Vineyard February 2020

VINEYARD for viticulturists in Great Britain ™

FEBRUARY 2020

LONDON TRADE TASTING Vineyards of Hampshire

MATTHEW JUKES WINE REVIEW Food for thought

CONFERENCE WineGB Business and Marketing

GROWN WITH INTENT

A new chapter for English sparkling wine

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www.vineyardmagazine.co.uk VINEYARD Kelsey Media, The Granary, Downs Court Yalding Hill, Yalding, Maidstone, Kent, ME18 6AL EDITORIAL Editor: Victoria Rose vineyard.ed@kelsey.co.uk ADVERTISEMENT SALES Simon Hyland Talk Media Sales Ltd 01732 445327 Simon.Hyland@talkmediasales.co.uk AD PRODUCTION Studio Manager: Jo Legg jo.legg@kelsey.co.uk Graphic Designer: James Pitchford james.pitchford@kelsey.co.uk Photographer: Martin Apps www.countrywidephotographic.co.uk MANAGEMENT CHIEF EXECUTIVE: Steve Wright CHIEF OPERATING Officer: Phil Weeden MANAGING DIRECTOR: Kevin McCormick FINANCE DIRECTOR: Joyce Parker-Sarioglu PUBLISHER: Jamie McGrorty HR & OPERATIONS MANAGER: Charlotte Whittaker RETAIL DIRECTOR: Steve Brown RENEWALS AND PROJECTS MANAGER: Andy Cotton SENIOR SUBSCRIPTION MARKETING MANAGER: Nick McIntosh SENIOR PRINT PRODUCTION MANAGER: Nicola Pollard PRINT PRODUCTION MANAGER: Georgina Harris Print Production Controller: Kelly Orriss DISTRIBUTION Distribution in Great Britain: Marketforce (UK) 2nd Floor, 5 Churchill Place Canary Wharf, London, E14 5HU Tel: 020 3787 9001

NEWS 6

Sustainable wine project

8

Tipping point for organics

9

English wine and food festival dates announced

10

Flying the flag at London Wine Fair

REGULARS 12

In conversation

24

Matthew Jukes’ wine review Food for thought.

30

Representing you

32

Looking through glass

34

The vine post

36

The agronomy diary

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Kieron Atkinson, vineyard manager at Renishaw Hall, Derbyshire.

Updates from the industry’s membership organisation.

Focus on glass composition, glass colour and lightweight glass.

Pruning season progresses.

Protecting soils is a win-win for vineyards.

Front cover image: Black Chalk

Photo: Countrywide Photographic

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CONTENTS Features

14 18 26 40

Vineyards of Hampshire The group’s sixth annual London trade tasting.

Editor’s visit A new chapter for English sparkling wine.

WineGB Business and Marketing Conference Shaping the UK wine industry for the future.

Hire is highly rated Helping growers to make better informed decisions about machinery.

Vic t

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The sixth annual Vineyards of Hampshire trade and press tasting, see page 14, effectively showcased the diverse array of styles of mainly sparkling, and some still, wines being produced around the chalky county.

Nine vineyards proudly told their stories, pouring their wines to the high-calibre wine writers, somms and indie wine merchants, who moved round table-to-table appreciating the subtle nuances between each Chardonnay, Pinot noir and meunier blend.

Looking back through tasting notes, there were several stand-out wines, from light, playful sparkling rosés, to meaningful and mature classic blends, as well as a cheeky aromatic number.

Tasting through over 25 wines in just over an hour, it is amazing just how quickly one wine falls from the tongue, another replaces it. While making notes enshrines that momentary glimpse of greatness until a bottle can be bought, opened and fully appreciated, on reflection, it is undoubtedly the conversations, personalities and stories which ultimately have a far more profound impact on one’s long-term memory of the day.

Conversations about combine harvesters, fermenting vegetables, visiting family for Christmas, fishing in the river Test, and making Pét-Nat in an old garage may not directly relate to any of the wines on tasting, but all help to solidify the relationship between producer and consumer.

Later in this month’s magazine, speaking at the WineGB Business and Marketing conference, see page 26, Steve Charters MW stressed that for the average wine tourist, it is not the quality of the wine which matters most, but the overall experience and level of customer service on offer at the cellar door.

Other experts, such as Robert Joseph, also alluded to the fickle consumer psyche; pointing out that the average consumer cares far more about packaging and peer approval than production methods.

To make a memorable experience, which is captivating not condescending for cellar door visitors, there is little point talking to the average customer about spray programmes, terroir, dosage and lees aging. Instead, sales patters should be filled with captivating origin stories, producers should allow personality to spill into their wines and, as urged by Sarah Abbott MW who also spoke at the conference, the industry needs to take a positive, fresh look at its journey and should stop being apologetic about the history of English and Welsh wine.

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NEWS

Langham winemaker steps down to focus on sustainable wine project at Langham he imported an Italian amphora and began producing natural wines under the Offbeat Wines label.

“In recent years, my interest has veered more and more towards sustainable winegrowing,” said Daniel. “I strongly believe that reducing inputs and promoting biodiversity both in the vineyard and winery is not only better for the natural environment but produces more characterful and terroir focused wines. Having worked and visited many wine regions around the world, I am often shocked at how far behind the English wine industry is in this regard. For example, by 2025 Champagne has set a target to be herbicide free and reduce its carbon footprint by 25%.”

