tree. Then during barrel production, the stave drying time, as this is when the tannins change to lose their green and austere characters and the toasting level. The toasting intensity has a huge impact on the aromatics and flavour characteristics imparted by the barrel. So, all these variables result in some quite marked and interesting differences in barrels from different coopers, or tonnelleries. Barrel selection will depend on the wine type, the variety and organoleptic criteria sought – as well as budget.” “We use a wide range of tonnelleries, forests and toast levels to give us as many blending options as possible. We have been developing our barrel inventory over the last 8 years so have a good balance of new and old oak,” commented Charlie. “We have started moving more towards 500L puncheons as opposed to barriques as they seem to improve oak integration. Also, we have made a barrel out of oak from the Gusbourne Estate. Only one year of use to date, but hugely exciting and demonstrates a different aromatic profile compared to its French counterparts,” he added. James selects oak based on the style of wine. “We tend to use one cooper only per vintage and use different size barrels and different levels of toast to create nuance and complexity within each
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wine. About 99% of all our oak, new and old, is French. However, we have experimented with one barrel of American oak for our Pinot Noir, within the blend, and also a couple of barrels of Eastern European oak. For the 2021 vintage we will be using an English oak barrel. In the first instance it will be a trial, but we hope this will create a more sustainable approach for us in the future,” commented James.
Disadvantages of barrels
Apart from the cost, which is significant, and the fact that a barrel releases most of the oak flavours in the first couple of years, they can be challenging to keep clean, hard to store when empty, and can harbour unwanted microbes, such as Brettanomyces – which contributes an unmistakable, and undesirable, hamster cage aroma to the wine. “Old barrels can be one source of infection. It (bret) also causes a loss of fruit – a ‘drying’ of wine – and once in a winery, can be very hard to get rid of,” explained David. “Oak can have a lot of negative influences from a sensory point of view. Over oaked white wines lack freshness and vivacity, are less complex and less mineral. In the case of red wines, over oaking results in an increase the perception of astringency, spiciness and wood, decreasing the overall appreciation of the wine. We need a balance of sensory descriptors to increase the perception of quality of the wine – and a good sensory experience,” Heber added. “Oak barrels add complexity and nuance – and can increase the quality of certain varietals. They ‘premiumise’ the wine and give a perception of quality. Barrels also provide flexibility and choices for the blend, ‘marketing value’. But this all comes with a price – other than their cost – there is the cleaning, moving, wine losses, and they are labour intensive with
Some of the compounds in oak that add aromas: ◆ Lactones: coconut ◆ Vanillan: vanilla ◆ Eugenol and isoeugenol: spice and clove ◆ Furfural and 5-methylfurfural: caramel ◆ Guaiacol and 4-methulguaiacol: charred and smoky aromas
tasks such as topping up,” commented James.
Barrel maintenance
“Barrels can be used for a number of years, but they must be cared for well. When new barrels arrive, the staves have gaps between them, and this is certainly not water-tight. So, before filling the barrels with wine, the wood must be swollen, to ensure the staves are confluent. The barrel can be filled with room temperature water (not chlorinated) and kept topped up until the major leaks stop,” explained Akshay. “They must be steamed every year before filling, till the condensate running out of the barrel registers 80°C. At the end of each use, the barrel must be thoroughly washed, steamed, and sealed (air-tight) with a sulphur candle lit on the inside. This ensures that the insides of the barrels are kept sterile as burning sulphur in limited oxygen creates SO2 and if a small amount of moisture is present (from the washing) H2SO3 or sulphurous acid is produced that ensures that the insides remain clean. Barrels must be washed with water devoid of chlorine – to prevent the possibility of formation of trichloroanisole (TCA), or cork taint. On the same theme, no halogenated cleaners should be used. Cleaned barrels need to be stored in a high humidity (70%) environment if you intend to fill it more than once per vintage, and do not want
to go through the rigmarole of rehydration of the wood,” Akshay added.
Oak alternatives
Oak barrels add to the wine’s flavour profile, and to the development of the wine with their slow oxygen ingress. But can these benefits be achieved quicker and cheaper with the use of oak alternatives – such as oak chips or staves – along with the use of micro-oxygenation? Winemakers may not own up to using these products, but the cost-savings must be attractive – even if stacks of oak chips are not as pleasing as barrel halls. The quality of the oak is just as important with oak alternative products as it is with barrels,” commented David. “Consider the origins, the drying process and the toast level – and quality from suppliers is variable. There are several formats – granules, chips, staves, dominos to name a few – they all have different extraction rates and integration properties. “When used correctly there are certain advantages, aside from the economics. One is flexibility, as different levels of toast can be used to fine tune in order to achieve a desired profile and complexity. Alternatives are very useful for providing a range of blending components. They can be added during fermentation, and also if needed, to add some additional ‘touching up’, at the end. For red wine production I would combine the use of oak alternatives with microoxygenation. Also wineries must be aware of the regulations when it comes to oak use and labelling – always check with Wine Standards,” David added. Mark Crumpton, Business Development Manager at Bruni Erben, supplies the Nobile range of oak alternatives from Laffort. “We provide an extensive range of oak alternatives, the primary format types with various toasting levels are chips, blocks and staves, as well as zig-zag chains for barrels – and a very exciting innovation incorporating the wood into the bidule. Oak alternatives give more flexibility and precision in flavour profile, but the limitation is around the micro-oxygenation effect that you achieve with a barrel compared to staves in tank. However, there are more options for blending with oak alternatives, as a winemaker can easily mix and match a certain volume of one wine profile with a percentage of another – and explore complimentary flavours you might not be able to achieve with just one barrel of a certain toasting,” commented Mark. “In fact a study has found that with oak chips there is an increase in the production of aromatic higher alcohols (fusel oils) such as isobutanol (ethereal, or vinous); 3methyl-1-butanol (whiskey like or cognac like); along with acetates like isoamyl acetate (banana); 2-phenylethylacetate (roses or honey); and esters such as ethyl
caproate (apple) and ethyl lactate (butterscotch),” explained Akshay. “Oak alternatives have a high surface area to volume ratio, causing them to very quickly release oak into the wine. As oak flavours can dominate subtle grape or fermentation aromas, I recommend starting small by adding some miniature sample staves to a 75cl bottle of base wine. This gives the opportunity to explore the flavour profiles and extractions over time before scaling up. It’s good to be aware that using oak during fermentation can accelerate the extraction as the temperatures are typically higher than stored wine,” Mark added. Kieron Atkinson has started some trials with oak alternatives. “So far, these trials have consisted of demi-john trials only, but they have produced very interesting results. They are an extremely cost-effective alternative to new oak barrels whilst achieving similar results. Alternative oak products allow for a blending option without having to deal with barrels and the potential risk of spoilage. So the advantages are accurate and repeatable results, flavours and cost effectiveness.”
