Vineyard January 2024

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JANUARY 2024

A tale of tenacity Heartenoak Vineyard is an inspiring story of adapting in the face of adversity

INSIDE Vineyard & Winery Show: Bigger than ever The nature of protection Opportunities and risks of climate change

LAND & PROPERTY CONSULTANTS Expert advice for viticulture: • Site-finding • Sales & acquisitions • Planning applications • Environmental schemes & grants

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VINEYARD for viticulturists in Great Britain

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www.vineyardmagazine.co.uk VINEYARD Kelsey Media, The Granary, Downs Court Yalding Hill, Yalding, Maidstone, Kent, ME18 6AL 01959 541444 EDITORIAL Editor: Rebecca Farmer vineyard.ed@kelsey.co.uk Features: Malcolm Triggs GRAPHIC DESIGN Jo Legg Flair Creative Design jo.legg@flair-design.co.uk ADVERTISING & MARKETING Jamie McGrorty 01303 233883 jamie.mcgrorty@kelsey.co.uk PHOTOGRAPHER Martin Apps www.countrywidephotographic.co.uk MANAGEMENT DIVISIONAL MANAGING DIRECTOR: Steve Kendall PUBLISHER: Jamie McGrorty RETAIL DIRECTOR: Steve Brown SUBSCRIPTION MARKETING MANAGER: Claire Aspinall PRINT PRODUCTION MANAGER: Kelly Orriss

NEWS 8

to give an advantage

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Distribution in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland: Newspread Tel: +353 23 886 3850 Kelsey Media 2023 © 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.

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New head winemaker at Lyme Bay Winery

REGULARS 12

Matthew Jukes Flights of fancy.

18 The vine post Adapting a VSP system.

28 A viticulturist's diary Juggling crop loadings.

50 The agronomy diary Winter pruning advice

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Express your terroir SO2 management and tannins.

54 Representing you WineGB Rising Stars Awards:

DISTRIBUTION

Distribution in Great Britain: Seymour Distribution Limited 2 East Poultry Avenue, London EC1A 9PT Tel: 020 7429 4000 www.seymour.co.uk

Forecasting technology

a celebration of emerging talent.

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Machinery Pre-pruning to save time.

FEATURES 10

Opportunities and risks of climate change New research looks at adaptation to climate change in the UK wine sector.

Front cover image: Heartenoak Vineyard © Martin Apps, Countrywide Photographic

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Winery

CONTENTS Features A tale of tenacity in the face of trials

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As visitors arrive at the home of Heartenoak Vineyard, Hawkhurst one of the first things you notice is the plethora of ancient oak trees that cover the site.

The nature of protection

19 30 51

The risk frost poses to a crop is severe, and is often unpredictable.

What are the options for guarding against frost damage? And how do we address the risk in a sustainable and affordable way?

Bigger than ever With over 120 exhibitors – the most since the show launched in 2021 – visitors could view latest innovations for both vineyards and wineries.

Plumpton College Each year, wine students take a trip to Europe's major vine and wine exhibition.

This year, it was Sitevi, and the students had the opportunity to explore the Languedoc region.

Re

ar mer cca F e b

From the editor

“So soon as a fashion is universal it is out of date”

Countess Marie Von Ebner-Eschenbach.

This month I have twice had a heated disagreement with my car Sat Nav. Driving around the countryside with apparently no clear direction gave me plenty of time to reflect on the decision making process.

The Sat Nav is such a useful tool that at no point on my long detour did it even occur to me to stop and look at a map and never once did I reproach myself for failing to continue to train my sense of direction that has by now, I believe, completely deserted me.

This brings me to the quote at the top of this column. It is much too easy to follow along a certain path because this is the way it has always been done. This is especially true in both the vineyard and the winery.

Grape growing and wine making has a history dating back not centuries but millennia so there are a lot of footsteps in which to follow.

Yet remarkably there are many producers who are literally finding a new path and interestingly a conversation at the Vineyard and Winery Show suggested that we should also rediscover some of the ways that have been forgotten.

In England and Wales there are less established traditions and therefore this should create the right atmosphere for those who are trying new things to flourish. In the masterclass at the Vineyard and Winery show Volker Freytag spoke of growing grapes and winemaking as providing a platform to tell your own unique story. The idea of a wine actually being the story of a vineyard is captivating but it also introduces a responsibility, for those who can, to tell a new, exciting and different story. This incorporates varieties, vineyard practices and winery processes, to name just a few.

It is however not just in England and Wales that an environment of imaginative grape growing and winemaking is being cultivated. Well established brands in countries with long histories of wine making are adding new and exciting wine styles to their portfolios. This should give English and Welsh Wine a moment of reflection. In an attempt to achieve recognition sometimes it can be easy to follow the same direction as everyone else instead of continuously training ourselves to challenge what we know.

As my experience with the Sat Nav illustrated it is far better to question the direction than to go the wrong way down a one way street.

Much better to lead than to follow, embracing the traditional but not allowing it to hamper or stifle the creative process.

There are many innovative English and Welsh wines and we should all try to celebrate and embrace them as often as possible that way we will make sure our story is always on the best seller list.

Send your thoughts and comments

6 J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 4 | V I N E YA R D

by email to vineyard.ed@kelsey.co.uk

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NEWS

Forecasting technology to give an advantage UK farmers and growers need improved weather forecasting technology if they are to cope with increasing weather extremes when planning crop management.

Responding to this critical need, Sencrop has launched three new, game-changing features that are immediately available to UK subscribers, with more precise and reliable forecasting up to six days ahead.

The forecast comparator: Pulls forecast data from all the main weather models that inform UK, regional, and local forecasts – including HRMN5, operated by the Met Office – into a single, easy-to-read graph. The user can compare all the forecast models by meteorological measurement including rainfall, temperature, humidity, and wind speed.

Model ranking: This feature ranks all the forecasting models in order of reliability for each type of meteorological measurement. As it is based on Sencrop weather station data, the ranking is specific to each user and changes depending on location and time of year.

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Sencrop tailored forecasting: Taking it a step further, users can generate a tailored and evolving forecast for the chosen location using both the main weather models and their own and surrounding Sencrop weather stations.

Essentially, this creates a ‘new model’ which continually evolves as weather stations record data for the location, providing access to the most reliable forecast on the market for that specific user and their chosen location.

The three new features – developed by the company’s in-house team of researchers, engineers, data scientists, and software specialists – represents a solution to an identified need and a step-up in the innovative ag-tech firm’s offering to farmers across the UK. “Weather forecasts are used to plan farm work and help producers to anticipate weather and disease risks which informs their application of plant protection products and irrigation,” said Mark Herriman, UK B2B manager at Sencrop.

“It’s not uncommon for farmers and growers to consult three or four different weather forecasts, which are all on different websites or phone apps, and that makes the difficult and often inaccurate interpretations, even more difficult.

“We speak daily with farmers and growers across the 31 countries we now operate in, to understand their day-to-day needs and challenges, and those discussions have highlighted that forecast accuracy and reliability is a massive hurdle in being able to anticipate and plan.”

Delving into what’s behind the capabilities of the new features, Mr Herriman explained a fundamental aspect of the new features.

“Informed by field data from our network of over 35,000 weather stations, some 3,500 sited in the UK, and using machine learning, the software compares up to 40 different forecast models; making it possible to compare, score and determine the most accurate and reliable data for each Sencrop user, depending on their location and the time of year.

“The new features create a synergy between different data streams, comparing information from field monitoring with forecasts from established weather models – more than 60 million weather data points are received every day.”

What’s really important is that this information is accessible and easy to interpret, with farmers and growers able to use their smartphones to access ultra-precise, ultralocal weather information like temperature, humidity, wind speed, and cumulative rainfall on their sites, with the ability to generate information and forecasts that can better inform them.

“We are working with some of the UK’s leading agronomy consultants to enhance access to data and its interpretation,” said Mr Herriman. “Being better informed means farmers can use their inputs as effectively as possible, for example, by applying products in weather conditions that maximise their effectiveness.

“They can also identify weather and disease risks for their crops like frost, mildew, and rust, and act accordingly.”

"Our aim is always the same," added Mr Herriman. “To enable farmers and growers to make the best decisions and reduce their crop risks, all with a positive agri-environmental impact.”

NEWS

Headlining state banquet Camel Valley Special Reserve 2015, was served by HM the King and HM the Queen at the lavish State Banquet for South Korea's President and First Lady.

Previously, Camel Valley has been served on many Royal occasions including the banquet for the King and Queen of Spain and the President and first lady of Mexico.

Founder Bob Lindo said: ‘’It’s very rewarding after 34 years of making wine in Cornwall to be recognized in this way and to be served in the company of some the world’s most prestigious wines. Despite being Royal Warrant Holder’s we still had to be tasted blind for selection and the English Camel Valley Special Reserve 2015 had won Gold in the Champagne and sparkling wine World Championships.

Wines served included an English Camel Valley Special Reserve 2015; Montrachet 1er Cru Macharelles; Domaine François Carillon 2014; Château Mouton-Rothschild 1er Cru, Pauillac 1989; Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey; Sauternes 2001; Fonseca 1985.

New head winemaker LBW Drinks Ltd has announced the appointment of Sarah Massey as the new Head Winemaker. With an impressive track record and four years of dedicated service to the company, Sarah's promotion is a testament to her exceptional talent and commitment to the craft of winemaking and the production of other quality products within the LBW Drinks Portfolio.

Having joined Lyme Bay Winery four years ago, Sarah has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for producing high-quality products. Her deep understanding of the winemaking process, combined with her innovative approach, has contributed significantly to the success and growth of the company.

As the Head Winemaker, Sarah will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the still and sparkling winemaking process at Lyme Bay Winery. This includes working closely with the vineyard owners and growers, selecting the finest grapes and ensuring the production of exceptional wines that reflect the unique and different terroirs the winery works with.

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9 J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 4 | V I N E YA R D

CLIMATE CHANGE

Opportunities and risks of climate change New research looks at adaptation to climate change in the UK wine sector.

By Dr Alistair Nesbitt, Vinescapes CEO Panel A: Do you think the world's climate is changing?

Nationally representative survey (Steentjes et al., 2020)

UK wine sector respondents – Spring 2020

Yes, I think that the world's climate is changing No, I do no think that the world's climate is changing Don't know

Panel B: Do you think climate change is a threat or an opportunity for wine production in the UK? Producer survey 2014 – (Nesbitt et al., 2016)

UK wine sector respondents – Spring 2020

A threat

Both a threat and an opportunity

An opportunity

Don't know

Figure 3 in: Kate Elizabeth Gannon, Declan Conway, Mark Hardman, Alistair Nesbitt, Stephen Dorling, Johannes Borchert, Adaptation to climate change in the UK wine sector, Climate Risk Management, Volume 42, 2023

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The research, produced as part of the Climate Resilience in the UK Wine Sector (CREWS-UK) project, was led by the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, The University of East Anglia and Vinescapes Ltd, and has recently been published in the journal: Climate Risk Management (Volume 42, 2023).

The research looked at adaptation within the UK wine production sector and its value chains, to both climate variability and longer-term climate change. Using the lens of ‘a good year’ and ‘a bad year’ in the sector, it considers the role of extreme events in adaptation, decisionmaking and learning. It focuses on both opportunities and risks of climate change.

The research builds on earlier work published by the project team which highlights that, despite increasing recognition of the challenges of climate change facing other longer-established viticultural regions globally, the overall direction of change in long-term climate trends has to date been positive for UK wine production. Warming growing season average temperatures have brought large areas of the UK into the suitable climatic range for several commercially popular wine grape varieties. This has led to massive expansion of the sector. UK viticulture has been touted as a rare sector – and viticultural region – that stands to benefit from climate change.

Results in the study suggest that actors across the UK wine sector have very high awareness of climate change. Findings also indicate a new sense of optimism about the opportunity of climate change for UK viticulture. The sector has moved towards viewing climate change as not just a threat for wine production, but as both a threat and an opportunity. This trend represents a significant shift in perceptions in the sector, within a short window of time.

Respondents linked the exceptionally strong 2018 harvest, and other recent hot summers, to this optimism and, correspondingly, to the rapid growth and investment seen within

DESKTOP www.vinescapes.com ENVELOPE info@vinescapes.com phone-alt 01306 733960

the sector. “Without a shadow of a doubt, we wouldn’t be planting in the volume and the bulk we are, had we not got the confidence that we can now consistently ripen [these grapes] and produce … world class wines which can compete on the global stage”, One respondent described.

Yet, despite these opportunities, and this air of optimism, wine production in the UK is likely to remain subject to high levels of ongoing climate risk. Ongoing warming is likely to necessitate further variety and/or wine style changes in the UK in the mediumterm. Moreover, since one of the anticipated characteristics of future climate change is enhanced inter-annual climate variability, UK viticulture will be at risk from potentially increasing variability in interannual suitability of growing conditions, alongside ongoing risks from extreme events, such as spring frosts and high rainfall during the growing season. This will deepen uncertainties and is likely to shape ongoing large fluctuations in yields. Moreover, it will likely require additional efforts to adjust viticultural systems to manage or harness the opportunities of climate variability, beyond what would be expected due to normal vintage variation.

Findings in this study show that climate

i

Questions about the research can be directed to: alistair@vinescapes.com

risks propagate across the sector, along the value chain, through supply and demand.

This produces winners and losers in ‘good years’ and ‘bad years’, as well as over longer timescales. This study also finds that the way in which one actor within the sector responds to the opportunities and challenges of climate change, can transfer risks and opportunities to other actors within the sector. And it finds that risks and solutions are spread across the sector and that businesses within the UK wine sector are often dependent on other businesses within their value chains for the resources that they need to adapt to climate change.

These findings suggest that it is crucial that the sector adopts a joint and coordinated problem-solving approach to planning for climate change adaptation, to maximise the local gains of individual businesses, but also to account for systemic consequences of climate change for the sector as a whole.

Insight into the urgency of responding to this challenge with proactive planning can be gained from looking at other more established viticultural regions globally, which are running into potential limits and barriers

to adaptation. Many Old-World wine regions have established their commercial profile through designated variety, climate, soil and topography assemblages, which have been concretised in production standards linked to appellation-based regulations and Protected Designation of Origin certifications. Such contexts may not be easily reconciled with a shift to varieties, or viticultural systems, with characteristics more suited to a changing climate, or with relocating vineyards as climatic conditions shift. Yet these may be the very changes necessary to respond to the rate of climate change anticipated. This new study identifies early concerns which suggest that, on its current trajectory, the UK sector too could be ‘locking-in’ to such development pathways, that could limit the sectors’ ability to adapt to climate change in the future.