The opportunity to pursue his own project is largely due to a “chance encounter” with Hugo Stewart, co-founder of the biodynamic Les Clos Perdus in South West France. After many years of sustainable wine production in France, Hugo decided to establish a biodynamic vineyard on his family farm in Downton, Wiltshire.

“I instantly felt an affiliation with Hugo’s approach to farming and that’s when the idea of establishing a winery at the farm began to take shape,” said Daniel. “One of the most exciting aspects of the new project is to offer contract

clients an unconventional winemaking service, whereby we can produce alternative wine styles such as pet nat, col fondo or skin contact wines.

There are many older vineyards in the UK that are planted with unfashionable disease-resistant hybrid varieties. These vines often produce excellent quality fruit with very little chemical intervention but the ability to successfully market the resulting wines sometimes requires thinking outside the box.”

The new winery, located on the edge of Salisbury, will house an extremely rare, square traditional Coquard basket press which is being brought in from Champagne. To make the building as environmentally friendly as possible, the floor has been partially sunk into the surrounding chalk to provide natural temperature control and electricity will be generated from a bank of solar panels on the roof. In turn, this renewable energy will be used to power the entire winery, including an electric forklift.

Production in the new facility will be limited to around 30,000 bottles a year with around 10,000 falling under the Offbeat label and the remainder made under contract for other growers. Offbeat’s debut wine sold out within a matter of weeks in 2019, with three new wines due for release in early summer 2020.

Photo: ©Mark Newton

Photo: ©David Charbit

Daniel Ham has recently stepped down as head winemaker at Langham Estate, Dorset to focus on his own natural wine project.

After ten years in the English wine industry and having amassed an array of national and international awards, Daniel has decided to establish his own small sustainable winery on a biodynamic vineyard in Wiltshire.

After graduating from Plumpton College with the top student award, Daniel went on to become winemaker at Ridgeview Wine Estate, Sussex, and in 2015 moved to Langham Estate, Dorset as head winemaker and director. During his time

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NEWS ◆ Record number of diploma graduates

Over 600 global wine professionals gathered at London’s historic Guildhall on 21 January to celebrate the annual Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) awards and graduation ceremony.

Hosted by English wine producer and WSET honorary president, Steven Spurrier, and WSET chief executive Ian Harris, the occasion saw The Wine Show presenter and WSET Alumnus Joe Fattorini open the ceremony with a keynote speech to the largest ever graduating class of Level 4 Diploma students.

This year 665 new WSET Diploma graduates were honoured, representing a 25% increase on the previous year. Graduates came from 30 different course providers across 18 countries worldwide.

◆ Significant reduction in UK underage drinking

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A body of evidence collated over the last four years shows that Community Alcohol Partnerships (CAP) is achieving significant reductions in alcohol supply to children, alcohol-related anti-social behaviour, and underage drinking.

On 29 January 2020, chair Derek Lewis launched its latest annual report.

Evaluations for the period 2015 to 2019 show that there has been a 52% average reduction in regular drinking among 13-16 year olds; a 40% decrease in youth alcohol-related anti-social behaviour; an 80% improvement in ‘Challenge 25’ compliance following CAP training; a 90% reduction in residents reporting seeing under 18s drinking in the local area; and a 77% reduction in young people hanging around shops asking adults to buy alcohol for them.

Since CAP was launched in 2007, 201 schemes have been launched in England, Scotland and Wales.

2020 will be tipping point for organics As the organic market grew 4.5% in 2019 to reach a record £2.45 billion, organic wine was hailed as the sector’s “greatest success story”.

Released on Wednesday 5 February, the Soil Association Certification’s annual Organic Market Report 2020 reveals that sales of nature-friendly organic wine increased by 47%, with sales now worth around £50 million.

Retailers across the board, from Waitrose to Aldi, responded to shoppers’ demand for low-impact wines made without pesticides and expanded their ranges.

Jamie Matthewson, Wine Buyer at Waitrose & Partners said: “Demand for organic wine continues to sparkle, reflecting shoppers’ interest in where their food comes from, and in turn, where and how their wines are made, meaning more shoppers than ever are seeking out organic wine.”

According to the Soil Association, the UK organic market is on target to hit £2.5 billion by the end of 2020, with £200m a month now spent on organic food and drink as the rise of the ‘conscious consumer’ sees shoppers making two more trips to buy organic than they did five years ago.

“With the climate crisis dominating the headlines,

organic is more relevant than ever as a way for shoppers, looking for simple choices, to reduce their environmental impact,” said Clare McDermott, business development director at Soil Association Certification. “2020 will be a tipping point where organic becomes the go-to for shoppers who want to have a sustainable shopping basket and organic certification means people can be sure that what they are buying has been produced to the highest environmental standards. The remarkable success of organic wine last year is proof that the demand for naturefriendly products is there, and that if retailers stock more organic, shoppers will buy it.”

The report shows growth across all areas, including supermarkets, home delivery, foodservice and independent retail, as demand for organic continues to increase across the UK. Simon Crichton, food, farming and trade team manager at Triodos Bank UK, who supported the publishing of the report, said: “This year’s Organic Market Report data reflects the great work that the Soil Association and its licensees across the UK are doing to shift mindsets. We believe that the principles of organic offers a route to long-term sustainability for both people and planet.”