> Renishaw Vineyard
MOX
Studies have shown that micro-oxygenation (MOX) has multiple effects on the stability and the REDOX (reduction-oxidation) potential of the wine, and mediates the formation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, an intermediate in the Maillard reaction. MOX also plays a significant role in the conversion of gallic and caffeic acids (very harsh tannins) extracted from oak, into their dimers (which are softer, more pleasant tannins). It has also been theorised in various studies that a similar interaction might occur between the native grape tannins and also in the interaction of the grape and oak tannins, in all cases mediated by MOX,” explained Akshay.
The ‘wow’ factor
Wineries around the world showcase their barrel halls and cellars to visitors – for a reason – they convey the perception of quality. “Cellar door sales rely on appearance as much as the wines inherent qualities and barrels are an important part of this story,” commented Kieron. At Gusbourne, as well as our barrels, we have some large format foudres – which are more like furniture and the centrepiece of the winery,” added Charlie. “At Lyme Bay, we only have selected visitors at present. However, we definitely see a big marketing value in allowing visitors to see them when we are set up to do so. Seeing a well looked after cellar with rows of oak immediately generates the idea that the wines are going to be premium, and that they have been made with a high level of care and attention with little compromise,” said James.
49
WINEMAKING
M a rk C
m
BIOProtection
n pto
"There’s plenty of room at the bottom” was one of Richard Feynman’s seminal lectures that really connected with me and my passion for science especially in winemaking. The engaging and enthusiastic theoretical physicist, highlighted the micro and nano scale and how many interactions are happening due to the different environmental factors. Understanding this microcosm in winemaking, controlling and influencing this is critical to good winemaking especially in how the symbiotic effect of these non-saccharomyces organisms can help the winemaker work in a more natural way to reduce
BIOProtection, how and why?
ru
exogenous chemicals especially if focusing on a low SO2 strategy. LAFFORT have two very different and effective non-sach yeasts available outlined below.
ZYMAFLORE® KHIOMP
◆ BIOProtection consists in the addition of a living organism to occupy the ecological niche and thus limit the predominance of potentially undesirable indigenous microorganisms. ◆ In practical winemaking terms, it means applying selected microorganisms to the grapes or must to limit the occurrence of changes harmful to wine quality.
The LAFFORT® solution for the BIOProtection of grapes and musts at low temperatures
Two BIOProtection solutions from Laffort® Zymaflore® EgideTDMP
Prerequisites
◆ Microorganisms selected from the grape and/or must microflora, to guarantee their oenological origin. ◆ Microorganisms with low fermentation activity at the inoculated dose and able to colonise the medium. ◆ Selection of high-quality strains from among recognised species.