Any reference to this article should be cited to the original and full publication: Kate Elizabeth Gannon, Declan Conway, Mark Hardman, Alistair Nesbitt, Stephen Dorling, Johannes Borchert, Adaptation to climate change in the UK wine sector, Climate Risk Management, Volume 42, 2023, 100572, ISSN 22120963, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crm.2023.100572.

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WINE REVIEWS

w

DESKTOP www.matthewjukes.com ENVELOPE vineyard.ed@kelsey.co.uk

Let your flights of fancy soar and bring infectious enthusiasm to everyone around you.

The New Year signals new ideas and fresh starts, so I looked back through my tasting notes to try to capture the early essence of 2024 in vinous form. I found a collection of wines that stood out for their ingenuity, originality, and individuality.

These fresh, new, and engaging wines are ideal for ushering in the New Year. Each bottle possesses a sense of brightness and verve, and they are all culminations of various flights of fancy from their makers. It feels like these wines were made with eagerness and excitement and that can only come from the personnel in charge.

This doesn’t mean to say that those wineries with long histories cannot summon up these emotions and imbue them in their wines, but it needs to be genuine for these characteristics to be recognised in the glass. All too often, one senses toil and drudgery even in worldfamous wines because the season was challenging or the mood in camp was tense.

It is incumbent on those in management positions to endeavour to fire up enthusiasm and excitement in their teams so that the wines capture this mood and sing in the glass.

If you haven’t upgraded your labels for aeons or have yet to introduce a new cuvée to your classic portfolio, you do not need to feel you lack drive, originality or momentum.

Simple things like the changing seasons and an imminent, new harvest should be enough to bring a sense of elation to those people who truly belong in the wine business, and the New Year is a time to celebrate these feelings. Let your flights of fancy soar and bring infectious enthusiasm to everyone around you because the electricity is unmissable in the glass!

2020 The Grange, White from Black, Hampshire £42 www.thegrangewine.co.uk

I was bowled over when I tasted the 2018 vintage of this rebelliously named wine back in September. This note on the newly released 2020 vintage is a Vineyard scoop, as I was privileged to taste the very first bottle.

As you will have spotted, White from Black is a conscious move away from using French terms on English wines, following pioneers Mereworth and their 2019 White from White, released in 2022 and featured on this page.

Zam Baring’s 100% Pinot Meunier sparkler is a thriller. Using 52%

12 J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 4 | V I N E YA R D

neutral oak to bring a degree of grandeur to proceedings and balancing the keen acidity with 7.5g/L residual sugar, this is a terrific expression of the dynamic Pinot Meunier variety, and it brings a spicy and more textural delivery of orchard fruit right to the front of the palate in which the drinker can indulge their senses.

In spite of its youth, this wine is flying and it is set to push The Grange to even headier heights. While this wine already looks stunning, I have no doubt it will age beautifully, too!

es Juk

Flights of fancy

Ma‫ ﬙‬h e

2022 Kinsbrok KIN £26

www.kinsbrookvineyard.com www.thehorshamcellar.co.uk

I loved the 2021 vintage of KIN: a glorious wine made from blending sheer panic with small parcels of grapes that, individually, were not of sufficient quantities to make standalone single-variety wines.

And it worked – after all, I wrote this wine up in this Magazine.

The 2021 inspired passion and emotion in everyone who tasted it so Joe Beckett and Rebecca Dancer decided to do it all over again in 2022. But this time, the Reichensteiner/Pinot Gris/ Pinot Noir Précoce cocktail failed to light a fire under its creators, so they added more complexity via the medium of Bacchus, Chardonnay and some rosé made from Pinot Noir. The result is a riotously floral, succulent, edgy, and arrestingly stony wine with some obviously expressive elements tempered by contemplative, soulful highlights.

While it weighs in at a slender 11.5% alcohol, the flavour amplitude is shocking. No oak is employed, and a generous 4g/L residual sugar softens the brittle corners, making 2022 KIN another incredibly successful exercise in sensitive blending informed by great taste.

I love the Saffron Grange label, inspired by woolly mammoth teeth and tusks that were found in the River Slade that runs along the bottom of this vineyard.

A rare outcrop of upper cretaceous chalk forms the deep subsoil at this 5ha property, and this means that Saffron Grange makes bright, crystalline sparklers underpinned by a refreshing sense of crispness and ‘white minerality’.

The Classic Cuvée is made from 50% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay

2019 Saffron Grange, Classic Cuvée £32.00 www.saffrongrange.com www.grapebritannia.co.uk www.cambridgewine.com www.petergrahamwines.com

and 15% Pinot Meunier and with a generous 9g/L residual, this is a silky, open, smooth, and perfumed wine. With three years on its lees, this wine is ready to drink now, and its competitive price is sure to endear it to adventurous wine lovers in search of a classy and well-balanced fizz.

With a feisty 2020 Pinot Noir Rosé – £32.00 www.saffrongrange. com – blessed with crisp, red cherry-soaked fruit and cleansing acidity also in the line-up this is a star estate to watch out for in 2024.

13 J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 4 | V I N E YA R D

EDITOR'S VISIT

r Ed ito

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er m

A tale of tenacity in the face of trials

Rebecca Far

As visitors arrive at Beals Green Farm the home of Heartenoak Vineyard, Hawkhurst one of the first things you notice is the plethora of ancient oak trees that cover the site. The vineyard planted in 2020 is owned and managed by husband and wife team David and Sue Ford.

In particular one large tree is a remarkably poignant reminder that from adversity can come triumph. The mighty tree lies on its side “felled by a storm long before we arrived here,” said David (possibly the storm of 1987 that felled so many trees in the area) and yet from its trunk grow new trees sturdy and secure on this foundation born of adversity.

Having purchased the farm, which now consists of 53 acres, as a place to raise their family David and Sue worked hard to renovate the farmhouse. “It was the land that sold the house,” said David. “In theory the house had heating,” added Sue with a smile as she thought back to those early days.

Both David and Sue explained that although the farmhouse was not really habitable the planning process for renovations and extension had been extremely difficult. Sitting in their comfortable kitchen with its well used aga David and Sue describe how this space was used by their daughter Immie and her boyfriend Euan McDonnell to add the wax tops to the bottles of their first vintage, Cabernet Noir 2022.

Twenty years ago when the family bought the land there was one particular south east facing slope that David thought would be planted with vines one day. This vision has expanded and now there are several fields totalling 10 acres planted with 15,000 vines in 2.2m rows that make up Heartenoak Vineyard.

“The patchwork nature of the High Weald means we lose some space,” explained David.

However the original field that David had pictured as the vineyard has been left untouched – having provided the inspiration the slope proved to be a little too sloping.

“One of the other slopes on the farm is used by people from miles around in the snow as a toboggan run,” said David.

In 2018 David and Sue entered into conversations with a local winery. A practical way to ensure that the grapes they were

EDITOR'S VISIT growing were going to produce a wine at the end of each season. That conversation resulted in a plan to plant the three traditional sparkling wine varieties of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Just when David and Sue thought the details were being finalised the winemaker suddenly decided that they did not want to proceed, due to a large harvest, and the couple were left having to rethink their entire plan. In a move that is remarkably loyal David and Sue refused to name the winemaker choosing instead to point to those in the industry who have been helpful on their journey.

Eminently adaptable and not to be deterred from their desire to see vines growing on their land they decided to delay their planting for a year and turned to the team from VineWorks for advice. “This was probably a good thing because it gave us extra time to prepare the land,” said David. Whilst undertaking the soil analysis and discussing the possibilities VineWorks recommended Divergent Drinks who produce Fitz, a charmat method wine.

With that the variety choice shifted and in 2020 there began the planting of quite recognisable varieties such as Bacchus, Seyval and Reichensteiner passing through to the unusual Pinot Blanc and moving into the innovative Caberet Noir (a PIWI variety).

David and Sue looked at what they wanted to achieve from their wines “I really wanted to be able to produce a full bodied English red in a style that is not available with English Pinot Noir,” said David. He later explained that he enjoys both Malbec and Rioja so this move towards producing a more full bodied red

means he is growing grapes for a wine style that he enjoys whilst Sue pointed to Italian style Primitivo as a wine she enjoys.

The Caberet Noir is a variety that is suited to the marginal climate here in the UK and means that inputs can be significantly reduced bringing with it reduced costs and significant environmental benefits.

After the initial planting by VineWorks David and Sue found themselves faced with the task of fitting nearly 15,000 vine guards. “I put out a notice on social media to our neighbours and we were overwhelmed by their willingness to come and help,” said David.

“The 2.2m row planting proved the perfect social distancing tool during lockdown,” he added smiling. It is impossible to miss the irony that had Heartenoak Vineyard planted the year they had intended (2019) then they would not have had so many people sitting at home willing to take up the request for help.

In the end there were significant benefits from the delay not just for Heartenoak but for their neighbours who benefitted from the ability to be outside when so many across the country were trapped. Harvest has also been a time when the neighbours and family members have worked together to get the job done. “The harvest is spread out across the varieties, which is convenient for hand harvesting,” explained David.

When it comes to the topic of help David and Sue are eager to explain the benefits they have received from Rob Saunders of Hutchinsons who is the agronomist for Heartenoak Vineyard. “Rob is what I would describe as a thoughtful agronomist and a

thoughtful person,” said Sue “He will pass on knowledge. He is local and so he knows exactly what is needed, he also visits us every fortnight,” added David.

There are benefits too for the neighbouring business Ten Oaks Equestrian Centre. The centre is able to ride round the vineyard by agreement and there is also a footpath that passes through the vineyard. The connection between Heartenoak Vineyard and the local area is obvious and quite touching.

The first harvest was collected in 2022 and three wines were produced: a charmat method Sparkling White, a single variety Bacchus and a single variety Cabernet Noir.

The label for the wines really captures the feel of Heartenoak with a simple design incorporating an oak leaf. There really is no better symbol of what has been achieved at Heartenoak but it also highlights the potential for growth and regeneration which is at the centre of a visit to this beautiful vineyard.

With their first bottles delivered from Divergent Drinks, Heartenoak were preparing for their first full summer season offering tours and wine tastings in their converted 16th Century Barn but in March 2023 tragedy struck. The barn which David had been renovating by hand for four years was destroyed by fire. “The fire burned so hot it melted copper,” said Sue. In fact, the farmhouse was only saved because a fire engine that carried foam arrived just in time. Remarkably whilst the barn was totally destroyed the ancient oak tree nearby although requiring remedial work was also << able to be saved.

David and Sue Ford

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EDITOR'S VISIT

David admitted that as a relatively new grower the 2023 season had proved a difficult balancing act David points to a beautiful wooden breakfast bar in the kitchen and explained that he had made this by hand using his Alaskan sawmill “with some help from the university of You Tube,” he joked. The tasting room he explained had also been made in this style by his own hand. For a brief moment the room is filled with sadness as David and Sue look out onto the now empty space that once housed the old barn in which the tasting room was situated, into which they had put so much work.

Whilst the heartache the fire has caused

<<

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is evident David and Sue refused to let it discourage them and they have maintained their positivity. I marvelled as Sue explained: “We used an old Girl Guides mess tent to conduct the tastings during the summer and now we have even had tastings in the kitchen.

People who have come to do tours and tastings have specifically looked for a small family vineyard to visit.” Sitting in the cosy kitchen David explained that he leads the tours himself and it is obvious that any guest would truly feel part of this vineyards experience.

Photos: Martin Apps, Countrywide Photographic

The fire has meant that Heartenoak has not been promoting their tourism offering as they would have done and they no longer have the cellar space that they intended but there have still been plenty of tours taking place. Some of the orders and tastings have been from people who are thinking of planting the Caberet Noir variety but David explained that he had also given tours to diverse groups including a stag party of 15 from the Island of Jersey and the vineyard also helped a couple start their own new beginning when an engagement took place on a wooden platform looking out over the vines.

The fire took place at the beginning of the season and the life cycle of the growing vines themselves reflected the spirit of regeneration that Heartenoak have adopted.

The 2023 Caberet Noir harvest produced about 1.4kg of fruit per vine and the lack of sprays in the vineyard was also reflected in the winery processes. The wine bottle is topped with wax to reflect the environmental possibilities that this variety creates. Looking to the future David and Sue explained that they were looking at the environmental impact of bottling so are looking at alternative sustainable ideas such as KeyKeg, a large volume format that will allow them to serve wine by the glass for their tastings but saving on the production of numerous glass bottles.

They are also looking into selling locally to the on-trade and Sue who was formerly a lawyer is ensuring the relevant licences are obtained.

It would be great if the local pub can sell these wines to the local community.

For the 2023 harvest the best plots of Reichensteiner were producing 3kg/vine and the Bacchus 2.5kg/vine. There are some plots of Reichensteiner that are not cropping as well and David suggested this may be down to the knock on effect of Downy Mildew attack in

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the 2021 season. Although the vines were not farm has been part of the Sustainable Farming cropping David has noticed that the vines that Incentive for the past two years. Sue has were worst affected during 2021 only achieved anecdotal evidence that suggest biodiversity 1.5kg/vine in 2023. has increased on the vineyard but “it can be a David admitted that as a relatively new tricky balance,” she said. grower the 2023 season had proved a difficult “Obviously we want to increase the balancing act. Crop thinning is not an exact biodiversity but we do not want to create an science even for those with experience of environment in which there are predators for many vintages and estimates and predictions the grapes.” The vineyard put up nets every proved particularly troublesome. For example, year to protect the Caberet Noir from bird September proved to be far more beneficial attack. “The higher sugar levels seem to make in terms of weather than either July or August these more attractive to the birds,” said David. would have suggested. “The GDD was level “Taking the nets down again takes longer with 2022 but the patterns were different,” than putting them up,” said Euan McDonnell David said. who helps David and Sue perform these labour The first harvest in 2022 produced 8.5 intensive tasks in the vineyard. It is clear that tonnes of total fruit but in 2023 that figure netting the vines is not a job that is enjoyed increased to 32.5 tonnes. “This was a by either David or Euan. One of the pests that massive crop but DivergentTh wereeable to take Suetand Euan all mention are pheasants g ac balancinDavid, everything,” said David with a grateful sigh. from a local shoot that have taken to enjoying lancing act the low hanging grape bunches.