Fifth generation takes over Nottingham indie

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Independent wine merchant, Weavers of Nottingham, has appointed Philip Trease as its new managing director.

Having joined the family business in 1998, with the aim of developing the online presence of the business, Philip became a director of the company in 2001. Philip is now the fifth generation of the Trease family to be at the helm of the business, succeeding his father Alan Trease, who moves to the role of chairman. Meanwhile Mary Trease, Philip’s sister and Alan’s daughter, continues in her role as sales director.

“I have been at Weavers for over 20 years and during this time I have seen significant changes in trends of wine and spirits buying while seeing the business grow,” said Philip. “I am delighted to be taking on the role of managing director and I’m excited to continue working with my sister Mary to take the company into the next decade and beyond.”

Alan Trease said: “I have been in the wine industry for 62 years and I have thoroughly enjoyed my time leading.

I was delighted when Philip and Mary decided to join me in the business and I look forward to watching them build Weavers in the future. As chairman, I will still be involved in the business and will be here to provide advice and assistance whenever needed.”

Brave new world The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) is calling on its members to “embrace a brave new world of trading” as Britain leaves the EU. After years of uncertainty and false deadlines the WSTA believes that, following a trade deal with the EU, the UK wine and spirit industry can focus on opportunities.

The WSTA has made it clear to government it wants to get the best out of Brexit; and has drawn up a wish list including: securing a free trade agreement and building a strong new relationship with the EU; zero tariffs to be permanently available on all wine and spirit imports; joining the World Wine Trade Group; dropping some EU rules to increase trade and provide greater consumer choice; and improving existing technology to make trading even easier.

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English wine festival dates announced Members of the public will be given the unique opportunity to taste and buy award-winning wines produced in the Thames and Chilterns region at the second annual English Wine and Food Festival which is being held at Brightwell Vineyard, Wallingford on Saturday 30 and Sunday 31 May 2020.

Following on from the success of last year’s one day event held at the same venue, the Thames & Chilterns Vineyards Association has decided to extend its event to two days this year. While last year’s festival attracted some 800 visitors, mainly adults and couples aged 35-70yrs, this year the organisers are expecting to welcome around 1,300 visitors.

Toasting last year’s bountiful harvest and showcasing their current releases, producers will include Alder Ridge Vineyard, Hungerford; Bothy Vineyard, Frilford Heath; Brightwell Vineyard, Wallingford; Chafor Wine Estate, Gawcott; Chiltern Valley Winery and Brewery, Hambledon; Daws Hill Vineyard, Radnor; Fairmile Vineyard, Henley-on Thames; Harrow & Hope Vineyard, Marlow; Hendred Vineyard, East Hendred; Oaken Grove Vineyard, Marlow; Stanlake Park Wine Estate, Twyford; Winding Wood Vineyard, Hungerford; Windsor Great Park, Windsor; and Wyfold Vineyard, Marlow.

“The feedback from last year’s festival was overwhelmingly positive with 77.5% of attendees saying they would “absolutely” and a further 20% saying they would “maybe” attend again in 2020,” said Denise Santilli, secretary of the Thames & Chilterns Vineyards Association.

“Exotic names like Bacchus, Ortega and Phoenix will rub shoulders with classic varieties like Pinot noir and Chardonnay to produce superb quality wines that reflect the local terroir. Wine tastings, a vineyard walk and local artisan food and craft suppliers, all to the sounds of laid-back jazz and other local music will make this a lively, informal yet informative affair. It will be a real celebration of the wonderful variety of wines that the Thames & Chilterns Region has to offer.”

The public will be able to meet winemakers and growers, learn more about the grape varieties which do well in our climate and partake in tutored tastings hosted by a Master of Wine specialising in English wines.

Entrance to the English Wine and Food Festival will cost £5 per adult, with wine tastings £15 for 10 tastings. Those purchasing advanced tickets before 15 May will receive a 20% discount on entry and tastings.

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NEWS

Flying the flag at London Wine Fair 2020

There has been enthusiastic support from English and Welsh producers to exhibiting at this year’s London Wine Fair.

The announcement last month that WineGB was returning to the London Wine Fair received a very positive response from the UK wine trade press and on social media. Several producers are now signed up to exhibit including Simpsons Wine Estate, Exton Park and Giffords Hall. Welsh vineyards will be returning as part of the Welsh drinks stand, and the ever-popular presence of Nyetimber’s double decker bus will once again feature prominently within the Fair. WineGB and many of the UK producers, including Vineyard magazine will occupy the Drinks Britannia area in Olympia. Last year’s visitor analytics revealed that trade visitor online searches by country saw English and Welsh wines come in sixth position, above both Spain and Australia.

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F E B R UA R Y 2020 | V I N E YA R D

Hannah Tovey, event director London Wine Fair commented: “Wine GB and LWF share a mutual understanding that its members will benefit from having visibility at the UK’s biggest and most important wine trade event. There is, simply put, no better opportunity to meet UK buyers across the on-trade and off-trade spectrum, on such a relevant platform.

“We are delighted that we already have a handful of WineGB members taking advantage of this new, bespoke opportunity and we look forward to hearing from the rest of them. Here’s to a fabulous and diverse showcase of our home-grown talent, from producers big and small.”