Zymaflore® KhioMP
Mixture of two strains of the species Torulaspora delbrueckii and Metschnikowia pulcherrima
Specific strain of the species Metschnikowia pulcherrima
Capacity to become established +++
Very low fermentation activity
Robustness to non-rehydration +++
Resistance to cold ++++
Low fermentation activity
Robustness to non-rehydration +++
Resistance to cold ++
Long pre-fermentation phases
ABSENCE OF FERMENTATION ACTIVITY OF KHIO > Table 1: Characteristics of the two BIOProtection solutions from LAFFORT® ZYMAFLORE Control without BIOProtection ® MP ABSENCE OF FERMENTATION ACTIVITY OF ZYMAFLORE KHIO ZYMAFLORE® KHIO ®
MP
MP
Pre-fermentation phases at very low temperature
250Control without BIOProtection
250
100
Control without BIOProtection
Assimilable nitr ogen (mg/L)
Assimilable ogen (mg/L) Assimilable nitr ogen (mg/L) nitr
Reducing Sugars (g/L)
Reducing Sugars (g/L)
◆ In the tank, for long periods of cold difficult and impacting the final quality of MP ZYMAFLORE® KHIO soaking the wine. makes it more difficult to 250 This also 200 250 before fermentation. 200 In the case of long pre-fermentation phases establish a selected S. cerevisiae yeast to carry at very low temperature, the presence of out a clean alcoholic fermentation. ® 150 150 ABSENCE OF FERMENTATION ACTIVITY OF ZYMAFLORE KHIOMP 200 200 Specific strain of the species Metschnikowia nutrient-rich solids can encourage the growth Monitoring reducing sugar and assimilable Control without BIOProtection pulcherrima for especially long of indigenous microflora. nitrogen during stabulation makes it possible 100 100 ZYMAFORE® KHIOL MP ® 150 can lead to spontaneous alcoholic 150 250 the absence pre-fermentation phases. The latter to verify ofMP fermentation activity ABSENCE OF FERMENTATION ACTIVITY OF ZYMAFLORE KHIO ® MP ® MP ◆ During stabulation of white rosé musts. ACTIVITY fermentation, making clarifi more KHIOduring Control the four-week 50 cation 50 stabulation. ABSENCE OF and FERMENTATION OF ZYMAFLORE KHIO mustACTIVITY ABSENCE OF FERMENTATION OF ZYMAFLORE without BIOProtection Control without BIOProtection
100 200
ZYMAFORE® KHIOL MP Long stabulation: absence of fermentation activity 250 of ZYMAFLORE® KHIO 250
250
MP ZYMAFLORE® KHIO
filling to tank
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
MP
Week 4
0
Encuvage Week1
Week2
Week3
150 50
Assimilable nitr ogen (mg/L)
200 ® MP fermentationactivityduring 4-week stabulation. KHIO ABSENCE OF FERMENTATION ACTIVITY OFtheZYMAFLORE ZYMAFLORE® KHIO 100 0 100
ZYMAFORE® KHIOL MP
50
0 250
Assimilable nitr ogen (mg/L)
Control without BIOProtection MP ZYMAFLORE® KHIO
filling to tank
Week 1
Week 2
200
Week 3
Week 4
0
150
Week 2
100
MP
Week 3
Week 4
150
Encuvage Week1
50
Week2
Week3
Week4
Control without BIOProtecti
ABSENCE OF solids FERMENTATION ACTIVITY OFwith ZYMAFLORE MP ZYMAFL KHIO for weeks 4 on total , between 0and 2°C . Inoculation 5g/hL ofKHIO ZYMAFLORE® ORE® KHIO . Control without BIOProtection Monitoring reducing sugar and assimilable nitrogen during stabulation makes it possible to verify the absenc e of 250 50 fermentationactivityduringthe 4-week stabulation. ZYMAFORE® KHIOL MP 0 200 Stabulation
Week1
150
Encuvage Week1
Week2
Week 3 Week4
Week2
1003 Week
0 Week4 Encuvage Week 1
Week4
Week 2
itr ogen (mg/L)
250
Week 1
tank Control without BIOProtection
Assimilable nitrogen (mg/L)
100
®250 MP 50 ERMENTATION ACTIVITY OF ZYMAFLORE KHIO
250 Encuvage Week1
Week 3
MP
MP
®
Week2
Week3
Week4
Week 4
Monitoring reducing sugar andassimilable nitrogen during stabulation makes it possible to verifythe absence of fermentationactivityduringthe 4-week stabulation. 100
150 JU LY 2 0 2 1 | V I N E YA R D 150
50
ogen (mg/L)
ars (g/L)
4 on total solids, between 0and 2°C.200 Inoculationwith 5g/hLof ZYMAFLORE® KHIOMP. 200 200 150 100 tabulation for weeks 50 MP ®® 200 Stabulation for weeks 4 on total solids , between 0 and 2°C . Inoc ulation with 5 g/hL of ZYMAFL ORE® KHIO . > Figure 1: Stabulation for four weeks on total solids, between 0 and 2°C. InoculationACTIVITY with 5 g/hL of ZYMAFLORE KHIOMP ABSENCE OF FERMENTATION OF ZYMAFLORE KHIOMP nitrogen (mg/L)
Week4
200 Stabulation for weeks 4 on total solids, between 0and 2°C. Inoculationwith 5g/hLof ZYMAFLORE® KHIOMP. Control without BIOProtection Monitoring reducing sugar andassimilable nitrogen during stabulation makes it possible to verifythe absence of
Assimilable nitrogen (mg/L)
200
0 MP ® 150 ABSENCE 150 OF FERMENTATION ACTIVITY OF ZYMAFLORE KHIO 250 filling to
50
0 250
® 50 ABSENCE OF FERMENTATION ACTIVITY OF ZYMAFLORE KHIOMP
Assimilable nitr ogen (mg/L)
Reducing Sugars (g/L)