The vineyard is in anTh Areaeofba Outstanding Natural Beauty and this has at times meant that “We are getting more and more equipment certain rules have to be applied. For instance, but this year we ended up topping the vines on one of the boundaries is an area designated with a sickle,” David said with a laugh. “I am as Ancient Woodland and so extra space must sure we will be more organised next year,” be left between this and the vines. The whole he added. On the subject of pruning David

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explained: “It is great to have something to get you out in January and February, I have been out in the snow pruning, with my daughter Annabel, it was great. You need something to get you out.” Whilst I am sure there are those who are not sure about this sentiment David did mention that he has invested in electric secateurs for the coming pruning season.

Whilst the destructive flames of fire have been felt deeply at Heartenoak Vineyard both the oak tree that survived that fire and the fallen tree that has spawned new life give heart and inspiration not only To Heartenoak Vineyard but to all of us. David and Sue have adapted and not abandoned their plans.

Speaking about the future it is clear there are plans to rebuild but beyond that come plans to have a pink fizz that will incorporate the Caberet Noir. David and Sue also mention that more vines in the future would also be an option. Alongside this David mentions his desire to start a wine library for the estate which shows an admirable determination not to let the problems of the present imperil future progress.

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THE VINE POST

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VSP system in the UK The planting density, soil, grape variety, yield expectations, vineyard machinery and labour available to operate the vineyard, and regional regulations will all influence decision-making around how to set up the VSP, however the climatic conditions are possibly the most determinant and over-arching factor.

A recent study has shown clear differences in temperature at different heights of a VSP trellis system. By raising the fruiting wire from 45cm to 95cm the maximum temperature during the daytime could be reduced and the minimum temperature during frost nights could be increased.

This offers positive possibilities for both warm and cool climates, where heat waves, frost pressure and balanced ripeness could be an issue. This change in temperature is further influenced by the soil management as there would be differences in gradients depending on whether the soil has been tilled or is covered by a cover crop, as the latter will prevent heat radiation from the soil. (Rességuier et al., 2023).

In a cool climate, it may make sense to take advantage of the additional warmth closer to the soil. The trade-off might be an additional frost and disease pressure. A difference in trellis height from 75cm to 150cm can result in a 1°C difference (Pocock and Lipman, 2002).

A change in the fruiting wire will also influence the size of the vine’s canopy. This

is an important consideration too, as an adequate canopy is required to potentially reach desired ripeness. This will again be determined by climatic conditions and grape varieties used. Typically, a 0.8 to 1.2m2 leaf area/kg of fruit is needed, however in cooler climates like in the UK, 2m2 leaf area/kg is more suitable for optimal ripeness.

As previously mentioned, the VSP can easily be adapted to different conditions.

For example, in the UK, it is commonly set up with one fruiting wire allowing the vines to be trained with a double Cordon or Guyot. However, the generally high vigour and the difficulties around fruit-set may make growers want to consider adding an additional fruiting wire onto an already established VSP to train the vines in a ‘Pendelbogen’ or ‘European loop’ system which has more fruit bearing shoots therefore providing higher yields and better sap distribution, which will help production, keeping in mind the desired ripeness.

When choosing a configuration of a VSP system, there are many factors to consider, one like the fruiting wire height could be critical. As with most things in viticulture however, finding the right balance is key.

That is why at VineWorks we work to achieve the best outcome for our customers one vine at a time.

DESKTOP www.vine-works.com ENVELOPE sales@vine-works.com phone-alt 01273 891777

Learn more: ◆ Pocock, D., Lipman, A., 2002, “Frost Damage Control and

Prevention -Fruit and Vines” Primary Industries and Resources SA Fact sheet p 1-3.

◆ De Rességuier, L., Pieri, P., Petitjean, T., Mary, S., van

Leeuwen, C. 2023 “Temperature variation linked to trellis height: an opportunity for adaptation to climate change?” Oeno one.

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The Vertical Shoot Positioning (VSP) trellis is one of the most common vine training systems in the UK and around the world. It involves training the vine shoots upwards in a narrow, vertical curtain above unilateral or bilateral cordons or canes.

VSP trellises are commonly used in cool areas, where the risk of fungal disease is high, unlike in warmer, drier climates where vines may be bush, or basket trained. A VSP system keeps the vine foliage away from the soil and in a position that will improve the efficiency of spraying.

The upright shoots will create a large expanse of leaves that are well expo5sed to sunlight, enhancing their photosynthetic abilities. This system is particularly suited to a climate with marginal heat and sunlight as it maintains apical dominance of the upward oriented shoot tips, which intensifies their vigour and increases the likelihood of reaching a full canopy. In a VSP system the fruit at the base of the shoot tends to be pushed outside of the canopy, further increasing their exposure to sunlight, and thus enhancing their ripening. It also increases wind movement within the row and the effectiveness of spraying and other mechanical operations.

One of the main reasons the VSP system is so commonly used around the world is due to its adaptability in its set up to different conditions and desired outcomes of a vineyard. This can be done by adapting its height, wire configuration and materials used.

In the UK, a VSP is typically set up with a single fruiting wire at 90 - 95cm off the ground with a canopy of 90 - 110cm. In other regions, like in Piedmont (Italy), the fruiting wire is typically at 55 - 60cm with a canopy of 140 - 145cm.

In Champagne (France), the fruiting wire is at 20 - 30cm with a canopy of 100 - 110cm, while in California (USA) the fruiting wire is at 100 - 110cm with a canopy of 90 - 100cm.

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Adapting a VSP system

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Photos: VineWorks

Adapted VSP trellising with additional fruiting wire

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FROST PROTECTION

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The nature of protection

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The 2023 growing season got off to a good start in most areas of the UK, with spring frosts hitting at just the right time for most, before the buds had begun to burst. However, the risk frost poses to a crop is severe, and is often relatively unpredictable in the medium term. Just because Lady Luck was mainly with us last year, it doesn’t mean the same will hold true in the coming season. What are the vineyard managers' options for guarding against frost damage? And how do we address the risk in a sustainable and affordable way?

Generally, frost protection methods are active or passive. An active method modifies the temperature of the vineyard to mitigate against the frost during a specific weather event. They might include heaters and bougies, sprinklers or wind machines.

Passive methods are the holistic decisions made as part of the wider management of the land that give the vines the best chance of being protected, or at least withstanding, the ravages of frost. These decisions start with the establishment of the vineyard – choosing the variety of vine to be planted and selecting the best site where pockets of frost will not gather. They also include optimising the soil’s capacity for water retention, use of cover crops and management of natural barriers to divert frost away from the vines.

Monitoring your vineyard

Precision monitoring is an important way of staying ahead of the game, because frost can be such a localised risk – varying from field to field. A weather station that is connected to an app can really help maintain an accurate picture across the property.

Sencrop

Sencrop recently talked me through their range of monitoring solutions.

They offer precision weather stations connected to a collaborative weather application that enables farmers to monitor the weather conditions in their plots and simplify the day-to-day management of their farming operations, with indicators tailored to their plots. <<

Leafcrop

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The company offers ways to benefit from reliable weather live data and forecasts, to anticipate the risk of frost, to protect crops and to control irrigation. Anticipating frost accurately means that mitigation systems are only triggered when and where they are needed – making them both efficient and financially cost effective.

Sencrop’s weather station products include The Raincrop connected rain gauge, a station for measuring rainfall, temperature, humidity and dew point. And The Leafcrop connected humidity sensor: a station for measuring humidity, temperature, and dew point. This sensor simulates the natural characteristics of the leaf, enabling growers to obtain precise, reliable measurements right in the heart of their vineyards.

The Sencrop collaborative weather application gives users access to several features that are designed to assist with the battle against frost: ◆ They can anticipate future risks thanks to the weather forecast functions. Initially, users can follow the seven forecasting models or follow the Sencrop forecasts.

Sencrop forecasts are the result of the creation of a unique algorithm. It compares the historical weather data from the stations with the forecasts given by various models, then automatically aggregates the best of each one according to the grower's position, for an unprecedented level of accuracy. That being said, the most practical way of anticipating frost risks is to be able to compare the different forecasts on the same graph using the Sencrop frost module! Users themselves can compare the different forecast models over four days and identify extremes in forecast temperatures at a glance. <<

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◆ Users can also activate pre-set frost alerts

or create customised alerts to be notified when a certain temperature threshold (wet and dry) is reached. They can choose a notification method (call, SMS, email) and be alerted in real time to trigger control measures on time. ◆ Moreover, they can also monitor the weather conditions in their plots in real time, thanks to readings from their stations – updated every 15 minutes.

Ultra-local data is particularly relevant in the fight against frost, for weather conditions vary greatly from one vineyard to another, and depending on the topography of the plot, they might vary from the top to the bottom of the plot.

Frost protection without single-use materials Heated wires

Active methods of frost protection do not necessarily have to be labour intensive during the weather event. Winding Wood Vineyard in West Berkshire installed heated wires in the spring of 2017. They have a cold site at 130m above sea level, so frost protection is essential. The system runs

along the fruit wire and creates a halo of heat around the cane to protect the tender buds. Winding Wood installed the system themselves and had an electrician bring the power lines back to the fuse box.

A single phase power supply is sufficient for the system to operate, using very little electricity – akin to an electric shower. The wiring is the same type that is used for underfloor heating. It turns on automatically via a temperature sensor that can be set to the preferred level. Winding Wood set it to spring to life at zero degrees. The wires heat up to a maximum of 20°C, so as not to damage the buds.

Winding Wood’s co-proprietor, Christopher Cooke, wrote a blog about the installation back in 2017: “In February we took the decision to sell off all our stock of bougies! High-risk strategy?

Hopefully, not. At Winding Wood Vineyard we have decided upon another frost protection system: heated wires. Having seen an experimental installation at Ridgeview in Sussex and read about heated wires being used in New Zealand’s cool climate vineyards to good effect, we decided last year to install the system along the fruiting wires of our Pinot Noir. <<

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Connecting heated wires

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However last year, as our pinot buds were only at the woolly bud stage when the worst night of frost hit they were not at their << most vulnerable so it was difficult to be empirically accurate about their effectiveness.

In any case, we lost no buds that year which was encouraging.

“In March 2017 we took the plunge and installed the system in our Chardonnay field – this involved attaching 1,500 metres of cabling to the fruiting wire. Last year, with bougies as our only frost protection, the Chardonnay buds were pulverized. Of course, we are no longer spring chickens and resent getting up in the night to light bougies; and secondly, we are not convinced bougies work down to -5°C in advective frost conditions – even when they are set out at double the recommended rate per acre.

“How did our heated wires manage with the three Armageddon nights in April? Well, if you had asked us on the morning of 26 April I would have said confidently that they performed extremely well over two consecutive nights of -4.5°C conditions with minimal damage – maybe just 2% of bud losses.

However, the third night of 26/27 April was a perfect storm: we had hail and rain in the early evening with northerly winds followed by -4.5°C temperatures over night and the conditions decimated our advanced buds.

Clearly, the heated wires just could not cope with the freak combination of wet and freezing conditions. We estimate to have lost 70% of our primary buds which by the afternoon of 27 April resembled dried tobacco plants.

“Given the unusual conditions in April this year, everyone’s vines were ahead of normal – we had an average of three leaves out – and I wonder if our buds had been less advanced

J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 4 | V I N E YA R D

we would have been so badly affected.

Without wanting to indulge in schadenfreude, it was interesting that other vineyards in this area, which employed no frost protection save spraying Frostec, were 100% wiped out.

Whether the secondary bunches will be worth having only time will tell.”

Christopher’s experience of the system has generally been a positive one. The temperature sensor means that his vines are protected automatically, and the low energy use makes it cheap to run – although installing over a larger area would naturally lead to a higher upfront investment. Over the years no maintenance has been required, except when the wires are inadvertently cut while pruning, “which has happened on, mercifully, just three occasions.”

Sprinkler systems

Using low-flow sprinkler systems as a method of frost mitigation is effective as it creates a microclimate around the vines because the water being sprayed is at a higher temperature than the air. That water then freezes, creating a thin layer of ice around the plants, which in turn produces latent heat. This ice layer creates a barrier around the plant. Since it is continuously freezing as long as water is being sprayed, the exothermic reaction continues ensuring protection for the inner cells of the buds.

Professional systems are available which can produce a cost-effective and sustainable answer to the frost question in the long term as the materials have a long life span. The sprinklers can be targeted to the areas that are most at risk, making them an efficient solution.

However, for the smallest producers, this may still be a capital investment too far.

Martin Jones of Jones’ Colehurst Vineyards in Shropshire has taken a DIY approach to his sprinkler system. The area that needs protection is relatively small, a 4.5-hectare plot. The vineyard is in a slight valley where the frost moves through slowly, so the vines at the top tend to avoid the worst. Efforts must be concentrated on those at the bottom that take the worst of the damage.

Martin has been able to improvise a solution by connecting his sprayer to a gas burner to heat the water. In the middle of the night, he drives up and down the rows, spraying warm water on the vines, which is the best solution he has found for his property, even in light winds.

Delayed winter pruning

Since dormant buds are more resistant to frost damage than new green shoots, delaying bud development will offer the best chance to survive through late bursts of cold.

Since the buds furthest from the crown will burst first, leaving pruning until late can help to protect the remaining buds closer to the trunk that you want to keep.

The most practical way of doing this might be leaving sacrificial canes. Trim and tie the primary canes in the usual way, perhaps leaving them a little longer. Then leave your chosen spurs as extra long, standing canes.

After the danger of frost has passed, the << sacrificial canes can be removed.

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ON

FROST PROTECTION

Government support The Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) rewards farmers for practices that help to protect the environment and produce sustainable crops.

It is intended to support business resilience to protect agriculture in both the long and short term. This includes improving soil health and mitigating the impact of extreme weather.

The SFI includes actions like adding organic matter to soil and reducing bare ground.

In terms of frost protection, improving soil health is a positive and sustainable way of mitigating the damage frost can cause.