Any producers interested in exhibiting at the London Wine Fair, please contact Alex Booth, head of UK sales on a.booth@hgluk.com or call 0207 973 4668

Putting wine tourism in Britain in the spotlight UK Wine tourism will provide the focus of the next WineGB conference, just announced to take place on Friday 26 June at Denbies Wine Estate, one of the foremost destination venues for wine tourism in this country.

The organisational team is headed up by Mark Harvey, MD (wines and spirits) at Chapel Down who leads WineGB’s Tourism Working Group. Mark will be chairing the conference, with additional input from Dr Steve Charters MW, one of the foremost authorities on wine marketing, tourism and business. Steve is currently the Professor of Wine Marketing at ESC Dijon/Burgundy School of Business.

A range of topics will be highlighted, providing essential insight for anyone involved in wine tourism and include plenty of tips and tools to take away and help enhance the cellar door offering. The full programme will shortly be available on the WineGB website. Discounted rates apply for WineGB members.

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GRAPE GROWING

s on

In conversation...

on At k K ier in

Kieron Atkinson at Renishaw Hall, Derbyshire, talks to Vineyard magazine about managing the northern walled vineyard.

How did you end up working in UK viticulture?

How do you approach soil health?

Who planted Renishaw Hall’s vineyard?

In my previous career, I was an Army officer in the Light Dragoons. It was an amazing and incredible experience, including tours of Iraq and Afghanistan. While deployed, it made me realise just how lucky we are that we have complete freedom of choice to do anything we want with our lives, unlike in some parts of the world where surviving another day is a challenge. When I left the Army, I decided to turn to wine. I went to Plumpton, took on a vineyard, Renishaw Hall, worked for the Rothschilds, became a consultant winemaker at Halfpenny Green Vineyards and now I have a business called the English Wine Project.

I analyse the soil every year to see where it is and what it needs, if it needs support I will provide it. There sometimes seems to be a badge of honour in doing nothing with the vines, which to me makes no sense whatsoever if they are suffering.

It was planted by the late Sir Reresby Sitwell in 1972, then owner of Renishaw Hall. It’s located in a walled area a few hundred metres away from the main hall, which remains the Sitwells’ family home. For about 15 years it was the most northerly vineyard in the world, never mind the UK. Despite there now being several vineyards further north than Renishaw, the tag of ‘most northerly’ has remained making us one of the go-to vineyards when discussing climate change and the ability to grow grapes ‘up north’.

The vineyard has been in existence for such a long time now and we can discuss with some authority how it has changed over the years.

How has English wine changed since you started working in the industry?

English wine, not much, it was a great product a decade ago. However, the industry has changed for the better in a big way; there are more professionals, more vineyards, more money and more opportunity, it is a great time to be involved in it.

How has the vineyard changed over the years?

Renishaw Hall’s vineyard was originally planted with Pinot noir, Reichensteiner and Trebbiano.

When I arrived in 2010 there was Seyval blanc, Madeleine angevine, Phoenix and what I suspect to be some of the remaining Reichensteiner planted.

I have since added Rondo and can happily say that it really likes the conditions. If anything, the Madeleine can over ripen if not carefully managed, which is a major change in the past 10 years of being there. I use a double guyot training system, generally leaving seven nodes per fruiting arm.

I have experimented with a number of different systems and have applied quite a lot of theory over the years to the practices at Renishaw, but the best the vineyard is double guyot.

What makes the Renishaw vineyard special?

It is a 300-year-old stone walled structure housing some of the oldest vines in the UK. These old vines really do lead to better wines with more flavour and character, and being in a walled garden we have very sheltered conditions which is one of the major reasons why we can ripen fruit.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Invest in your own winery, from day one. The equipment need not be expensive, so just do it!

What do you think is the biggest issue facing the UK viticulture industry?

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Duty. I think it should be at the top of the agenda at every WineGB conference. It seems that cellar door relief has captured the imagination, which is a good thing, but actually the smaller less than 10-acre producers should have had a duty relief years ago, in the same way the brewers did and to an extent cider producers. I have never had a good answer as to why it couldn’t be done.

In terms of other issues, we are in a total sweet spot now. There are some stunning wines out there, there is a general undersupply; the problem is how to get the wine to the consumer in the most efficient way possible. It will be interesting to see what happens when all of the millions of vines start producing fruit and prices inevitably start to tumble.

GRAPE GROWING If you weren’t working in viticulture what would you be doing?

Out in the vineyard which is your favourite variety to work with and why?

In many ways I have my dream job. I have a great vineyard business, I make wine, I consult on winemaking projects, but to be honest the bit I really get a kick out of is seeing things really work and helping others. This could be my first few years at Renishaw Hall turning the vineyard around, or just implementing wine making techniques that lead to higher quality for a client, or advising a business how to be more efficient. I love that feeling that we are in this together and, moving in the right direction, we are winning!

Underrated is easy: Madeleine angevine. Best to work with: Pinot noir; it’s from the Gods.

Most satisfying: Seyval blanc, it gives a big crop and never lets you down..

To spray, or not to spray?

I try to keep all spraying to a minimum in the vineyard and only when strictly necessary. Under vine mechanical weeders are great to have in the arsenal, however it probably isn’t doing the soil any favours as the only alternative to sprays, and not something which would be practical at Renishaw. Perhaps, with an unlimited budget and a bigger vineyard I would have all the devices available.

How do you approach sustainability in the vineyard?