200
MP ZYMAFLORE® KHIO
Control without BIOProtection
ZYMAFORE® KHIOL 0 ®eek2 WeekMP 150Week1 W 3 Week4 250 Encuvage MP
ABSENCE OF FERMENTATION ACTIVITY OF ZYMAFLORE KHIO 100
50
Week1
Week2
® 0
MP
Week3
Week4
0%
2,60E+05
36%
Total yeastsCFU/mL
2,60E+05
Stabulationwithout
Stabulationwith
10%
® MP MP ZYMAFLORE® KHIO ZYMAFL ORE® KHIO IMPACTS OF ZYMAFLORE KHIO Stabulationwithout Stabulationwith 0% MP ON INDIGENOUSZYMAFL S. CEREVISIAE YEASTS ZYMAFLORE® KHIO ORE® KHIO 0%
2,10E+0564%
0%
90%
2,10E+05
36%
0%
Stabulationwith MP ZYMAFL 64% 36% ORE® KHIO
1,60E+052,60E+05
10% BIOProtection and 10% SO reduction 2 Stabulation
Made up of two strains of the species ZYMAFLORE® KHIO
Total yeastsCFU/mL
Total yeastsCFU/mL
Total yeasts CFU/mL
® Torulaspora delbrueckii and Metschnikowia MPACTS OF ZYMAFLORE KHIOMP 0% 90% 1,60E+05 pulcherrima in order to adapt to all situations and INDIGENOUSS. CEREVISIAE% YEASTS 0% 64% S. cerevisiae 10% 2, 1 0E+05 preserve wine quality. 1,10E+05 90% % M. Pulcherima (MP ) ® IMPACTS OF ZYMAFLORE KHIOMP ◆ Early application to all equipment in contact ZYMAFLORE®KHIOMP 36% 1,10E+05 ® MPYEASTS ON INDIGENOUS S. CEREVISIAE Stabulation without Stabulationwith IMPACTS with the grapes: harvesting and grape MP OF ZYMAFLORE KHIO MP MP 1,60E+05 Impact of ZYMAFLORE® KHIO on indigenous ZYMAFL ORE® KHIO ZYMAFL ORE® KHIO % Others % S. cerevisiae reception equipment, transport tankers, etc. 64% ON INDIGENOUSS. CEREVISIAEYEASTS onwith6,00E+04 ® 0% MP % M. Pulcherima (MP ) red grapes go into tank, regardless of F KHIO ZYMAFLORE KHIOMP yeasts S. cerevisiae ◆ When ® 0% % S. cerevisiae 6,00E+04 MP 10% Stabulation without Stabulationwith KHIO ZYMAFL ORE® the pre-fermentation protocol. OUSS. CEREVISIAE YEASTS 1,10E+05 2,60E+05 ® MP MP % M. Pulcherima (MP) ZYMAFL ORE® KHIO ZYMAFL ORE® KHIO IMPACTS OF ZYMAFLORE KHIO 1,00E+04 without Stabulationwith 36% ◆ At the latest, after pressing for BIOProtection MP %Stabulation Others KHIO ZYMAFLORE® 0%YEASTS MP 2,60E+05 ON INDIGENOUS S. CEREVISIAE ZYMAFL ORE® KHIO Stabulationwithout Stabulation with ZYMAFL ®ORE® KHIO MP 0% of musts until inoculation with S. cerevisiae IMPACTS OF ZYMAFLORE KHIO 64% 1,00E+04 for 10 daysat 4°C. 2,10E+05 MP 10% 0% % Others ZYMAFLORE® KHIO BIOProtection % S. cerevisiae 6,00E+04 90% (AF). MP 0% Stabulation without Stabulation with ® MP ON INDIGENOUS S. CEREVISIAE YEASTS 5g/hL.Stabulation onwith ZYMAFL ORE® without Stabulation with at IMPACTS OF ZYMAFLORE KHIO 2,1 0E+05 KHIO %10% M. Pulcherima (MP ) is reduced, the microbiological 36% MPMP stabulation MPEndof When SOMP Stabulation ZYMAFL ORE® BIOProtection Stabulationwith ZYMAFL ORE®KHIO KHIO ZYMAFL ORE® KHIO 2
Total yeasts CFU/mL
Total yeasts CFU/mL
Total yeastsCFU/mL
Total yeastsCFU/mL
KHIO ZYMAFL ORE® MP 1,60E+052,60E+05 ON INDIGENOUSS. CEREVISIAEYEASTS ZYMAFL ORE® KHIO ZYMAFL 36% ORE® KHIO 64% pressure on the must is increased. Indigenous 1,00E+040% Endof stabulation 0% Stabulation for 10 days at 4°C. % Others 90% 1,60E+05 0% populations are larger than after conventional 0% 64% % S. cerevisiae Stabulation without Stabulation with 10% 10% Stabulation without Stabulation with MP 2,10E+05 MP ORE® KHIO at 5g/hL. At 1,the start ofBIOProtection stabulation : Inoc ulation with ZYMAFL 10E+05 90% sulphite addition. Depending on the oenological ZYMAFLORE® KHIO % M. Pulcherima (MP ) 10 2,60E+05 Stabulation for days at 4°C. ® MP MP ZYMAFL ORE® KHIO ZYMAFL ORE® KHIO MP OF ZYMAFLORE IMPACTS KHIO ZYMAFLORE®KHIO Stabulationwithout Stabulation with context, the effect can be variable (table 2). 1,10E+05 MP 36% 36% End ofulation stabulation at 5 g/hL. At the startof 1,60E+05 stabulation :ON Inoc with ZYMAFL ORE® KHIO 0% MP 2,60E+05 Figure 2: S tabulation for 10 days at 4°C. S. CEREVISIAE YEASTS ZYMAFLORE® KHIO ZYMAFL ORE® KHIO % OthersINDIGENOUS % S. cerevisiae 64% Reducing SO2 is not just quantitative. It is also 0% Stabulationwith6,00E+04 MP 64% 10% MP At the start of stabulation Inoculation with ZYMAFLORE® KHIO at 5 g/hL. 2,1ORE® 0E+05 % M. Pulcherima (MP ) ZYMAFL KHIO 0% qualitative and reshapes the microbial balance of Stabulation for 10 days at %4°C. S. cerevisiae 6,00E+04 MP 90% ZYMAFLORE® 0% KHIO 0E+05 MP of stabulation % M. ORE® Pulcherima (MP) At1,1the startof stabulation : Inoc ulationwith ZYMAFL 5g/hL.the must. 2,10E+05 1,00E+04 36% KHIOMPat10% % Others KHIO ZYMAFLORE® Stabulation Stabulation with Stabulationwithout Stabulationwith Not all yeast species present react in the same MP 2,60E+05 1,60E+05 1,00E+04 tabulation for 10 daysat 4°C. MP ZYMAFL ORE® KHIO ZYMAFLORE® KHIO BIOProtection 36% % S. cerevisiaeZYMAFLORE® KHIO % Others 