Water holding capacity

Adequate soil moisture acts as a thermal barrier, absorbing and releasing heat slowly, which can moderate temperature fluctuations in the vineyard.

Cover crops and mulch

Cover crops can provide insulation, reducing the speed at which temperatures drop in the vineyard and thereby minimising the risk of frost damage.

Speaking to Vineyard, a spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) said: “The Sustainable Farming Incentive has a range of actions that can be applied to UK vineyards, including soil health, pest management, enhanced nutrient management and increasing flower mix to support local wildlife. We encourage everyone to take a look at what the scheme can offer their business and get involved.”

There are ten actions applicable to UK vineyards under SFI. They include options to improve soil health, implement an integrated pest management plan, enhance nutrient management and foster farmland wildlife.

There is also flexibility within the action IPM2 ‘Flower rich grass margin, blocks or infield strip’ which can be located in the alleyways between vines, using species selected which deliver IPM benefits.

The SFI is open for online applications now.

Visit farming.campaign.gov.uk for full details of the scheme, including the eligibility criteria and guidance on how to apply.

Farming innovation programme

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The government is also supporting vineyard managers through the farming innovation programme. Details are available at www.farminginnovation.ukri.org. One of the successful applicants under the scheme is Outfield Technologies, which has been given funding to develop its VISTA system to generate integrated precision farming systems for vineyard production.

Raincrop

Nutrient levels

Balanced soil nutrient levels contribute to overall vine health.

Properly nourished vines are better equipped to recover from stress, including the damage caused by frost.

Soil structure

Soil structure affects water infiltration and root penetration.

Well-structured soils allow for good water movement and root development. A healthy vineyard ecosystem can have a positive impact on a vine’s ability to cope with frost events. practice from other wine growing regions. With VISTA, the UK wine industry has an opportunity to set the international standard and export our knowledge to the rest of the wine growing world. We are really excited to get started on the project and work with UK vineyards to drive productivity increases.”

Outfield Technologies CEO and co-founder Oli Hilbourne said: “The VISTA Project is a great example of the strength of UK innovation funding, bringing together technology companies, growers and academic partners to solve specific industry challenges. The UK's wine industry is growing rapidly, learning best

Code

SFI Action

Payment Rate

Soils SAM1

Assess soil, test soil organic matter and produce a plan

£5.80 per ha plus £95 per agreement

Integrated Pest Management IPM1

Assess integrated pest management and produce a plan

£989 per year (agreement level)

IPM2

Flower-rich grass margins, blocks, or infield strip

£673 per ha

IPM3

Companion crop on arable and horticultural land

£55 per ha

IPM4

No use of insecticide on arable crops and permanent crops

£45 per ha

Nutrient Management NUM1

Assess nutrient management and produce a review report

£589 per year (agreement level)

Actions for farmland wildlife AHL1

Pollen and nectar flower mix

£614 per ha

AHL2

Winter bird food on arable and horticultural land

£732 per ha

AHL3

Grassy field corners and blocks

£590 per ha

AHL4

4m to 12m grass buffer strip on arable and horticultural land

£451 per ha

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Using 100% vegetable wax reduces our candles' CO2 output by 90% compared to our competitors. Our candles emit 1.4kg of CO2/hr, whereas paraffin and stearin candles produce up to 14kg/hr.

Recycling our cans and refilling

Providing refills for our cans reduces landfill waste, offering a costeffective system where our customers save annually as the cans can be burnt and refilled for years.

Local production

Shifting production locally eliminates paperwork, costs, and transportation expenses of importing candles from European providers of frost protection.

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Equipped with easy-to-light eco wood wool, our candles light in just one second, ensuring a quick and efficient setup. Lighting one hectare takes only 15 minutes with one person.

An insurance worth having

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Proven defence

For decades, frost candles have been the primary line of defence against frost, helping vineyards overcome nature's initial obstacle on their journey to harvest.

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While estimating the effectiveness of other frost protecting solutions can be challenging, our crop candles stand as a reliable insurance option, especially if other products fail.

Outstanding shelf life

If frost is not an issue one year, pack them away for the following.

Eight-hour burn time

Our eight-hour candle will cover you for two nights of four-hour burn time. Simply place the lid back on the can after four hours and don't burn it again until your next frost event.

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J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 4 | V I N E YA R D

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FROST PROTECTION

Ambitious worldwide launch A groundbreaking frost protection product that is set to revolutionise grape growing is gearing up for an international launch early in the new year.

Frosco is an environmentally harmless, relatively low cost aqueous foam which is simply sprayed on vines when frost is predicted and provides 10°C of protection in both directions.

Since the game-changing product was revealed in the August issue of Vineyard magazine, inventor George Klat, himself a grower, has been getting everything in place for an ambitious worldwide launch in February.

Patents for the EU and the UK should be confirmed shortly, a massive field trial in Switzerland is expected to confirm Frosco’s impressive results and George is looking to open up new opportunities after teaming up with global business development partner Shrikant Ramakrishnan.

Shrikant, a guest lecturer in global sustainability in universities in Singapore, Hong Kong, Sweden, India and the United Arab Emirates, will be looking for partners, as well as customers, across Europe and beyond.

Frosco Ltd hopes to work with governments in less-developed countries to offer the product at cost price to poorer farmers while also targeting high value crops such as coffee, exotic flowers and saffron. “Frosco has applications well beyond vineyards, and because the thermal protection works in both directions it can be used to defend valuable crops against excessive heat as well as cold,” explained George.

To maximise the impact of Frosco worldwide, Shrikant will also be looking to partner with universities in different areas to promote research into the optimum use of the formula to protect different crops in different parts of the world.

“We hope to be working in places like India, Vietnam, Myanmar, the African continent and Malta, helping to bring social value by protecting people’s livelihoods using Froscco,” explained Shrikant.

“Frosco doesn’t just protect crops from the damage caused by extreme temperatures,”. “It does so in a completely environmentally friendly way, reducing the need to use hazardous chemicals and cutting the cost of inputs.”

Vinecare UK's Paul Woodrow-Hill mixes up a trial batch

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It has taken George the best part of seven years to develop the harmless aqueous foam, working with molecular engineering scientists at Imperial College London. Described as having “a quantum effect”, Frosco also acts as a fungicide and pest barrier.

George was inspired by noting that snow had a “perhaps counter-intuitive” benefit on overwintering root crops by trapping air within its crystalline structure, insulating the crop and keeping the ground above freezing.

“Frosco works in a similar way,” he explained. “It is applied by a lance or overvine sprayer, and when the temperature hits zero, the outer shell freezes, trapping air in the thousands of tiny pockets created and insulating the crop. The formulation stays intact until the next day, when it can be washed off with water to allow insects to continue pollination.”

With fine-tuning now well underway, George and his team have been using a Lipco sprayer to good effect, with an air induction nozzle proving the best option. February’s side by side trial, being carried out by a co-operative representing 10,000 Swiss farmers, is expected to launch the product into Europe in style.

“The product is ready, we have refined the application method and we are finalising the optimum quantities for vineyards,” explained Shrikant.

“It’s all systems go for 2024.”

Frosco is being manufactured by Vickers Laboratories Ltd in West Yorkshire and will be sold in ten times concentrated form, either in 20 litre drums or 1000 litre IBC containers.

The product has also won the backing of one of the most respected vineyard management companies in the industry, with the UK distribution rights in the hands of Vinecare UK. Vinecare UK’s Paul Woodrow-Hill, who has worked closely with vines, growers and winemakers since 1987, has watched the development of Frosco and is in no doubt that it will be, in his words, “an absolute gamechanger”.

George is happy to talk to growers about his product on 07484 320344 or via email at mrgklat@gmail.com

S C I E N C E W O R K I N G W I T H N AT U R E

INSPIRATION FROM NATURE, SOLUTIONS FROM SCIENCE In partnership with Imperial College, an efficient means of protection, for your crop and for your environment.

For more infomation visit www.frosco.io

A VITICULTURIST 'S DIARY

Juggling crop loadings Recently during a quick trip to the UK to attend Vineyard Magazine's excellent trade fair in Kent, I got to catch up with many vine growers. There soon became a common theme to recount in our conversations; the recent harvest time and how common were juggles around crop loadings.

This is a complex subject, especially since people who are considering undertaking some removal of what they feel are excessive grapes, are never in a position to know what the weather will be like in the many weeks ahead.

However there are some fairly simple generalisations that are probably of good benefit to be aware of.

Naturally extensive experience eventually shows itself to be the best teacher around matters of fruit thinning.

Another being to hold effective talks with the winemaker to seek out a compromise in how much work to undertake, and to attempt to

deliver a balanced crop of quantity and quality of grapes, (focused towards an agreed style of wine.)

The matter of quality needs to be understood and agreed between all parties if the best results are to be achieved, in much the same way as discussing issues like fungal infection on the grapes.

One of the main problems to be found in the cool margins of a climate for crop growing, is that too much crop simply has not enough time to accumulate adequate sugars, and to metabolise away the acids.

If you do not start thinning your crop soon enough, then you'll never get on top of any arising problems.

Quite a good, and simple, exercise is to make a graph showing the effective 'growing degree days' available to you, in the final couple of months of the season.

In simple terms plants are not able to function under 10°C, or in the dark!

Have a look at the number of hours of effective plant activity, say, 10 days prior to the equinox, (September 21,) and compare that to the number of hours 10 days after the equinox – the equinox is the time of the fastest change of daylight hours, and once those hours, and temperatures, have fallen below a effective functioning amount there is very little that can rescue your increasingly challenged crop at this time.

As readers of my previous thoughts are aware, I do not favour relying on chemical intervention in the winery.

It being preferable to seek more appropriate varieties, and then consider forms of management that assists a better outcome.

Simple matters to consider might include some of the following.

There are some varieties, or even perhaps a 'family' of varieties, that are inclined to grow secondary shoots and on which grow a second crop of grapes. This can be found in some of the French selections of clonal material of the Pinot group, as a point of illustration.

If you can, it is best to remove this second set, and earlier rather than later. They are a liability.

With some stronger growing situations or varieties, there can be what are called 'double budding' shoots along a cane.

The second shoot being shorter and weaker.

This will never come to much and only serves to hold back the rest of the vines, so take them off, and again early.

In a similar manner a vine that is a bit short in 'over wintering reserves' of energy, can have a restricted amount of growth in some of the buds that lie in the centre of the cane.

If it becomes obvious that the new shoots are slowing down in their growth, then simply 'nip off' the top flower, (or young bunch.)

Likewise some people find that the two shoots arising out of the buds at the far end of a cane, might give rise to possibly three flowers.

This being the case then take off the top one. (Another variation of this is to let them grow, and come a time when the acids are falling a little, and the sugars are rising – probably some time after veraison – then the top two bunches can be harvested from which to make grape juice out of.)

All of the above activities can be undertaken around flowering time, or shortly thereafter.

I have heard people comment that they in some form, fear the vine compensating for the loss in potential berries by multiplying the amount of cell growth in the remaining berries. Thus come veraison the berries swell up larger and the vine has less skin area in its berries relative to the volume of pulp...but I have never seen studies on this and generally feel that if over all there is a smaller, and thus better developed crop, then over all this is the best outcome to seek.

It is worth noting that vines are not entirely effective in creating photosynthates in one shoot, 'translocating' those compounds down the shoot...along the cane....and then up another shoot, (with which to ripen a bunch of grapes on a differing cane from which the sugars were formed,) Yes these complex compounds are created to be reserves within the vine, and might get to power root growth, build up reserves in the trunk, or even lignify/ mature a shoot to become a cane, but in

Sam Doncaster works for Volker and Marion Freytag, of Rebschule Freytag, Lachen-Speyerdorf, Neustadt an der Weinstrasse, Pfalz ENVELOPE samdoncaster@hotmail.com

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Sam Doncaster and Volker Freytag hosting the PIWI tasting at the Vineyard & Winery Show general as soil solution goes 'up,' the results come 'down'.

If you have a lot of short shoots in the centre of the cane on the wire, then you must adjust your thoughts around pruning, for the coming season. (As indicated previously.)

Overall it is the balance within the vine that you should give consideration to, perhaps the ratio of leaf area to quantity of grapes to be ripened.

With experience, and with some varieties, there might well be other aspects of early crop thinning that might well hold advantages.

For example, supposing you are growing a variety that has quite pronounced 'wings', or 'shoulders' to the bunches, then these can be nipped off. The rationale to this being that the 'wing' is usually a little later in forming/ developing, and while these might hold back the complete cluster, it still retains the highest acid levels.

I also know of people who have vines with clearly noticeable unusually long, cylindrical clusters. At a time that suits them, but probably not long after fruit set, they go through with long bladed clippers and cut the flower in half; simple, quick, and for their needs, effective.

A little later on it can be noticed in some varieties, especially well coloured examples, that perhaps there are considerable merits

for completely taking off any remaining green clusters, at a time when, for example, 90% are further developed.

The point of the exercise here being to tighten up the range of ripe to unripe clusters.

Good wines, in any climate, are not those that have broad range of ripe to unripe characteristics. It being absurdly naive to suggest that to harvest grapes like this results in 'interesting complexity'.

All this besides, once again I will say that when hand harvesting, there are considerable merits in taking quite a lot of time in getting the harvesters to understand just what it is that you are looking for. (Maybe not enough wineries operate a sorting table?)

For example, in varieties that grow quite a bit of second set bunches, (which for one reason or another did not get removed previously,) collect a few of these bunches and then get people to eat them. They will learn very quickly..." If you do not want to eat the grapes, then I do not want them in my wine."

But it should not come to this, as much of the most effective fruit thinning can be attended to surprisingly early in the growing season. I have done a lot of panic fruit thinning, and running just ahead of a mechanical harvester, but I have also come across well managed blocks of vines that had effective fruit thinning at a time that suits the

vineyard manager.

Part of what I write about 'effective fruit thinning' is the recognition that nobody ever wants a lot of second rate grapes, or to have to deal with the resulting chaos. (As has been said for centuries ‘you cannot make a silk purse out of a sows ear’...)

Additional things to consider are: extra work in the winery, tank space etc, doubling up on chaptilisation and other expenses, 'Dumping' the resulting wine into the wine lake of the 'bulk market'... or deciding to buy unbudgeted bottles, labels, cartons etc and to then have to double up sales efforts into a very congested market ?