We are in the process of giving far greater access to the public and positioning the vineyard as a much bigger tourist attraction in its own right. For a small vineyards, visitors are crucial, after all the vines are your best sales tools!

What advice would you give to those looking to get into the UK viticulture industry?

Get good advice from a good consultant who has the experience as well as the knowledge.

Get a wine education from somewhere, I would definitely recommend Plumpton College. Listen to the old and bold because they have been there and done it. But remember that you have to do your own thing because there is no point in being a scaled down version of someone else, you will fail, so be yourself.

What is your favourite time of year in the vineyard, and why?

It is a supportive industry with a great blend of the early pioneers still making great wines and some of the newer larger wine businesses carving a slightly different route but with the same goals of making great wine and selling it for a fair price.

Does your winemaking expertise change the way you manage the vines?

Yes it does; every action that I do in the vineyard has to lead to gains in quality in the finished wine. I can spot this and action it, as opposed to it just being ‘best practice’. I know first-hand which actions have the biggest effect, a great example of this is green harvesting, it is a task that leads to improved ripeness and also will give vines greater longevity. My advice for any grower who doesn’t make their own wine is to learn as much about the winemaking process as possible. Ask your chosen winemaker lots of questions about their ethos and what they believe in. Choose the person who is going to look after your wine with the most care and attention.

Finish this sentence: In ten years’ time…

The English wine industry will be producing in excess of 50 million bottles per year and a global player.

Can I have two? Budburst, because spring is joyous, and also that moment when the harvest is finished and the vineyard takes on an inner peace.

Photos: ©Jen Miles

There can be no wasted effort in the vineyard, or in the winery for that matter. No waste in the vineyard is crucial and any task you are tackling has to be completed, or it is just a waste of time. I am careful about sprays, but I do spray, the activity has to be economic and the vineyard has to be more cost effective than buying fruit in.

What are your long-term plans for the vineyard?

How would you describe the viticulture ‘culture’ in the UK?

F E B R UA R Y 2020 | V I N E YA R D

13

SALES AND MARKETING

Vineyards of Hampshire Showcasing the county's wines to trade buyers.

Nine inspirational and proactive English wine producers, the Vineyards of Hampshire, gathered at one of London’s finest private members’ clubs, 67 Pall Mall, in St. James's on Tuesday 4 February for the region’s sixth annual London trade and press tasting.

The collaborative group once again opened the club’s doors to over 100 trade buyers and wine writers, with attendees including many influential names such as Susie Barry, Oz Clarke, Hugh Johnson, Matthew Jukes and Will Lyons.

As well as promoting the county’s distinctive and enviable terroir, vineyard owners and winemakers were showcasing the array of distinctive styled still and sparkling wines produced in Hampshire and effectively highlighted the diversity, creativity and passion behind each of the individual brands.

“I find it amazing that this event attracts some of the top wine journalists in the country, which shows the strength of our Hampshire brand and the quality of our wines,” said Caroline Stevens, Vineyards of Hampshire member.

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Black Chalk

Cottonworth

The location for this month’s editor’s visit, see page 18, founder and winemaker Jacob Leadley was pouring the latest release of the estate’s Classic. Reflecting Jacob’s love of “underdog” varietal meunier, which he believes is ideally suited to the UK’s challenging growing conditions, the new 2016 Classic sees a considered blend of 46% Chardonnay, 32% Pinot meunier and 22% Pinot noir used to create a clean, vibrant citrus-led wine, rich with texture and English poise.

The ex-Hattingley Valley winemaker, who is now the proud custodian of four vineyards near Stockbridge, was also showing the 2016 Wild Rose. This 41% Pinot noir, 38% Pinot meunier and 21% Chardonnay blend is an explosion of well-rounded succulent summer fruits, with a hint of lemon zest and delicate floral aromas.

Black Chalk’s range is currently distributed across the UK by Graft.

Located in the Test Valley, Cottonworth is a boutique producer whose 10,000 bottles per year are skilfully crafted by the illustrious Emma Rice at Hattingely Valley.

Owner Hugh Liddell’s focus on perfection and quality is reflected in each of the wines with the latest release, the 2014 Blanc de Blanc, already showing great potential as a fresh and considered wine. This wine will undoubtedly benefit from a few more months on cork.

The NV Classic Cuvée is a more relaxed style showing a perfect character and brightness, while the 2015 Sparkling Rosé, which includes a small addition of Pinot noir précoce in the blend, is a bouquet of airs and graces, with red summer fruits abounding.

Cottonworth’s wines are distributed into London

by Berkmann Wine Cellars and are available in the Hampshire area via a number of local stockists.

The Grange

Danebury Vineyard

Exton Park

Planted in 1988 before English producers started to focus on the Champagne trio, Danebury Vineyards, located near Stockbridge, produces some delightfully unusual still and sparkling wines.

Revelling from the 2018 harvest, sales and marketing manager Caroline Stevens was infectiously excited to show the estate’s latest still wine releases. Its 2016 Schönburger is suave and sophisticated, yet bursting with the anticipated and heavenly aromatic flavours of hedgerow and honeysuckle. Meanwhile the 2018 Reserve, 30% Madeleine Angevine, 30% Schönburger, 38% Auxerrois and 2% Pinot Gris, is reminiscent of an English summer picnic, as floral notes align with cut grass, orange blossom, and honeysuckle in this crisp, enlightening blend.