64% 6,00E+04 way to variations in SO2 levels. Among them, MP Stabulation without at 5g/hL.Stabulationwith ulation : Inoc ulationwith ZYMAFL ORE® KHIO % M. Pulcherima (MP ) 0% 90% MP stabulation 1,60E+05 ORE® KHIO BIOProtection EndofZYMAFL one seems particularly favoured in situations 0%MP 64% % S. cerevisiae ZYMAFLORE®KHIO 10% Endof stabulation 1,10E+052,10E+05 1,00E+04 where use of SO2 is limited: Hanseniaspora uvarum 90% Stabulation for 10 daysat 4°C. % Others % M. Pulcherima (MP ) Stabulation without Stabulation with MP MP : Inoc MP ORE® KHIO 36% (production of VA). At the startof stabulation ulation with ZYMAFL at 5 g/hL. KHIO ZYMAFL ORE® BIOProtection ZYMAFLORE® KHIO Stabulation for 10 daysat 4°C. 1,10E+05
MP ofulation stabulation 1,60E+05 at 5g/hL. At the start of stabulation :tabulation Inoc with ZYMAFL % Others % S. cerevisiae Figure 2:SEnd for 10 daysORE® at 4°C.KHIO 64% lationwith6,00E+04 > Figure 2: Stabulation for 10 days at 4°C. At the start of stabulation Inoculation with MP At the start of stabulation Inoculation with ZYMAFLORE® KHIO g/hL. MP % at M.5Pulcherima (MP ) Stabulation for 10 days at 4°C. ® MP ORE® KHIO % S. cerevisiae g/hL 6,00E+04 ZYMAFLORE KHIO at 5 At MP the start of stabulation : Inoc ulation with ZYMAFL ORE® KHIO at 5g/hL. ZYMAFL ORE®KHIOMP 1,10E+05 % M. Pulcherima (MP) 2 1,00E+04 MP % Others KHIO ZYMAFLORE® Stabulation without Stabulation with Distribution of the different yeast populations With inoculation: significant colonisation of 1,00E+04 on for 10 daysat 4°C. MP ® BIOProtection ZYMAFL ORE® KHIO % S. cerevisiae Comparison of Merlot grapes from the same % Others KHIOMP, limiting the development in the must at the end of stabulation (counting on ZYMAFLORE 6,00E+04 MP Stabulation without at 5g/hL.Stabulationwith oc lationwith ZYMAFL ORE® KHIO % of M. Pulcherima (MP ) vinified without SO and both with and MP of indigenous S. cerevisiae yeasts (only 36% harvest specific medium). stabulation BIOProtection EndofZYMAFL ORE® KHIO 2 ZYMAFLORE®KHIOMP without BIOProtection. In the case of the grapes total yeasts). BIOProtection limits the risk of Control tank: more than 90% of the microflora Endof stabulation 1,00E+04 Stabulation for 10 days atstarting 4°C. spontaneously during % Others without sulphite and without BIOProtection, the fermentation present at the end of stabulation are indigenous Stabulation without S. Stabulation with MP MP ORE® KHIO at 5g/hL. At the start of stabulation : Inoc ulation with ZYMAFL BIOProtection ZYMAFLORE® KHIO microbiological pressure of the must is such that stabulation. cerevisae yeasts. Stabulation for 10 days at 4°C. MP it prevents the inoculated S. cerevisiae yeast from End ofulation stabulation at 5 g/hL. At the startof stabulation : Inoc with ZYMAFL ORE® KHIO Figure 2:Stabulation for 10 days at 4°C. becoming established after the pre-fermentation MP At the start of stabulation Inoculation with®for ZYMAFLORE® KHIO at 5 g/hL. Stabulation 10 daysat 4°C. TDMP period. The consequences are oxidative markers At the startof stabulation : Inoc ulationwith ZYMAFLORE® KHIOMP at 5g/hL. at higher levels than in the case of the no-sulphite The LAFFORT® solution for the BIOProtection of grapes but BIOProtected grapes, for which the alcoholic and musts, particularly suitable as part of an SO2 fermentation has been better controlled.
Effect of BIOProtection in the context of SO reduction
ZYMAFLORE ÉGIDE reduction strategy
Influence of sulphite levels according to the species at the pre-fermentation stage
SO2Saccharomyces cerevisiae
SO2+
No sulphite Analysis during AF
Starmerella bacillaris
Low fermentation activity
Torulaspora delbrueckii
> Table 2: PREFERMENT project - Albertin et al., 2014.
Analysis at end of AF
No sulphite + ZYMAFLORE® EGIDE TDMP
Establishment of the S. cerevisiae strain
Negative
Positive
TL35 (mg/L)
74
61
Ethyl acetate (mg/L)
86
61
VA (g/L H2SO4)
0.22
0.13
> Table 3: Check of colonisation carried out after inoculation with an active dry yeast S. cerevisiae (20 g/hL), coupled or not with ZYMAFLORE® ÉGIDE TDMP (5 g/hL). The must underwent a 48 h pre-fermentation period at 12°C
www.BruniErben.co.uk 07805 081677 paper-plane Mark.Crumpton@BruniErben.co.uk J U LY 2 0 2 1 | V I N E YA R D
51
Representing you Working in partnership with Vineyard magazine for a developing UK wine industry. WineGB is the national trade body representing the vine growers and winemakers of Great Britain from the largest producers to small hobbyists. Our members work together with the organisation to develop strategy, expertise and marketing opportunities for long-term, sustainable success.