I do know of people who annually quite early in the growing season, go through their vines and moderate the vines crop loading.

One such person told me that he expects to drop 50% of his potential crop.

Whilst he knows that in a good year he loses some potential income, he is also wise enough to know that every year he will get the best crop available to him, he knows what will happen in the winery, (no nasty surprises,) and easy sales are assured.

Far be it for me to suggest that he is getting it all wrong. So it is all up to you, your choice.

Oh, and good luck, as I know (having grown Pinot Noir and Chardonnay for 10 years,) just how fickle the weather can be.

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2023 SHOW REVIEW

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Bigger than ever

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2022

Over 1,600

With over 120 exhibitors – the most since the show launched in 2021 – visitors could view latest innovations for both vineyards and wineries.

Total registrants The Vineyard & Winery Show took place for a third year running at the Kent Showground at Detling in Kent. The event on the 22 November 2023 saw a new floor plan that enabled more exhibitors from across the industry to be in attendance at the one day show. So many people from across all areas of the industry were in attendance and the show was the perfect opportunity to catch up with colleagues and friends. Writes Rebecca Farmer Vineyard editor.

As promised by Vineyard Magazine in November’s show preview, The Vineyard & Winery Show was bigger than ever before. With over 120 exhibitors – the most since the show launched in 2021 – visitors could view latest innovations for both vineyards and wineries, with many stand holders reporting much business being done on the day.

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A highlight of the day included the opportunity to join not one but two masterclass tastings, one highlighting PIWI wines as well as the ever popular Matthew Jukes – all going on at the same time as a packed seminar programme. The masterclasses themselves were so popular that tickets for these were sold out two months before the show.

A new layout meant visitors could benefit from two wine tasting hubs spread across the two halls, one for sparkling and the other for still wines, providing more space to showcase the Top 100 English and Welsh wines as chosen by Matthew Jukes and WineGB. Wine writers, sommeliers and potential buyers in attendance were able to sample the high quality wines on display. Many visitors commented on the marvellous atmosphere and it was great to see so many from the industry come together just after harvest. With the day starting at just

Photos: Martin Apps, Countrywide Photographic

Thank you

Vineyard Magazine would like to say thank you to those producers who graciously gave their wines to make this spectacular showcase of English and Welsh wine possible. A special thank you must also be sent to Sensible Wine Services whose behind the scenes attention to detail ensured all the wine elements of the show ran smoothly. Their expertise with tastings and masterclasses and their help with equipment hire are vital to the success of many wine industry events including the Vineyard & Winery Show.

before 9am for producers to attend the seminar breakfast, many visitors didn’t stop for breath until the show closed at 5pm, having spent the day talking to exhibitors and listening to a broad selection of seminars that were sponsored by Ferovinum and organised by WineGB.

Sponsors key to show

The show of course would not be possible without the headline sponsors and Vineyard magazine would like to take this opportunity to thank Core Equipment, Hutchinsons, Vitifruit, NFU Mutual, berlin packaging and Royston labels. Thanks to Rankin Bros every visitor was once again greeted with a cotton and cork bag containing the visitor show guide which allowed every visitor to get the most from their day at the Vineyard & Winery Show 2023.

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2023

Wit and wisdom

There are several great accompaniments to good wine. Cheese is a favourite, food a given and good company another – but none comes close to enjoying wine accompanied by someone who understands and enjoys it as well as the inimitable Matthew Jukes.

At this year’s Vineyard & Winery Show, Matthew was again outstanding, talking a full house of eager disciples through a tasting session of his favourite tipples with his usual blend of wit and wisdom.

While many have plenty of knowledge but aren’t great speakers (and far too many others love to talk but have little of interest to say), Matthew combines a love, and understanding, of wines with a public speaking style that is fluent, comfortable, entertaining and highly engaging.

Never pompous and at times almost self-deprecating, he shares his knowledge and his enthusiasm with a warmth and humour that takes the audience on a journey of discovery, eschewing technical terms and relying instead on descriptions such as “bullet proof and belligerent”.

That particular term was applied to the 2022 Biddenden Huxelrebe, a wine Matthew described during the tasting as “an awesome piece of winemaking”, particularly since it sells at just £16.20 a bottle.

The six wines tasted at the session, which enjoyed sponsorship from Micro Can that allowed the proceeds from ticket sales to be donated to The Drinks Trust, were split into two batches of three wines that had

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been featured in the November and December editions of Vineyard.

The impressive Huxelrebe was part of the first trio, brought together under the heading of Lightness of Touch and designed to showcase “elegant and sophisticated” wines. Matthew’s advice that “you don’t need to chase alcohol too hard” was followed by a comment that would have gone down well with the winemakers in the audience. “The important thing is to make people buy a second bottle,” he pointed out.

Opening the show in this category was the MV Nightor Brut Classic Cuvée, which, in a reprise of his earlier comment, Matthew described as “definitely a repeat order”. It was, he said (and no-one in the room disagreed) “brilliantly acidic and citrussy on the finish”.

For the “definitive version of a ‘lightness of touch’ wine” Matthew put forward the 2022 Lyme Bay Bacchus Block, pointing out that he had reviewed the 2017 vintage in the very first edition of Vineyard. It was an example of a wine that could “tread lightly but still have some presence”, he commented.

Starters, Main Course, Cheese was the intriguing theme of the second group of three wines, which Matthew explained was designed to inspire winemakers to create “multi-skilled” wines that made the most of the optimum number of pairing opportunities.

The NV Langham Rosé, described by Matthew as “refreshing, tart, clean

and chalky, with a bit of traction”, would, he said, go well with bhaji, fish, Japanese food and chicken – as well as cheese. At £33.85 a bottle he also highlighted its good value.

Second up in this trio was the 2021 Riverview Crouch Valley Chardonnay, a wine which saw few audience members disagree with Matthew’s description of it as “complete, sensual, balanced and sophisticated”. Clearly not one of those who believes ‘less is more’, he added: “A triumph in wine.”

Bringing the lunchtime session to a harmonious close was the 2021 Giffords Hall, a 50-50 blend of Pinot Noir and Rondo and a clear bargain at just £15.95 a bottle. A wine that Matthew said “speed skates over the palate without any unnecessary traction”, it was, he added: “the ultimate red, English, starter, main course, cheese wine”.

 "Congratulations you on this year's Vineyard & Winery Show, which was excellent and very WELL ORGANISED before and during the event.

It was a great opportunity to meet with our customers and GROW OUR BRAND within this industry. Liz and I attended the wine tasting which was GREAT FUN, you just wanted to buy the wine just on Matthew descriptions. It was also great to see the winemakers for the recommended wines at the tasting, they are so young (or I’m getting old!) I have since purchased a few of boxes of the wines he recommended, Biddenden, Langham and the really lovely red.

Book us in for the same stand next year."

Karen Bridges, Tech Ltd

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J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 4 | V07/11/2023 I N E Y A16:47 RD

2023 SHOW REVIEW

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Seminar spotlight The Seminar programme organised by WineGB and sponsored by Ferovinum offered something for every visitor with talks running all day covering topics as diverse as tourism and labelling through to vine & soil health and winery topics. Despite there being some issues with the heating all the seminars were well attended and the audiences made full use of the opportunity to ask questions.

SEMINAR 1

Wine tourism Exploring growth and opportunities

SEMINAR 2

Breaking into the US market How to simplify your export supply chain

SEMINAR 3

Is your brand market-ready? Five ways to stand out

Simon Day

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Alex Ririe

Belinda Kemp

Matthew Johnson

SEMINAR 4

E-labelling The new regulations and planning ahead

Lauritz Merkel Business Development Manager for Imero and Matthew Johnson from Bottlebooks spoke about new EU regulations. “Everything we are providing is as accurate as we have to date,” explained Matthew.

From 8 December 2023 producers are required to provide Nutritional information and ingredients if your wine is going to be on sale anywhere in the EU. Matthew explained that an ingredient will be classed as anything that may be remaining in the bottle.

Instead of printing all this information on the bottle Matthew explained that it will be possible to print a QR code that links the consumer to the relevant information on your website.

This is applicable to all wines that are made or produced after 8 December 2023.

A question from the audience asked for a clarification of the term 'Produced'. “To be considered produced the wine must reach the properties required for the product in accordance with EU market regulations, so our current understanding is that if your product has not yet reached its final ABV then it is not yet produced,” said Matthew.

The regulations determine that the information must be easily identifiable for the consumer. Also it is one QR code and one E-label per product so for each vintage a new

SEMINAR 5

QR code will be necessary. As with any new legislation Matthew pointed out that as time goes on the regulations will become clearer.

The finer details were explained by Lauritz: Everywhere consumers can purchase they need to have the opportunity to inform themselves about ingredients and nutritional information.

Three places the information must be available: ◆ On the wine itself ◆ In shops but also a wine stand or web shop ◆ A pricing list that offers a purchase opportunity such as telephone number or email address.

In addition to the QR code the physical label must contain allergens information and from the nutritional table the energy values must be included on the physical label as well.

There must also be a caption in English next to the QR code to briefly describe the QR code. A question from the audience prompted Lauritz to explain that dynamic QR codes would be better as this means that the information is live and can be changed and updated.

The necessary nutritional information like other food products must be in a table format and Lauritz provided numerous slides to help the audience.

Lauritz explained that information regarding

the alcohol, the acidity and the sugar are enough to make the relevant calculations using a specific formula.

Ingredients need to be listed in order and when an ingredient belongs to a group the group name must come first. Allergens must be listed in bold.

One additional detail was that at the point of printing the label the final acidity regulator may not be known so it is possible to list up to three, one of which must be in the final wine.

With a blend all ingredients from both wines should be in the final list of ingredients.

The new regulations require that before the final purchase is made on a web shop this information would need to be available. The regulations are very strict added Matthew.

It is really important that this information is provided marketing and tracking free.

In response to a question from the audience seeking clarity on when the labelling would be required Matthew pointed out that wines that are sold to Northern Ireland could likely end up in the Republic of Ireland which is of course a member of the EU. There is also a possibility that other countries such as the US will look to implement similar legislation.

One question from the audience regarding if a website link would be allowed instead of a QR code created some homework for the experts who were unsure of the exact answer.

Sustainability in wine production

35 J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 4 | V I N E YA R D

Nick Cooper

Flora O’Brien

SEMINAR 6

Long-term impact of copper and cultivation on soil

Ian Robertson, Director Sustainable Soil Management; Flora O’Brien Specialist in Root Biology, NIAB; Nick Cooper, Agronomist Director Mycolife Ltd, all gave fascinating insights into soil health.

Flora O’ Brien explained a background to the subject of copper in soil.

Five years ago a study looked at soil copper content across different land use aspects and vineyards were found to have the highest content of Copper at 50mg/kg of soil. For some context 100mg/kg of topsoil is the threshold at which you need to take remedial action. Across Europe 15% of vineyards exceeded this threshold.

Fungicides are the main source of this copper and if there is a rainfall event soon after application the copper will enter into the soil. Copper is immobile in the soil and does not degrade easily so it can accumulate over time.

Explaining that severe results can come from high copper levels Flora pointed to chlorosis or in severe cases tissue necrosis and plant death.

Copper can also lead to oxidative stress and impair iron homeostasis leading to iron deficiency. Impacts of copper can also be felt in the winery explained Flora.

Soil type has a big influence low pH or low organic matter mean soil is more likely to suffer from copper contamination. Sandy soils are also prone to copper contamination. Interestingly the training system can also make a difference as this influences the root system architecture and there are reports that red varieties are more susceptible to copper uptake.

Flora discussed solutions such as increasing soil pH by applying lime.

Compost and Biochar can be helpful in ammending soil organic matter.

There are other solutions that have been looked at. Some of these are controversial such as tillage.

Ian Robertson then spoke about the core principles of soil health: biological, physical and chemical. Asking how many people have tested their soils Ian encouraged all those who have taken samples to then act on those results.

"We are trying to understand our physics and chemistry to allow our

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Ian Robertson

biology to thrive." Ian explained. "If we do not have beneficial biology in our soils we have a desert."

Showing the audience a slide he illustrated that soil structure starts at less than the width of a hair, "we tend to look much lower than this when we are considering soil structure," said Ian. At the forefront of every decision should be the questions: "What am I going to do and what is going to be the knock on effect on my soil?" Ian concluded.

Nick Cooper showed the audience some of the results from good and bad examples of cultivation and what happens to the soil biology under the vine.

"Wild vines wanted to grow on forest edges, glades and riverbanks requiring a fungal dominated biology. We tend to plant vines on what was previously arable fields which are bacterial dominated and the vine and growers spend time building the fungal activity. Whatever lab you use testing should be for nutrients and also soil biology," Nick told the audience.

Results should look at Total Bacteria, Active Bacteria, Total Fungi, Active Fungi, Protozoa numbers divided down to the main types and nematode numbers divided down to the main types.

Showing the audience a comparison slide Nick showed the audience how the numbers reflect the soil treatment. Highlighting that working with compost can almost immediately make a difference to the soil. There is plenty of evidence that using mulches, adding bio stimulants reducing cultivations massively improves the biology in the soil under the vines. Nick touched on the subject of glyphosates, at low rates it seems to not damage biology too much but at high rates there has been evidence that it affects biology. The jury is out on glyphosate but high level use in my opinion are not really a long term solution.

A question from the audience asked specifically about compost type. In reply Nick said that is a much longer conversation but we are working on what is a good compost. If you take a green waste compost you will find that it won’t have a lot of the good stuff that you are looking for.

SEMINAR 7

Herbicide drift Its impact and how to deal with it

SEMINAR 8

Wastewater Measurement, treatment and reduction

SEMINAR 9

Calcium instability Risks, analysis and solutions

J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 4 | V I N E YA R D

2023 SHOW REVIEW

2023

Fascinating insights Visitors to the Vineyard & Winery Show were for the first time given the chance to attend a masterclass dedicated to PIWI varieties.

Hosted by Volker Freytag and Sam Doncaster the audience at the sold out tasting session were treated to eight different wines from six grape varieties all bred for their greater ability to withstand disease pressure and suitable for the marginal climate of England and Wales.

The Calardis Blanc Brut 2020 grown in the Wintersham Rheinhassen area of Germany was the first wine for the audience to sample.