Wines are currently made at Stanlake Park and Caroline predicts exciting new developments ahead with winemaker Nico Centonze now at the helm of production.

It is always such a privilege to taste through Exton Park’s wines with head winemaker Corinne Seely. Corinne has not only mastered the art of respecting and expressing the single vineyard estate’s fruitful character, but has seemingly managed to inject her sense of pride, joy, passion and exuberance into every sip too.

Despite only being disgorged one month ago the NV Blanc de Noirs on show was already fully open and alive, with acidity on point and bursting with fruits and flora. The Brut Reserve typifies this dynamic estate with its vibrant, fresh, citrus and mineral notes.

The NV Rosé, is one of the most attractive sparkling pinks in the country, with an elegant nose leading onto a punchy, juicy mouthful of fruit flavours with length that just keeps giving.

Corinne recalls opening a magnum for Christmas with her family in France. They blind tasted it against a Laurent Perrier Cuvée Rosé magnum and the Exton Park won hands down.

The group’s newest member, the Grange was showcasing its 2015 Classic and 2015 Pink.

Wines are produced by the talented Emma Rice at Hattingley Valley, from fruit grown on the Baring family’s 30-acre vineyard which was planted in 2011.

A great addition to the Vineyards of Hampshire family, the sparkling rosé is a delicate but zingy floral number, while the Classic is a traditional, bold expression with a savoury finish.

The vineyard is currently open to visitors, by appointment only, and there are already big ambitions ahead with long term plans to develop an on-site winery giving greater scope for experimentation. Sustainability ranks highly on the agenda, with a focus on cover crops, running sheep in the vineyard, and reactive, rather than prescriptive spraying.

F E B R UA R Y 2020 | V I N E YA R D

15

SALES AND MARKETING Hambledon

Jenkyn Place

Raimes

England’s oldest commercial vineyard, established in 1952 by Major General Sir Guy Salisbury-Jones, Hambledon has sought to produce premium quality English Sparkling wine exclusively from Chardonnay, Pinot noir and Pinot meunier since 1999. Following a large planting in March 2018, the estate now comprises 200 acres of land under vine and the team is eagerly waiting for new cellar, storage, and wine tourism facilities to open.

All wines were showing well, including the recently released zero-dosage sparkling rosé made from 100% Pinot meunier. This radiant coloured wine, produced in the saignée method, is packed with big, bold red fruit flavours which give way to a savoury, nutty finish.

Hambledon’s wines, which are produced in a gravity-fed winery by the traditional method with an emphasis on malolactic fermentation and extended lees-ageing, are available to the trade through Fields, Morris and Verdin.

Situated on the south facing slope of the North Downs in Hampshire, Jenkyn Place is run by Simon Bladon and his daughter Camilla. The first vines were planted at the Bladon’s family home in 2004 on soils of greensand over chalk and marlstone which previously grew some of the most soughtafter hops in Britain. Today the vineyard has grown to over 13-acres with more Pinot noir added in 2018 and the sparkling wines continue to be expertly crafted by Dermot Sugrue at Wiston Estate, Sussex.

The estate’s first Blanc de Blancs, from the 2015 vintage, which was added to the line-up in October last year is the only wine from Jenkyn Place to see oak, and having undergone 100% malolactic fermentation the final blend is soft and fresh with a burst of citrus balanced by a hint of delicate stone fruits. The 2014 Classic Cuvée 2014 is an uplifting, crowd pleaser, while the 2010 Blanc de Noirs has a complex composition with bold nutty, toasty and baked elements.

A spectacular example of how diversifying into viticulture can breathe new life into a family farm. Grapes grown by the fifthgeneration of the Raimes family in the South Downs National Park are sent to Hattingley Valley where they are transformed into a range of award-winning sparkling by Emma Rice and her team.

It is easy to see why the 2014 Classic has racked up so many gold medals; this stunning wine has a wickedly captivating citrus nose with a hint of shortbread, while the 2016 Blanc de Noirs, brings enticing grapefruit flavours to the fore with a crisp acidity while a well-rounded mousse flirts with the taste buds.

The estate’s first sparkling rose, the 2015 Vintage Rose, was also being showcased at the event. Everything from the soft pastel coloured label to the bright, fresh and playful wine inside the bottle makes the experience light and joyous.

There is no doubt that this wine is ready to welcome in the spring and summer months.

Hattingley Valley The subject of last month’s editor’s visit, Hattingley Valley is this year celebrating 10 years since the winery opened its doors. As well as proudly supporting numerous other Vineyards of Hampshire members, the estate produces its own sterling range of superior sparkling wines and the use of oak barrels to ferment a small proportion of the wines has certainly allowed the estate to develop a distinctive style.

Alongside the latest release of the NV Classic Reserve, which benefits from luscious lemon notes followed by toasty highlights and a nutty, savoury edge, Hattingley was also showcasing its newest sparkling rosé vintage. The 2015 Rosé, which was officially launched at the Wines of Great Britain tasting back in September, has certainly blossomed with a further 6 months on cork and summer fruits line the glass with a wellrounded mouth of tart, crisp strawberry with a controlled acidity bringing this wine through as a serious summer player.

The 2013 Blanc de Blancs provides a mature, grown-up conclusion to the flight with extended lees-aging paving the way for a creamy, silky textured offering, delivering rich toasty elements and proving that English wine has arrived.