New wine tourism trails
We are excited to announce that two new wine tourism trails are being launched in time for English Wine Week, showcasing even more of the country’s amazing visitor-friendly vineyards. The Yorkshire Wine Trail (www.yorkshirewinetrail.co.uk) not only features the most interesting wineries and vineyards, but also some of the best places to stay and eat in the Yorkshire wine region. Due to launch on 5 June, the trail visits Leventhorpe, Carlton Towers, Laurel Vines, Little Wold, Yorkshire Heart, Ryedale and Dunesforde. Wine lovers are encouraged to start from the city of Leeds before heading East towards the market town of Beverley and the coast, and on towards North Yorkshire, through the Yorkshire Wolds. Heading back inland across the North Yorkshire Moors, tourists will pass the lovely town of Malton before arriving in the historic city of York – an ideal and central location to explore all of the surrounding vineyards and sights. The Wiltshire Wine Trail (wiltshire.wine) is the second to be launched and will cover a’Beckett’s, Bluestone and Whitehall. These three Wiltshire vineyards allow visitors to explore both wine and other key features in the county. Located near Stonehenge, it is suggested to start with Bluestone before
To find out which vineyards and wineries are open near you, head to ‘explore our vineyards’ on the WineGB website
52 J U LY 2 0 2 1 | V I N E YA R D
If you are interested in wine production in the UK find out more about WineGB and join us. Visit our website www.winegb.co.uk
heading onto a’Beckett’s, and then to Whitehall where you end up at Avebury. With vineyards opening up across the country, wine lovers are encouraged to check out the other fantastic regional trails during English Wine Week, including the Vineyards of the Surrey Hills, the Wine Garden of England, the Vineyards of Hampshire and the Sussex Modern. Talking of English Wine Week, there is still time to get involved if you haven’t yet done so already. Whether you are a vineyard, retailer, or an interested wine drinker, there is plenty going on and lots of inspiration for those who are planning to host an event, promotion or special offer.
instagram facebook-square twitter-square
Don’t forget to visit the events pages on WineGB website to find out what is happening near you and do follow #EnglishWineWeek on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook to keep up to speed with the latest action
DATES FOR THE DIARY We have another great line up of webinars over the coming months: JUNE
Tuesday 15 June Thursday 17 June
JULY
Thursday 1 July Thursday 8 July Thursday 15 July Thursday 22 July Thursday 29 July
6:00pm Gaasch Packaging and Amorim Cork 6:00pm SEO: securing your online ranking 6:00pm 6:00pm 6:00pm 6:00pm 6:00pm
Winemaking: Oak/barrel Management Design & Packaging: quality from grape to bottle The business benefits of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Contract Winemaking - How to choose and how to be a good client Rosé Colour Management
AUGUST
Thursday 5 August 6:00pm Working with Social Media Influencers Thursday 12 August 6:00pm Preparing the winery for harvest
WineGB Trade & Press Tasting 2021
Will you be a winner?
This is the month of the WineGB Awards, as wines from across England and Wales will be judged by a stellar line up of judges, led by wine superstars Susie Barrie MW and Oz Clarke. Over 300 wines have been entered this year, and it has been exciting to see so many new producers being featured along with new releases from some of our recent high-quality vintages. The results of our annual competition, including the medal winning wines, category trophies and, for the first time, the trophies for the top wine in each region will be revealed on Thursday 24 June, during English Wine Week. We’ll be reporting on the latest trends for still and sparkling wine as well as focussing on the competition highlights and what’s proving really successful in the UK’s home-grown wine industry. We are also excited to announce that a trade booklet, which contains all the information on each of the winning wines, will be launched on the trade section of the WineGB website. To further spread the word and engage the wine-drinking public, we have organised for head judges Susie Barrie MW and Oz Clarke to participate in an Instagram Live. Taking place at 7pm on the Thursday; the duo will be celebrating and discussing the highlights of this year’s competition. And finally, to celebrate the WineGB Awards and English Wine Week, we have organised a giveaway of some of our winners, more details of which will be available on Thursday 24 June.
The WineGB Trade and Press Tasting 2021 will be taking place on Tuesday 7 September at the RHS Lindley Hall, London SW1. Having sorely missed hosting the tasting last year, due to Covid-19, we are delighted to be back with a bang for 2021 for a truly amazing industry celebration. One of the first in person wine tasting events in the UK’s wine trade calendar, the WineGB trade and press tasting will be the optimal showcase event for the Great British wine industry in the run up to the busy festive period. As we gear up for another fantastic event, visitors can expect to see the usual diverse range of exhibitors from across the country. Alongside the leading lights of the industry who have been attending the annual event right from the beginning, there will be plenty of new producers coming along with new wines for the first time too. Exhibitor stands and free pour tables will display some selected flights of sparkling and still wine styles. There will also be a free pour table featuring the trophy winners and regional winners in the WineGB Awards, along with the top sparkling and top still. We will also be using the event to announce the winners of the Winery of the Year category as well as the crowning of Supreme Champion. Measures will of course be in place to ensure that the tasting adheres to the safety standards we all now expect.
Exhibiting is open to all WineGB members. Please visit the members’ section of the website to find out more and to register. To register to attend the event, please visit the trade section of the WineGB website.