With Volker and Sam speaking about both the varieties and the suitable growing conditions for these varieties next came a 2023 wine utilising the Rinot Grape and grown in the Pfalz. Rinot has a loose bunch structure with medium sized berries, early bud burst and early ripening. If a winemaker chooses the variety it is suited to producing wines styled along the lines of chardonnay.

The Rinot variety is suited to sandy loam soils and is a variety that is being widely planted in Germany and beyond.

Souvignier Gris was the grape variety that followed but it was the two wines made from Sauvignac that created a ripple of hush conversation. Green Vibes Sauvignac 2022 from the Pfalz was poured alongside Fragments of Time Sauvignac 2022 from grapes being grown at South Bank Vineyard Essex and the wine made at Blackbook Winery, London. It was at this point in the tasting that Volker Freytag displayed an eye opening slide that highlighted the laboratory testing for varietal resistance against downy mildew. With Sauvignac showing a negligible susceptibility to the disease in stark comparison to the recognised variety of Muller Thurgau the depth of possibilities for these PIWI varieties is immense. “Traditionally people might think only what we know is good,” said

Volker Freytag

Volker but these varieties and these wines prove this is not the case.

As an example of the resistant quality of Sauvignac, Sam Doncaster showed the audience a video of an entirely clean Sauvignac crop in Essex still hanging on the vine on 9 November 2023.

Sauvignac berries change rapidly, becoming pink with sun exposure “as a variety it means interpretations in winemaking are possible allowing you to write your own stories,” said Sam. “Vinifera characteristics allow for these wines to age,” said Sam who pointed to Fragments of Time 2022 as a wine that will age well.

Moving from Sauvignac to Pinotin there was a wonderful example from the Ahr, Germany.

“Wine with this fruit flavour would not be possible if there was any powdery mildew present in the vineyard at harvest,” said Sam. Speaking about the benefits of Pinotin Volker

Freytag said: “Since bud burst is late for this variety it can be particularly beneficial in areas that are prone to frost.” The variety benefits from vigorous rootstocks and also needs magnesium to flourish.

The final two wines were of the Caberet Noir variety. Again the tasting of an English wine from a vineyard in Kent and a comparison wine from the Pfalz created an audible buzz in the room. Sam Doncaster explained the name Caberet Noir was based on the fact that there are too many (in excess of 30) Cabernet varieties in existence. The tasting highlighted the possibilities for this variety in both England and Wales with Sam praising the variety as “good to work with.”

As the masterclass drew to its conclusion it was clear that those in attendance would willingly have listened to the expertise of Volker Freytag and Sam Doncaster for much longer than the hour session had allowed.

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2023

2023 SHOW REVIEW

Showcasing exhibitors

Tailoring advice

Supporting the vineyard industry is an important part of why Agrii have been part of the Vineyard & Winery Show since its beginning. For over 30 years Agrii have been offering expert support and knowledge to the viticultural community. This year Agrii also sponsored the specially designed tasting glasses, supplied by German manufacturer rastel, used by those in attendance at the show.

Describing the show as “vibrant” Brendan Rhodes of Agrii explained: “Attending the show offers people the opportunity to discuss their needs and how to go forward.” With the area under vine increasing year on year Agrii are expanding their advice led approach to viticulture. “Vine plantings are moving further north and are no longer restricted to the south so the advice must follow,” he added.

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 "What a GREAT DAY! Was even better than last year.."

Henry Sugden Defined Wine

PLANTING&GROWINGTUNNEL&SHELTERHARVE TUNNEL&SHELTERPRUNING&FRUIT HARVESTING TUNNEL&SHELTER PLANTING&GROWING THE NEW PRUNING&FRUITTOOLS TUNNEL&SHELTER TUNNEL&SHELTERHARVESTING HARVESTINGTYING TUNNEL&SH INFACO TUNNEL&SHELTER HARVE PLANTING&GROWING MACHINE TUNNEL&SHELTERPRUNING&FRUITT HARVESTING TUNNEL&SHELTER H PLANTING&GROWING PRUNING&FRUITTOOLS TUNNEL&SHELTER HARVESTING TUNNEL&SHE TUNNEL&SHELTER

PR TU

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Practical solutions

Attending the show for the second year Sarah Worsfold from Four Jays explained how the company are able to support the viticulture sector with their hire needs. Providing hire toilets during harvest is only one of the ways Four Jays can help the viticulture industry.

Companies across Sussex, Surrey, Kent and parts of London can also benefit from hire facilities such as chillers and themed events toilets.

These facilities would suit those vineyards wishing to venture into the wine tourism market. Food chiller services and adequate facilities are a necessity for those who offer events in the vineyard and anyone who wishes to find out more should contact enquiries@fourjays.co.uk

Exceptional quality Visitors to the Itasca stand were greeted by a huge screen showing a 45 minute video of exceptional quality.

Itasca intend to have live Monthly Podcasts over the coming year inviting different winemakers and industry experts to be part of this exciting project. In January Itasca will also be breaking ground on their new winery in Essex.

PRUN TUN

P

Book a Demo Now!

Ride-on, Articulated, Tipping Barrow

Malcolm Walker and Jon Wilkins

Agricare Ltd Canterbury Kent 01304 842280 sales@agricareuk.com www.agricareuk.com

Sustainable options Machinery specialists Kirkland were attending the show for the third year and their large stand was once again incredibly impressive. With the latest equipment on display such as the Gregoire Grape Harvester and the Corvus Electric UTV there was plenty for visitors to examine and ponder.

“The show is a great place to launch new machinery especially sustainable technology such as the Electric UTV and we really enjoy hosting our customers,” said Tilly part of the marketing team at Kirkland. It was great to see that the Kirkland team got their wish as they were kept busy all day fielding enquiries about their specialist machinery. “Every season is different and the show gives us the opportunity to pick up on any changes and be adaptable,” said Dorian White, technician at Kirkland UK. The biggest stand at the show, Kirkland had it all. A fully stocked bar with beer on tap, hot and cold drinks as well as homemade food cream teas… not forgetting their wide range of machines.

The Corvus UTV is 100% electric. Ideal for vineyards looking for a sustainable piece of

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kit. Kirkland are the dealers for Corvus and showcased this impressive machine.

The Terrain EX4 is an electric UTV capable of tackling the toughest working days thanks to its off-road capabilities. It achieves 40km/h/25mph and can be driven on roads, making it ideal for a quiet, non-polluting everyday work vehicle. It offers high load capacity, lower maintenance and high vehicle durability with the precise power needed.

With less maintenance and no fuel costs, UTV electric vehicles are significantly more affordable and cost-effective. All Terrain EX4 models are approved to EU T1a standards and equipped with automotive safety windshield glass, three-point belts, indicators, headlamps and brake lights, horn, mirrors and windshield wipers. There is a dual power selector with a choice of range and power and the Terrain EX4 offers ample storage and load capacity of up to 300kg thanks to its large, unique cargo box.

Also on show at the Kirkland stand was the unmissable Gregoire harvester and D’eusanio trailer. Hard to miss, these two machines make the perfect duo. On a recent demo at Redhill Wine Estate, the Gregoire

Harvester is a no-brainer if you are wanting to save labour. Dorian explained more about this grape harvester: “What an impressive machine the Gregoire GL7.4 is ...it’s the end of a season and at Kirkland we have had a great time showing customers how this machine is able to save labour... 20 acres cleared and harvested four different varieties of grapes in just under nine hours and that wasn't even at full throttle. Visibility for me was a key factor and also how clean the fruit was coming into the bins. This year we have had bountiful grapes but this machine hardly broke a sweat harvesting at 5.5kph. We’re excited to have the D’eusanio Trailer on our stand, it’s the newest edition to our vineyard machinery range. The six ton trailer is a perfect combination for the Gregoire, its built with an offload auger and a juice tap and scissor lifts up and down.”

Last but not least are Kirkland’s specialist vineyard tractors, the Italian manufactured Antonio Carraro range. The Mach 4R tracked machine was a hit with customers, with the extreme wet weather we’ve faced the tracked machine makes it unbeatable on steep slopes and rough terrain.

2023 SHOW REVIEW

2023

The whole process Returning to the show for 2023 were Evolution BPS. With 17 years experience delivering bespoke packaging line solutions providing state of the art bottling and packaging machinery. Evolution BPS were busy all day sharing their expertise with the English and Welsh wine industry at the Vineyard & Winery Show.

Evolution BPS work in partnership with MBF a company with over 40 years of experience in the careful management of delicate products through the filling process.

“Amazing technology is now available for smaller producers,” said Susan Brown.

With the Miniblock MBF is able to offer

smaller wineries advanced technology specifically designed to suit their needs.

The Miniblock includes rinsers, fillers and cappers that do not exceed 3,000 bottles/ hour. “The minimisation of oxygen pick up is so important,” Ros Cormack stressed at the show. Thanks to the Miniblock this market leading technology is now cost effective and efficient for smaller wineries.

Their sparkling white stand at the Vineyard & Winery Show perfectly reflected the outstanding customer service and the attention to detail that customers of Evolution BPS can expect.

“Producers have very specific needs since

English and Welsh wine is in such a growth phase,” said Susan. “The Vineyard and Winery show is a great way for us to be able to know what people need and both be part of the sector and support English and Welsh wine,” added Ros. For larger wineries Evolution BPS are able to offer depalletisers, palletisers, glass labelling, case-packing machines. Their equipment is installed commissioned and maintained by their UK based team of Field Service Engineers.

Evolution BPS offered visitors to the Vineyard & Winery Show the opportunity to manage the whole bottling and packaging process for themselves.

 "Congratulations on a good show.

I think you should consider a TWO DAY show next year as the feedback I’m getting thus far is “it was so busy, I couldn’t get to talk to who I wanted to”!"

Marcus Joy, Humphries & Parks

41 J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 4 | V I N E YA R D

2023

facebook Brissenden Vineyard Today was our annual team outing to The Vineyard & Winery Show. We had an earlier start than usual because we were invited to attend the breakfast (on account of our Brut NV being judged as one of the top 100 wines!

It is always a great day where every aspect of a vineyard and winery is represented. That means you can find out the latest gadgets, materials and know-how on pretty much everything, as well as enjoy a taste of an impressive array of wines.

This little reel is a celebration of the lovely people we have worked with over the past few years who were at the show. Not only are they experts in their field every day but they were also willing to have a little bit of fun high fiving today!

S J Barnes Limited I’m sorry not to have found an opportunity to high five – we mis-timed our visit to your stall and you were very busy. @posingwithalcohol it was lovely to meet you in real life!

Wine Tours of Kent lovely to bump into you again, see you soon!

Reel thanks and credit to: Azets our lovely accountants and our first willing volunteer.

Andy at Hutchinsons, our agronomist who is brilliant and has the patience of a saint.

Claire, Nick and family N P Seymour who help us find equipment that can work on our quirky little vineyard. @bhp.bailey, our kindred spirit, who didn’t question the leap, from NFU Mutual our insurers. @winegb who provide a great source of wisdom for us.

Vineyard Magazine who keep us up to date with what is going on beyond our own vineyard. @wbc.co.uk who we trust to provide us with eco-packaging to keep our precious wine safe!

Vigo, who are brilliant in helping us service equipment as well as supplying us with foils etc for the wine bottles.

Four Jays our lovely neighbours who have helped us out with some swift forklift action when we needed it!

You are all great sports.

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2023 SHOW REVIEW

New direct drill for the UK market

A new direct drill and liquid fertiliser combination machine was launched at the Vineyard & Winery Show on 22 November.

A new direct drill and liquid fertiliser combination machine was developed by viticulturalists Ian Beecher-Jones owner of JoJo's Vineyard, Henley on Thame and Matt Robson, vineyard manager at Harrow & Hope Vineyard, Marlow. An arrangement has been struck with Clemens technologies for global distribution of the drill.

"We started to design a direct drill for our own vineyards to plant cover crops and apply liquid fertiliser more efficiently in our own vineyards in 2021 and we have just signed a deal with Clemens to distribute the drill globally, which is quite incredible in such a short space of time," said Ian. "The opportunity of using cover crops in vineyards is huge," said Matt, "but there wasn't a machine suitable for our needs that could apply the seeds without cultivating the mid row areas first before planting. The window of opportunity to plant cover crops seems to be getting less and less each year so being able to plant a crop with one pass rather than two or three taking into account killing off the previous crop, cultivating the mid row area, planting it and then rolling it, a direct drill seemed to be a sensible approach both economically and environmentally. At Harrow and Hope we saved pounds when I planted our broad beans in 2022, that is a significant saving to the business," he explains.

"We also wanted to create the opportunity to apply a range of liquid fertilisers and compost

teas in the vineyard. We designed the machine to use a standard ARAG spray controller so the operator doesn't have to learn a brand new set of controls again, so we can apply liquid fertiliser in a range of ways. We can apply in the same position as the seed, at sub soil level when we subsoil the vineyard or as a full mid row width spray.

"The key to us when we were designing the machine was flexibility. We can have two seeders on the machine for mid row seeding and one for under vine seeding. We can have a seeder and liquid fertiliser tank for cover crop application and liquid fertiliser at the same time. We can subsoil, apply liquid fertiliser and sow seeds in the undervine area all at the same time which brings in maximum efficiency to working in the vineyard.

"I think we achieved our goal of designing a fully flexible machine, so much so that we have signed a global agreement with Clemens to take it worldwide," said Ian. "I think it shows the creativity of the UK wine industry that we can come up with technology that we can export to other parts of the world. The majority of vineyards are looking to improve their sustainability credentials in the vineyards, but sometimes we need new tools to help us do that. I firmly belief that the design of our drill, the skills, the distribution network and the professionalism of Clemens we can make regenerative viticulture a practical reality in the vineyard."

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Experts on hand Visitors to the VineWorks stand were offered a chance to sit down and chat with various experts. With the ability to discuss a range of topics it was no surprise that the VineWorks stand was busy all day.

To enhance their guests experience the team had thought about every detail from comfortable seating right down to the vine ties that were given out as gifts.

Investment starting to show Jonathan Chaplin Managing Director of headline sponsor Core Equipment spoke with Vineyard magazine. With their attractive stand displaying a huge grape press and other winery equipment, visitors were visibly impressed. “It is always the press that creates the most interest,” said Jonathan with a smile.