The Vineyards of Hampshire’s popular Fizz Fest will be taking place on Sunday 19 July 2020 at The Grange Vineyards, Itchen Abbas, nr Alresford.

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EDITOR'S VISIT

Rose ia

Growing with intent

Vic tor

A new chapter for English sparkling wine.

As the English and Welsh wine industry develops, all winemakers look for ways in which they can push the boundaries of what makes our island stand out on a world stage.

Seeking to look beyond simple fruit yield and ripeness expectations, Black Chalk’s founder and winemaker Jacob Leadley is now embarking on the next stage of his family’s ambitious project in Hampshire’s Test Valley.

As the proud custodians of four wellestablished vineyards located on the Fullerton Estate, near Stockbridge, Black Chalk, which was initially developed while Jacob was working at Hattingley Valley, will be able to explore the individual potential of specific clones needed to take English sparkling wine production to new creative heights.

“Speak to any viticulturist and they will tell you they grow their fruit with purpose,” said Jacob.

“But this is a young industry, filled with people

"The fruit coming from these vineyards has always been a notch above"

18

who are still getting to grips with which sites work well. Many vineyards are only just coming online, beginning to show their true potential, and a lot of people seem to be focused simply on growing a quality crop. Too few have a real plan in place for the fruit from pruning all the way through to winemaking and that is exactly what we will be trying to do here.”

With access to over 15 clones of Pinot noir, Pinot meunier, Chardonnay, Pinot gris and Pinot noir précoce, planted across 30-acres on four different sites, Jacob and the small, dedicated team at Black Chalk will be experimenting and “drilling down” on what really is the best way to make expressional English wine.

“The vineyards already have a very good track record and we are now in a position to look at different management techniques,” said Jacob, who has worked with the estate’s fruit, previously under the Cottonworth brand, since the first harvest. “The fruit coming from these vineyards has always been a notch above anything else and the wines made have gone on to win many gold medals. There are so many options but we will just be looking to manage yields initially.

This will play into how we work with some of the individual sites and will allow us to tweak quality levels and create some special project wines.”

Wonderfully pure

Looking out across the Hide vineyard, which is aptly named being hidden away in a wellsheltered basin, Jacob points out the “raft” of different clones and exciting blocks of vines.

“We already have our eyes on certain parcels, for instance the 777 Chardonnay on Fercal is wonderfully pure and absolutely fabulous,” said Jacob. “Some of the clonal blocks may only be 10 rows or so but we are already starting to hone down on the characters and can look at how we bring together clones from the different sites in the winery too. At the moment, we are already planning to produce a single vineyard wine from the Hide because it is the one which shouts out the most. It is beautiful, it has an amazing aspect, really shallow chalk and the way it is protected allows for the heat to really accumulate. If the sun is out, even on a winter’s day, you can stand in the Hide and feel the difference in temperature.

It was planted in 2011 and has always produced

really good fruit from the first harvest.”

While Jacob predicts that there will inevitably be some “weaker clones”, which will be used for blending, the Black Chalk project aim to find what is working really well rather than aiming for big volumes.

“Someone had the foresight to plant the vineyards in this way and that gives us the ability to treat each clone in a particular way, pick them in order, press them in lots and treat them differently in the winery,” said Jacob. “Working as a contract winemaker it was difficult to think about which clones might be working particularly well for the UK. Often we wouldn’t know which clones were planted or a producer might have four clones but would just bring it in all together because of the size of the vineyard.”

Impressive credentials

The Hide undoubtedly has the visual wow factor, but Jacob admits that it is not without its challenges and frost can be notoriously tricky to manage here. The other sites include the Rivers, which is the oldest vineyard planted around 2007, followed by the Levels, which was established in 2008, and the Circle, a small vineyard planted in a novel oval formation.

Despite having already crafted several iconic vintages of the Black Chalk Classic and Wild Rose (tasting notes of which can be found in the Vineyards of Hampshire review on page 14) with fruit sourced from fellow producers in Hampshire, Jacob will no longer be buying in fruit.

“In my opinion, anyone focused on quality has to control the whole process,” said Jacob.

“There are not many contract growers who >>

> Jacob Leadley, Zoë Driver and Justin Bache

19

EDITOR'S VISIT << would allow you to trial reducing crop level in the vineyard, on just one of their clones, to see how it might work. Having our own vineyards was a 10-year goal for Black Chalk and we were probably looking at having to plant our own vines.

There are not that many vineyards which come up for lease, especially not ones with such a good track record. These wines which have been made from fruit solely from these vineyards have hugely impressive credentials.”

When it came to finding the right site, Jacob always had his sights set on Hampshire, believing that the region’s fruit, mostly grown on chalk, benefits from a unique, pure style.

“I know people talk about chalk far too much but it really is all about the chalk,” said Jacob. “It makes a massive difference and so it was all about Hampshire for me. When this opportunity came up, with the space for the winery, the vineyard barn, the cellar door, the space for a bar and outdoor events, it was a massive bonus.”

To help Black Chalk realise its creative viticultural aims,

20

the team is now on the hunt for a vineyard manager. As well as looking for someone with the right experience and approach, Jacob is keen to find someone who will fit in well with the tightknit team.