JOIN WINEGB
01858 467792 paper-plane office@winegb.co.uk www.WineGB.co.uk 53 J U LY 2 0 2 1 | V I N E YA R D
EDUCATION
Studying wine It’s the end of the teaching year at Plumpton College, which means that our second year BSc students are embarking on their summer vineyard and vintage placements before their final year of studies and our final year FdSc wine production students are taking a wellearned break and, perhaps, seeking employment or working in the wine industry, writes Dr Greg Dunn, Head of Wine Division. This month we focus on three of these students.
> Charlotte White
Sarah Stott, second year BSc (Viticulture & Oenology) Hush Heath Estate, Kent Hailing originally from sunny Yorkshire, now setting up base in East Sussex. I made the lifechanging decision to go back to university at the age of 27 to start my journey into the world of winemaking. Now in my second year of the BSc Viticulture & Oenology degree at the one and only Plumpton College, training under the eyes of some of the most meticulous wine professionals in the country. I’m now extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to undertake my summer vintage placement at the prestigious Hush heath winery > Sarah Stott in Kent this year. My passion lies in traditional method sparkling wine production, and in the south east, we have the privilege of producing some of the best English Sparkling Wine. I’m confident that the 2021 vintage will be a fruitful one and the knowledge gained from my placement at one of the country’s leading wine producers, will be invaluable to my understanding of wine and its intricate processes.
Sam Picton, second year FdSc (Wine Production) Hambledon Vineyard, Hampshire For the 2021 harvest I will be working for Hambledon Vineyard, as a cellar hand. I've been working at Hambledon part-time during my studies and will now be full time. Currently we are in the midst of blending for Hambledon and all the contract customers. I'm looking forward to getting my second harvest under my belt. This year I am looking forward to learning more about analysis in the laboratory.
Charlotte White, second year BSc (Viticulture & Oenology) Wiston Estate, Sussex I will be spending my vintage placement at Wiston Estate. The opportunity to work with the team at Wiston Estate will allow me to further my understanding of traditional method sparkling wines made in cool climates. Working in a bigger commercial winery will also help me to understand how each operation is carried out and managed with a skilled team of winemakers. I am looking forward to working in a commercial winery where no two days are the same, and valuable experience I will gain will benefit my future career.
> Sam Picton
www.plumpton.ac.uk
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CAREERS PROFILE
, O Wi nes eat
Meet the people behind the wines
Dan iel Ha m
Daniel Ham started Oeat Wines in 2018 to provide freedom for his creativity and to make grape-driven expressive wines. Daniel Ham was bitten by the winemaking bug in New Zealand while working as a marine biologist and uses his background to create some of the country’s most interesting wines.
Why did you become a winemaker?
I lived in New Zealand for three years working as a marine biologist. I enjoyed being out on the boats but didn’t enjoy many hours looking down a microscope, I needed to be more creative and became obsessed with the idea of making wine. There were a couple of winemakers in Central Otago whom I greatly admired – and I wanted to be just like them. Before returning to the UK to study wine at Plumpton College, I got some experience working in a vineyard and contract winemaking facility, and never looked back – but I still have to look down a microscope occasionally.
Why natural wine?
I have always been fascinated by natural wines and liked the idea of a less controlled approach – taking wine back to what it used to be. I set up Offbeat Wines when I was the winemaker at Langham Estate. One of our clients, a biodynamic producer near Salisbury, used to bring his grapes to Langham and I was blown away by the quality of the fruit – it was always the ripest and cleanest. So Offbeat’s winery is on his farm, with the vineyard next door. It’s mainly myself and my wife, Nicola, but we also get a lot of support from family and friends including our distributor, Wines Under the Bonnet. Before I set up Offbeat, I travelled to Georgia and Slovenia to see different ways of winemaking, those that had been used for thousands of years. In 2018 I bought an amphora and made a skin contact wine – the demand was unbelievable, and this nudged the decision to set up Offbeat Wines. Our winery is certified for both organic and biodynamic winemaking for our clients. The wines undergo spontaneous ferments with wild yeasts. We don’t filter, so there is more weight and body in the wine. Our own wines have never had anything added to them, including SO2 and that is unlikely to change.
continue to live the way we are and with a young family we are more aware of this than ever. We use solar power, reuse our cardboard boxes, reuse bottles, our grape pomace is used by brewers, the lees are distilled, the cling wrap is biodegradable. We are moving towards kegs – but need to do a little more research there. Climate change is clearly the most important immediate and long-term threat to life on the planet. Although we are making as many changes as possible on a personal level there needs to be immediate, drastic changes from the people at the top. Being a winemaker in the UK it affects my long-term prospects. We are keen to use PIWI varieties to reduce the use of pesticides, they also ripen earlier, have naturally higher sugars, and I can make wine with fewer inputs. The weather extremes from climate change brings threats from new pests and diseases, and PIWIs are more resistant. We work with suppliers that prioritise sustainability, such as Royston labels. Our labels are 95% sugar cane, waste from rum production, and 5% hemp. They are not ice-bucket proof – but we are making the right choices and customers realise that and respect us.
Where are your wines sold?
We don’t have a cellar door or any direct sales, and the website is a basic holding page. In fact, everything is currently distributed through Wines Under the Bonnet and sold on allocation. We don’t even do Instagram any longer as we prefer to spend our time focussing on what we love to do – working in the vineyard, making wine and spending time with our family!
Artistic labels
Our wine is handmade and we wanted the labels to reflect that, our focus is on creative winemaking, rather than brand-led marketing. All of our labels have been done by a young, talented artist, Stephanie Leighton – and it’s nice to play a role in airing her talent.