“The show is a good opportunity to catch up after harvest and looking ahead 2024 will be an interesting year for the industry. There has been a lot of investment in viticulture in England and Wales and 2024 should see that investment start to show,” added Jonathan.

Talking about how the industry will need to adapt in order to handle increasing harvest

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yields Jonathan pointed to bigger and more sophisticated equipment as a key area for growers to think about. “The Bucher Origin presses are straight forward, easy to operate and easy to clean meaning they are well suited to the UK market,” he said. Looking towards 2024 Jonathan also pointed to the details of sustainability being more of a focus for the industry for example “Bucher Vaslin are freely publishing the energy and water requirements for their equipment,” Jonathan explained.

This indicates serious strides to document the environmental impacts of the industry in a tangible way. The seminar programme benefitted from the expertise of Bucher Vaslin CEO Bruno Estienne who gave a fascinating

seminar on the theme of sustainability and Bruno was also available to talk to those who visited the Core Equipment stand.

Another area that Jonathan encouraged growers to think about was tank capacity. “Even established wineries are finding that they have underestimated their required tank capacity,” he said.

“Tank manufactures predict their years stock requirements early and manufacture equipment accordingly,” he explained. It therefore becomes clear just how important accurate predictions around tank capacity are and why leaving the issue of tank capacity to the last minute of a bumper harvest is exceptionally risky.

Investing in people Visitors to the excellently designed Hutchinsons stand benefitted from the company’s commitment to invest in their staff. There were plenty of staff available to greet customers and talk about their specific individual needs. With experts available to talk to visitors across a variety of specialisms the continued investment in people is key to the company’s values.

Philip Carpenter, Regional Director explained that viticulture in England and Wales is a new and changing industry and Hutchinsons, who have been a main sponsor of the show since its launch in 2021, are looking to support clients and growers across a range of activities from location establishment to management and beyond.

With the juice safely sitting in tank or barrel the Vineyard & Winery Show in November is a good opportunity to reflect on the past season but also is the start of looking towards the next and Will Robinson, Agronomist at Hutchinsons was talking to visitors about the impact that two successive big seasons will have on the vines.

“With the potential for another big year growers should be looking at the capacity of the vine to cope, while vines typically like to be starved it may be necessary to look at nutrition,” he said.

“The combined approach means that rather than offering a simple product or service Hutchinsons are offering a long term strong relationship, with a core service that connects everything back together,” said soil expert Ian Robertson.

For new entrants to the industry Ian recommended that one of the

first things to consider when looking at site selection it is important to look at how the soil is functioning, working out why soil is functioning in a certain way and then looking to change that for the better.

The customer first trusting relationship that Hutchinsons cultivate with their clients was summed up by Philip Carpenter when he said: “If the growers are successful we are successful.”

Bottling and Packaging Machinery for the Wine Industry

 "I just wanted to thank you for organising such a FABULOUS DAY at the Vineyard & Winery Show. I enjoyed the event and was able to chat to lots of exhibitors who listened patiently and generously gave me their advice, even as a complete beginner in the industry. I am feeling a little guilty about the fact that I managed to snap up a last-minute place at the PIWI wine-tasting event, which was most informative."

Helen McFarlane

45 J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 4 | V I N E YA R D

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2023 SHOW REVIEW

2023

Innovative tool carrier

NP Seymour unveiled innovative tool carrier at the Vineyard & Winery Show.

The UK’s leading specialised machinery dealership, NP Seymour, proudly announced the launch of its newest innovation, a frontmounted tool carrier frame, at the Vineyard & Winery Show held at Kent County Showground on Wednesday 22 November 2023.

Designed and constructed by NP Seymour’s expert team of engineers at the company's Avon Works facility in Cranbrook, Kent, the tool carrier frame represents a new era of versatility and precision in vineyard maintenance.

The frame is uniquely engineered to accommodate a variety of mechanical weeding tools from renowned manufacturers such as Braun and Clemens, ensuring compatibility and ease of use for vineyard owners.

The Braun Vine Trunk Cleaner and Clemens MultiClean heads which can be mounted onto the tool carrier offer vineyards of all sizes an environmentally-friendly, chemical-free, way to effectively bud rub and control weeds in the under-vine area without interfering with the soil structure.

Handy for the end of winter and early spring season, these strimmer-like heads can also clear vine prunings from under vines in preparation for mulching.

Equipping the tractor with a rear-mounted mulcher/mower, a mid-mounted tool such as the Rollhacke, and finally, the front-mounted tool carrier will enable growers to complete all spring maintenance jobs in one pass.

Director Claire Seymour said: "At NP Seymour, we are committed to providing solutions that not only enhance the efficiency of vineyard operations but also support the evolving needs of our customers. This tool carrier frame, with its bespoke build options, embodies our dedication to innovation and quality. Whether our clients opt for a single-sided or double-sided configuration or prefer hydraulic or manual adjustability, we have tailored our design to meet their specific requirements."

Each tool carrier frame is custom-built to the exact specifications of the grower, allowing for a personalised approach to vineyard management.

Growers can choose the desired width, whether it is hydraulically or manually adjustable and single-sided or double-sided.

For more information about the new tool carrier frame and other specialised vineyard machinery offered by NP Seymour, please visit www.npseymour.co.uk

Winery agrees major contract at show Exhibiting for the first time at the Vineyard & Winery show Croxford Wine Estates were delighted to be part of the show and have already reserved their place to attend again next year.

Croxford Wine Estates new state of the art winery, Nene Valley Winery has agreed a five year exclusive contract of 30,000 bottles per annum with fellow Northamptonshire vineyard, Patch Lodge Estate. In 2022 18,500 vines comprising of Pinot Noir, Rondo, Bacchus and Pinot Gris were planted at Patch Lodge.

Will Croxford said: “Alongside our own vineyards this immediately takes Nene Valley to an excellent base volume of 90,000 plus bottles per annum. It is great to be able to offer the full service from: site selection, establishment, management, wine making and distribution. We had significant interest at the show and we’re keen to attract other vineyards

and get them onboard over the next year.”

Croxford Wine Estates are bringing wine making back to Northamptonshire in the heart of the country, just a stones throw from the location of one of the largest Roman vineyards outside of Italy, adding to the area's rich viticultural history.

J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 4 | V I N E YA R D

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2023

Best Trade Stand The best trade stands at this year's Vineyard & Winery Show were awarded with six bottles of award-winning UK wines in a box produced and designed by WH Skinner (Packaging).

Agricare were awarded the title of Best Trade stand at the Vineyard and Winery Show 2023 whilst the title of Best Small Stand was awarded to first time exhibitors Croxford Wine Estates with the judges specifically noting their novel stand design.

48

 "What a day on Wednesday!

Congratulations on another great show. There was a FANTASTIC BUZZ around the place and we had plenty of very POSITIVE comments."

Julia Trustram Eve, WineGB

 "Great show and seems to get BIGGER every year.

We’ll be back again next year with Stakes & Canes and Vitifort" Simon Place, Stakes & Canes

NEXT YEAR'S SHOW

20th November 2024

49

AGRONOMY DIARY

When deciding how much material to remove, and retain for next year, charge counting is a useful indicator, in theory at least. The amount of buds to keep is based on a tally of the number and size of canes produced this year, however given the extra time it takes to count every bud, charge counting is often used more as a guide rather than an exact rule to follow for every vine.

Bud dissection is even more time consuming, but can provide valuable information about next year’s crop potential. It is widely practiced in New Zealand and Australia, although only a few large-scale UK growers do it.

Once buds are dormant from January onwards (before green tip), remove a few canes that are representative of those you would retain, then carefully dissect the bud straight through the middle. With a microscope of 10-50 times magnification it is then possible to identify the dormant inflorescences, giving an accurate measure of how many bunches buds are carrying.

It is time consuming and fiddly, but provides a good indication of the success of floral initiation, and can help pruning decisions – i.e. should you leave fewer buds because each one will yield well, or retain extra buds because they only contain one bunch, then focus more on managing those canopies?

Don’t push new vines too soon

For those with newly planted vines that have had strong growth over the summer and reached the top wire, it can be tempting to avoid pruning too hard and tie shoots down in an attempt to produce a crop a year early in the second season.

This is not recommended though, as root systems are still relatively underdeveloped and are unlikely to support a crop so soon. Preferably, in year two, remove any rootstock shoots and select the strongest canes, bringing them down to two buds plus the basal - the strongest cane becomes the trunk the next year.

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Even leaving just a few strong vines to crop early – perhaps to dissipate that vigour – can cause more problems than it’s worth long-term, because vines are usually managed for uniformity. Trying to produce a crop from a few vines when nutrition, disease control, and canopy management is being tailored to those not cropping until year three may also let in more disease and exhaust young vines before they mature.

Also, young vines should be pruned as late as possible to mitigate the ‘warming effect’ and tendency for early growth that often occurs when using grow tubes.

Avoid disease

Strict hygiene is essential to minimise the risk of trunk disease infection and spread between vines.

Ideally, clean secateurs with a disinfectant wipe after every vine. It is a quick, simple task that can significantly reduce the spread of fungal pathogens.

Try to avoid pruning in the rain, which increases infection risk. Cold, dry days are better, although beware that pruning below freezing can also induce trunk disease flare ups, particularly where large cuts are made.

If disease, such as Downy mildew, phomopsis, or trunk disease, has been observed, consider the carryover risks of mulching material around vines. In some cases, it may be necessary to properly compost material off-site to kill pathogens, then return material as a mulch later.

Finally, when making pruning cuts, always leave enough die back space to ensure any infection runs out of steam before it reaches the bud. In 2023, we saw die back extend further than for many years because damp conditions were perfect for infection spread once sap started flowing.

There are varying opinions on how much space to leave. Some prefer cuts closer to buds where stems are narrower and there is less surface area for infection, while others like to leave the diameter times two – especially when making large cuts off the crown. There is also a theory that cutting directly through a bud may be better as this is where the plant’s immune system is highest, and the vascular system growth is perpendicular to the internode vascular system growth at that point, even though the surface area is greater.

DESKTOP www.hlhltd.co.uk ENVELOPE information@hlhltd.co.uk phone-alt 01945 461177 J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 4 | V I N E YA R D

Rob i n s iam on

Assessing potential

W ill

Deciding how much material to remove is often one of the big questions when pruning, and unfortunately there is no one-sizefits-all answer.

Pruning is all about managing vine vigour and crop potential, although frost risk is also a consideration for the timing of pruning and the amount of material to remove.

Early pruning tends to encourage earlier bud burst, which may then be susceptible to frosts. Many growers like to fill the fruiting wire with more buds than necessary, or leave sacrificial canes, as an insurance policy, removing excess material once frost risk has passed. This can be effective, but requires time and labour to go back through the crop, and care not to damage remaining buds.

s

With winter pruning underway on some vineyards, Hutchinsons agronomists Will Robinson and Tim Ferris offer some timely advice.

Fe

r ri

Winter pruning advice

Ti m

EDUCATION

Exploring the Languedoc region Each year, our wine students take a trip to Europe's major vine and wine exhibition, either Sitevi in Montpellier or ViniTech in Bordeaux, which alternates each year.

This year, it was Sitevi, and the students had the opportunity to explore the Languedoc region.

The first visit was to Supagro. The historic university of Montpellier runs an undergraduate programme, the Vinifera Master and a PhD programme with extensive research facilities in viticulture and oenology.

The Vinifera programme manager Patrice Lallemand gave a tour of the facilities (lecture halls, laboratories, test vineyards) – where Louis Pasteur, Lois Ravaz, Piere Galet, and Alain Deloire all lectured. This was followed by an overview of the Occitanie region (87 AOCs covering Languedoc, Roussillon and the South West) and a tasting which showed the breadth and diversity of the region.

The second day we visited Terre des2Sources, a domaine run by Glen and Kirsten Creasy (previously of Lincoln University, New Zealand) since 2018. Glen and Kirsten are working to change the domaine from a previously solely bag-in-box producer to premium Terrasses du Larzac wines. There was much humorous debate on their New World approach, both in vineyards and cellar, in what remains a traditional old-world region.

The afternoon visit was to La Gravette de Corconne, a cooperative founded in 1939 to support approximately 100 vinegrowers in the region. La Gravette produces 30,000 hl a year with wines across the Languedoc appellation, Pic-Saint-Loup appellation, and IGP Pays D'Oc. It was fascinating to hear how they make the wines and manage the logistics at that scale.

The third day, we visited Domaine du Météore, a unique Faugères estate located above a 200m wide crater created when a meteorite crashed into the area 10,000 years ago. It is a beautiful site, surrounded by garrigue, with views of the Mediterranean and

Pyrenees in the distance. We had a generous tasting through their range of 10 wines – white wine blends of Roussanne, Vermentino, Viognier; reds of Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault, Carignan, Mourvèdre; and even a traditional method sparkling Syrah from their cater "a wine from another dimension".

Cooperatives are an essential feature of the region, and so another visit to another cooperative, L'Estabel in AOC de Cabrières (the home of Gerard Bertand's 200€ rose).

L'Estabel this year won winery of the region in the best-selling wine guide in France, Guide Hachette des Vins, supplies Laithwaites under the label Le Roi Soleil and also won praise from Jancis Robinson after her visit this summer. Luc Flache, the director

and winemaker, acknowledged the aged and low-tech winery, but he makes good wines to support the region's growers.

The last day of the trip was to Sitevi, an exhibition with over 1,000 exhibitors across vine, fruit, arboriculture and winemaking. The students were left to explore the equipment and services, from amphoras and wooden eggs to cross-flow filters, destemmed to the latest grape varieties, frost protection, electric tractors, pruning demos, masterclasses, and more… there were 54,700 visitors, including international visitors from 73 countries, including us!

The students were great fun, enjoyed the local wines and hospitality, and were engaged and respectful to our hosts. An excellent voyage!

Are you interested in studying wine?

We have a range of short courses running throughout the year.

Scan the QR code to find out more.

DESKTOP www.plumpton.ac.uk Envelope wine@plumpton.ac.uk INSTAGRAM @plumptonwine J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 4 | V I N E YA R D

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This is probably the most important topic connected with many aspects in winemaking: the overall oxidation-reduction management.