What is your philosophy when it comes to winemaking? I think that a winemaker’s style is dictated by background, and mine is as a marine biologist and ecologist. This is relevant to winemaking as there are many components naturally present in grapes, and ambient yeasts – and given the right conditions they can do all the hard work for you. I know it’s a well used cliché, but good wine is made in the vineyard. The bugs and time do the hard work and I welcome oxygen as my friend. I let the grapes express themselves and dictate the kind of wine it should be.
Sustainability and climate change
Sustainability is hugely important – not only from a business perspective but as something we practice throughout every aspect of our day to day lives. We can’t
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Equipment for Vineyards
Cultivators Vine Trimmers Soil Aerators Hedge Cutters
Purchase direct from the UK Importer: t: 01892 890364 • e: info@lameng.com Lamberhurst Engineering Ltd • Priory Farm Parsonage Lane • Lamberhurst • Kent TN3 8DS
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Works,
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TN17
sales@npseymour.co.uk
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•
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Your specialist tractor and machinery dealership
01580
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MACHINERY
Designed for high precision planting Vine-Works invests in a Wagner planting machine to meet growing demand. Vine-Works Ltd are pleased to announce that they have purchased a new Wagner IPS-Drive planting machine and a JCB Fastrac 4220 tractor, (from Andy Page at Tuckwells) to meet growing business demands. With bookings from both new vineyards and existing producers who are expanding, Vine-Works’ new vine planting machine is essential in helping to meet the demands and the needs of their customers and their expanding business. The new machine will be an added benefit to their current planting process. For the last 10+ years, Vine-Works have planted hundreds of vineyards with a combination of tractor and labour operations across the largest and smallest of producers. Throughout their time in the industry, Vine-Works have built and maintained vineyards alongside some fellow highly-esteemed Europeans and Antipodeans. They have worked with their German partners on many projects throughout the planting season and their wealth of knowledge, passion, expertise and skill-set has helped to establish viticulture across the UK. The Wagner IPS-Drive machine planter is controlled by GPS and designed for high precision planting. The technology enables extremely accurate site mapping and measures vine placements within 2cm. The vine planter is ideal for long-term cultures planting with high precision for exact lines and transversal lines. The uniform spacing will also
make harvesting, spraying and pruning easier. One of the biggest advantages of having the Wagner planting machine is the flexibility of planting the vines. It helps to reduce the pressure of tight deadlines and schedules and allows Vine-Works to be a lot more reactive to the weather conditions. The Wagner planting machine has enabled Vine-Works to increase the number of vines planted to 540,000. “Our aim is to work towards future growth and using the latest technology will benefit our whole industry.”
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Richard Smith 07483 035922 richard.smith@haynesgrp.co.uk
Jeremy Cloude 07710 870153 j.cloude@haynesgrp.co.uk
Vitifruit Equipment Sales and Hire
TRIMMERS AND DE-LEAFERS FROM PROVITIS AND AWS STOCKMAYER www.provitis.eu www.aws-stockmayer.de
www.vitifruitequipment.co.uk 58
/vitifruitequipment J U LY 2 0 2 1 | V I N E YA R D
vitifruitequipment@sky.com
01732 866567
vid Sayell & Da
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rd Witt
VITIFRUIT EQUIPMENT
Hiring equipment is a sensible first step Vineyard work is so varied and if you are thinking about saving time during those periods where there simply is not enough of this precious commodity then hiring equipment is a good place to start. You can use and test multiple pieces of equipment large and small before making any purchases helping you find the exact item that will become a staple of your vineyard work. Over the last 10 years the amount of equipment available to hire has increased drastically. From Secateurs and tying machines for cane work, to the boisselet inter vine cultivator used to manage the weeds around the vines whatever the season there is now machinery to make the job easier. To give you an idea of what Vineyards are currently using, other equipment available to hire from Vitifruit includes: ◆ Heavy duty rotavator, power harrow and twin leg subsoiler; available to manage alleyway vegetation and tractor wheel compaction. ◆ For leaf management a vinetrimmer and deleafer are also available. ◆ A prunings mulcher to dispose of prunings. ◆ A pre pruner and cane pulling out machine can also be used to reduce labour costs. ◆ A herbicide strip sprayer, seed drill and roller along with windbreak trimmer complete the list.
www.farol.co.uk www.vitifruitequipment.co.uk 01732 866567 paper-plane vitifruitequipment@sky.com
Rycote Lane Farm, Milton Common, Thame, Oxfordshire, OX9 2NZ Unit 12, Newton Business Park, Newton, Nottinghamshire, NG13 8HA Coldridge Copse, Shefford Woodlands, Hungerford, Berkshire, RG17 7BP Wharf Farm, Coventry, Hinckley, Leicestershire, LE10 0NB Holmbush House, Holmbush Ind. Est., Midhurst, West Sussex, GU29 9XY London Road, Twyford, Reading, Berkshire, RG10 9EQ
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DISGORGING LINE Itasca Wines is delighted to announce our new custom designed and fully automated Disgorging Line. Designed by TDD, our line is expected for delivery and installation in February 2021, with high end technology including - laser guided vision control and jetting.
We are now talking with customers for 2021. So, if you are starting to think of your disgorging requirements, call Itasca Wines! Our team is now taking bookings. Disgorging, Storage, Labelling and Packaging, Dosage Advise and Consulting. Full label and design services also available, come and talk with our Graphic Designers and let Itasca Wines turn your ideas into that special and distinctive label.
Contact us to find out more Itascawines.com | info@itascawines.com | 01252 279 830
Itasca Wines, Penn Croft Winery, Clifton Farm, Croft Lane, Crondall, Hampshire, GU10 5QD