It is a multifaceted subject very complex and strictly related with all the following points: Grape disease, picking method, pressing, gas blanketing, turbidity, fermentation, lees contact, metals, élevage and ageing, storage conditions, vessel type, microbiological activities, low intervention winemaking, organic and biodynamic wines, finning, filtration, dissolved oxygen, temperature, pumping, bottle filling, corking/capping and closure specification.

There is so much to know, (and a lot unknown), in oxidation management that we could cover an entire year with it.

At the moment I will only focus on the most important practical aspects of these two incredible natural additives.

As usual, there isn’t a single way of using them and all depends on conditions and purpose. However, the basic criteria that make the difference, are quite constant. While tasting wines it still surprises me that most of the issues in the UK wines are related to oxidation-reduction management. I’m afraid to say: too many of those wines are medal winners…

When to use SO2 and tannins?

The best moment to use them is obviously when needed: this depends on the purpose, style and the status of the wine.

I’ll make some generalisations, however, let’s keep in mind that some wines are quite unique. I stopped using SO2 in juice about 8 years ago for various reasons, such as: use of tannins, yeast inoculation management, pressing criteria, gas blanketing, ethanal production and levels of SO2 in finished wines.

On my trials, gallic tannins have been the number one choice in juice: they act faster than SO2, they last a shorter period of time, don’t suffer the influence of sugar content, pH (less than SO2), and certainly they don’t bind ethanal like the SO2 does in the initial steps of alcoholic fermentation.

On the other side, tannins lower the glycerol production and the control of microorganisms is minimum at the commonly used ratios.

My first sulphur dioxide addition for white and rosé wines, usually happen soon after the alcoholic fermentation once the wine is tested dry

in the lab: my favourite quick 15 minute test is reducing sugars by Fehling.

For red wines, I prefer to delay the first SO2 addition a few weeks to allow some ethanal production for colour and tannins stabilisation in the early stages, as well as delaying malolactic fermentation (MLF) for a few months. By delaying MLF a better colour stabilisation can be achieved and less ethanal in the finished wine; although, that is a different topic.

Together with the first SO2 addition, I also add tannins for the second time.

At this stage, I often use a mix of gallic, condensed and ellagic tannins.

After four year trials on three different wines, some tannins did surprisingly well compared with the test which only had SO2 added.

Let’s remember that there are many different kinds of tannin each with a unique target. Even the same kind of tannin from assorted suppliers can act differently for various reasons.

Based on how much SO2 has been added the first time, the second addition may have to take into account even more of the following aspects: pH, temperature, alcohol content, turbidity, vessel type, volume, ullage, blanketing… and ultimately: the target.

From this stage onward, the only SO2 that should be considered is the molecular fraction, not the free or total, (with some exceptions).

The bound SO2, largely in the long term, gives us information about the oxidative status, age and how the wine has been managed.

By using sulphur dioxide and tannins, it’s possible to use less SO2, although it’s not applicable to every wine and trials must be made.

How to use SO2 and tannins?

I often suggest one single “big first addition” of sulphur dioxide, (50ppm to 70 ppm), instead of a few small ones, to get full advantage of the temporary higher amount of free molecular SO2 which is less related to the pH for a few hours. There is no risk of overdosing at this stage if done with the right criteria. From the second addition onward the molecular SO2 is crucial and the level can be decided based on purpose, storage time and conditions (0.6 to 1.2ppm for different applications). Above 1ppm, can become detectable on the nose but if the wine is not going to be sold, it’s perfectly fine for storage especially if we’re planning to delay our checks. Criteria for tannins are more complex: testing, trials and tasting experience are required, especially when getting closer to bottling.

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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.

facebook-f X-TWITTER INSTAGRAM linkedin-in

@winegb @Wine_GB @winegb @winegb

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

WineGB Rising Stars Awards: a celebration of emerging talent We are delighted to announce the inaugural WineGB Rising Stars awards and the return of the Vintners’ UK Wine Apprentice Award, taking place at Vintners’ Hall on Wednesday 31 January.

There is nothing like recognition to motivate and inspire future generations.

We are asking you to nominate members of your team that demonstrate unwavering dedication, a commitment to improvement, and an exemplary work ethic, combined with

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impressive expertise in their field. A “Rising Star” who turns up, rolls up their sleeves and makes things happen, even when the going gets tough.

We are also thrilled to announce the return of the Vintners’ UK Wine Apprentice Award – the purpose of which is to enable an aspiring winemaker in a UK winery to learn more about winemaking. The winner will have the opportunity to undertake the Principles of Wine Growing and the Principles of Winemaking

courses at Plumpton College in Sussex over a two-year period. They will also be given the opportunity to study for a WSET qualification at an appropriate level. The award has a total value of £3,000 and the education available to the winner can be flexible and tailored to the needs of the individual.

Whether nominating someone for a Rising Star award, or applying for the Apprentice Award, all applicants should be under the age of 30, and be ready to commit to a long-term career in the wine industry.

The categories for the Rising Star awards are: Viticulture – This one is dedicated to the proficient pruners, the soil scientists, the canopy controllers and the botrytis banishers.

We are looking for those enthusiastic nextgeneration leaders who bring symbiotic balance to your vines and your business. Never without their trusty pair of snippers, they will fight frost, disease, and drought to protect your vineyard.

We want to hear about all their achievements and ambitions, and how this individual has had a positive impact on your vineyard management.

Winemaking – This category should be selfexplanatory! We are looking for the boundary pushers and innovators. The fermentation fanatics, the tirage titans, the malo medics, tannin taskmasters, and the barrel bewitchers.

Applicants for this category will know their Chardonnay clone 76 from their 809, their Coquard from their Willmes, and their DIAMs from their VINCs. We want to know who is breaking the mould and creating stratospheric new blends that will catapult our industry into new and unchartered territory.

UPCOMING EVENTS & WORKSHOPS 10 January 2024

Vinescapes Course Winter pruning workshop Mannings Heath

22 January 2024

Plumpton College Course: Identifying and Managing Wine Faults

31 January 2024

WineGB Rising Stars Awards Dinner

22 February 2024 4 March 2024

WineGB Industry Conference

TBC July 2024

WineGB One Day Wine School

4 September 2024 WineGB Trade Tasting

Prowein, Düsseldorf, Germany

End March 2024

TBC November 2024 Japan Export Event

US Influencer Inbound Trip

20-22 May 2024

12 February 2024

20 February 2024

WineGB Awards Lunch

10-12 March 2024

London Wine Fair

Wine of Great Britain All-Party Parliamentary Group Tasting, House of Commons

19 July 2024

Stockholm Export Event

3-6 June 2024

2023

20 November 2024

Vineyard & Winery Show

External event run by Vineyard Magazine

WineGB Awards Judging

13 July 2024

Copenhagen Export Event

Festival Napa Valley

Sustainability – Not all eco-warriors wear capes, but we think they should! In this category we are looking for the guiding light in sustainable business practices – whether in the vineyard, winery, or in the office, this person has green coursing through their veins.

We want to hear about workplace initiatives, company targets, or carbon-cutting practices that this person has developed to help you achieve your sustainability goals.

Export – Skål! Prost! Kanpai! It’s not just another stamp in the passport, this person is passionate about bringing English and Welsh wines to the international stage. Breaking into new markets is no mean feat, and we are looking for the individuals who have knocked on doors, broken down trade barriers, endured 180 hour days at trade shows – all in the name of seeing British Wines on the global stage.

A true ambassador in international trade relations, education and growth.

Tourism – As our industry expands, we are diversifying, creating award-winning visitor experiences for the would-be wine traveller. Contenders for this category might work in your shop, conduct wine

tasting and tours, manage your on-site accommodation, wait tables in your café or run the pass in your restaurant.

Do you have a cellar door champion in your ranks? Have you got a tour guide that knows just how to put your guests at ease?

We want to know who has helped put your vineyard on the map.

Sales and Marketing – There’s more to marketing than the seven P’s – product, pricing, place, people, packaging, process and promotion and we understand that many of you, as small businesses, will have a combined sales and marketing function.

We want to celebrate your social media stars, website wizards and PR pros. Your successful salespeople and brilliant brand ambassadors that go that extra mile to get you a new listing or another customer.

Tell us about a staff member that has increased website traffic and/or boosted sales, whether by creative or commercial means, or both!

To nominate your rising star, or apply for the Vintners’ UK Wine Apprentice Award, please visit the WineGB website.

WineGB membership entitles you to a 10% discount on packaging supplied

by WineGB Gold Patron WBC. For more information email phoebe@winegb.co.uk

JOIN WINEGB

phone-alt 01858 467792 paper-plane office@winegb.co.uk globe-asia www.WineGB.co.uk J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 4 | V I N E YA R D

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ig

rela nd Assoc I h i

at

eL

ega l E xec ut ive

One last walk around

Kay le

LIFE IN THE YEAR OF A VINEYARD

Be nG ci

eS at

itor ol ic

As the growing season draws to a close, we visited Mereworth at the beginning of October for one last walk around and to see the year's efforts being prepared for harvest. Harvest for Mereworth generally occurs any time between the end of September and the middle of October. This year they are two weeks behind 2022, harvesting at the end of the first week of October.

Mereworth focuses on Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, with these grapes typically being harvested at the same time depending on the season. Mereworth harvests their grapes by machine once sugars, acids, flavours and phenolics within the grapes all come into balance for high quality winemaking.

Mereworth completes the entire operation in-house, from harvesting the grapes, to pressing, fermenting, and bottling.

The harvest and press will take place over one (very) long day, with the juice then left to settle overnight before being fermented once in tank to bring the alcohol content up to 11%, and then fermented again

a l la fa nt Asso

Ben Gallafant of Whitehead Monckton’s Agricultural and Rural Land Team met with Mereworth Wines’ Head of Production, Scott Gebbie, at their Wateringbury vineyard.

within bottle in April to give the wine its effervescence and bring the alcohol up to the desired level of 12.5%.

The wine is then left to age for a further two to three years before disgorging and getting ready for sale.

Mereworth is expecting to produce 25,000 bottles this year, an increase of 10,000 bottles over last year, with further expansion on the cards in the coming years.

Whilst all of this is going on, Mereworth also run a variety of events at their Winery & Taproom at Brewer’s Oast Hall, including a Wreath Making Workshop and Christmas markets in the lead up to Christmas.

A lovely way to get into the spirit of things!

This brings our run of Life in The Year of Vineyard articles to a close.

We have learnt a great deal and would like to take this opportunity to thank Scott and the team for their time and to wish both them and the readers of Vineyard Magazine a wonderful Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

Mereworth Wines Brewers Hall Oast, Tonbridge Road, Kent, ME18 5JD phone-alt 01622 817795 ENVELOPE admin@mereworthwines.co.uk X-TWITTER @mereworthwines Mereworth Wines offer winery and vineyard tours and you can also join them for their weekly events:

Fish & Fizz Friday Every Friday. Food served 12-8pm

Pizza Saturdays Every Saturday. Food Served 12-6pm

Sunday Sessions Every Sunday. Food served 12-6pm Live music 12-5pm

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DESKTOP www.whitehead-monckton.co.uk ENVELOPE Kayleighireland@wmlaw.uk phone-alt 01622 698064

MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT

Pre-pruning to save time Matt Pinnington of Haynes Agricultural looks at mechanical pre-pruning.

Mechanical pre-pruning is mooted by some in the know to save up to 40% of labour costs over the winter.

So there is a substantial benefit to be had in shortening the time spent in an otherwise laborious (and often cold) process.

The Clemens Pre-Pruner is available for demo this winter, and thus far has proved to be a quick and easy-to-use machine delivering consistent results and a clean canopy, ready for the hand pruning to follow.

The Pre-pruner head is mounted on Clemens’ front tool carrier the Atlas Mast, meaning several tools can be purchased without the need for a new mounting system each time – trimmers, over the row frames and shoot binders can be fitted and removed as needed.

Two rotors have multiple knives set 100mm apart, hydraulically driven, with fast hydraulic powered opening to ensure that as few shoots are left around the post as possible. Opening is aided by a hydraulic accumulator, maintaining a constant pressure and therefore reaction time, season after season. The distance between the knives can be adjusted using spacers and depending on the conditions more or less knives can be used.

Operation is covered by the C-Smart joystick, meaning fewer hoses to the machine – particularly useful if the tractor has no mid-mounts.

This enables cutting head opening at the press of a button, and height

and angle adjustment all in one hand. The handgrip is fixed, so joystick controls are under the operator’s thumb; this prevents the machine from being operated inadvertently on rough ground.

For the ultimate in ease of use, opt for the automatic opening system, this entails a camera that recognises each post and opens the cutting head automatically, meaning the operator can concentrate on forward speeds of up to 7km/h without having to worry about timing the opening correctly.

For demonstrations and more information, contact Richard Smith or Matt Pinnington at Haynes Agricultural

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TRADE IN TRADE UP

58 J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 4 | V I N E YA R D

D

ard Wi‫﬙‬

Our recent visit to the SITEVI exhibition in Montpellier was to find a better system of frost protection than the ones we are used to in the UK. Happily we seem to have found the answer.

Bordeaux growers have been plagued with late frosts and thereby devastating losses in recent years and so they teamed up with a local heating specialist company to produce the VentiGel. In the last two years they have produced 150 working units mainly for the Medoc and Saint Emilion areas. The electric fan should be switched on some hours before the frost period in order to blow away moisture laden air which would otherwise condense and freeze the buds. As the temperature drops hot air can be introduced into the airflow. An area of between two to three hectares can be covered with one machine. The fan on top of the tower can be rotated up to 360 degrees and the unit can be easily moved between the rows and placed in the best position thanks to its tractor mounting hitch.

The unit can be powered directly from a three phase source via a long cable, by a separate generator or tractor driven generator. The consumption of electricity is a few pounds per night for the fan and the diesel use for heating is 11 litres per hour. Compared to other methods this is most attractive. Working closely with the manufacturer Vitifruit Equipment hope to have a unit to show in the UK in spring 2024.

More details on www.ventigel.fr

ch

Ventigel frost protection

Sayel l & R d i i av

VITIFRUIT EQUIPMENT

DESKTOP www.vitifruitequipment.co.uk phone-alt 01732 866567 ENVELOPE vitifruitequipment@sky.com

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TECHNICAL SERVICES

CALL ITASCA WINES TECHNICAL SERVICES for all your engineering and winery fit outs!

Call 07788 561464 or email john.s@itascawines.com today.

VINPILOT