“It is all very well us all talking about what we want to achieve, but we need someone with a lot of experience to sit down and discuss exactly what is possible,” said Jacob. “We all have some knowledge, having studied at Plumpton, and we are not naïve, but none of us have been in a vineyard role for a very long time. We are not rushing the recruitment process and are holding out for the right person who is willing to take a step up, who isn’t already set in their ways but has a good idea of how they want to do things.”

F E B R UA R Y 2020 | V I N E YA R D

Carte blanche

Alongside the overriding ethos that the industry is just scratching the surface when it comes to looking at clones, Jacob also has a keen eye for talent and is willing to nurture up-and-coming talent, giving those who want to make a name for themselves greater freedom.

“Everyone at Black Chalk has the chance to be involved from the floor up,” said Jacob.

“Being part of the team is a whole experience; everything from the growing of the fruit, to creating the final product and then standing in front of consumers and telling them about it is really important. By keeping the team small, the people who want to be part of this can gain a real sense of satisfaction; there are few wineries in this country where you would get that experience.”

With this in mind, it is no surprise that Black Chalk has recently appointed Zoë Driver to the newly created position of assistant winemaker.

“For me this is a dream job,” said Zoë, who started her career in 2016 as an apprentice winemaker at Hattingley Valley, where she worked alongside Jacob. “There certainly aren’t many people of my age who get the opportunity to help shape something from the ground up and to build a framework for what could >>

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EDITOR'S VISIT

<< be really successful. I will get the chance to grow, learn and develop alongside the actual project itself, so I feel very lucky.”

As well as being able to get involved in the vineyard, Zoë will also be given carte blanche to focus on specific parcels of fruit, to be creative and develop some experimental wines under the Black Chalk umbrella.

“Nothing is set in stone yet, but it is very exciting to be given the chance to be creative and to have a bit of free rein to do my own things,” said Zoë.

“Black Chalk is small and boutique, which means I can be involved in every aspect, which is unusual. There is so much scope to try different things in the vineyard and in the winery. Although there are only two wines in the range at the moment, there is plenty of opportunity to increase this. Both Jacob and I like Pinot and it might be possible to explore the idea of still wines, but we are not going to make anything just for the sake of it. We are looking at what is possible, but it has to be right.”

Creative space

As well as continuing to produce Black Chalk’s Classic, Wild Rose and Blanc de Blanc, which was made for the first-time last year, and its own range of small batch experimental wines, Jacob is also hoping that the 100-tonne capacity winery will be able to open its doors to other producers looking for a more hands-on, creative approach.

“We want to work with people who have new ideas,” said Jacob. “I have worked in an environment with a lot of different contract winemaking clients. There are people who want to grow fruit, deliver it to the winery and then

not have much to do with it, but there are also plenty of people who grow fruit to make wine because they are passionate about it. It would be great to think we could fill a small winery with clients who really want to be involved, who want to buy into the process, and who will have some ideas and say over the direction in which they want to take their wines.”

On track for completion in June 2020, extensive work has begun on converting an old agricultural barn into the creative winery space. With a focus on quality and experimentation, Jacob has already ordered an extensive range of equipment including an amphora, plenty of oak barrels, a 2,000-litre foudre, lots of small tanks and a 4-tonne Coquard PAI press, which benefits from a new system which will enable the team to press to lower quantities, around 2-tonnes, while still achieving the same yields as if it were full.

Investment for the project, which amounts to just over £1.5 million, has been secured from an agricultural grant from the EU LEADER programme, with additional private investment from Justin Bache, a Plumpton graduate, and Kenya Matsumoto, who owns Mayfair-based Japanese restaurant, Cubé.

The investors are also a big part of the project and while Justin isn’t an official day to day member of the team, he is often on site, helping with managerial and financial aspects in a director type role.

“After I left my previous full time career, I decided to try to get into the wine industry,” said Justin Bache, who also has a small vineyard in Argentina. “While at Plumpton I did a 2016 vintage placement at Hattingley Valley which is where I met Jacob and Zoë. I remember tasting some of the Black Chalk wines and kept in touch with Jacob to bounce ideas off him as I explored other opportunities in the industry. When

"We want to work with people who have new ideas"

22

> Zoë Driver and Jacob Leadley

VINEYARD for viticulturists in Great Britain ™

The independent monthly publication dedicated to viticulture and wine making in Great Britain

the Black Chalk project took off, it seemed the right level for me to come in at. I wanted to be able to have some input, rather than being an arm’s length investor, and this opportunity absolutely allows for that.”

A colleague of Justin’s from the oil industry, Kenya Matsumoto, plays less of a day-to-day role but is instrumental in spearheading Black Chalk’s drive into Japan. His knowledge of the Japanese culture and restaurant scene is crucial in helping the boutique winery to crack this growing export market.

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Catering for all

As well as tapping into exports, Black Chalk is also busy expanding its wine tourism offering. The cellar door facilities are already open and the foundations have already been laid to increase the visitor experience on offer.

“At the top of the Hide there is a landscaped platform where we can position a marquee from which to run tastings and drinks receptions,” said Jacob. “We are looking to invest in a vehicle to transport visitors to the different vineyards and once the winery construction is complete that will further enhance the tours. We will also be looking to add a bar on to the cellar door, the Circle vineyard is perfectly positioned for outdoor events and a separate company is looking to build four luxury treehouses in the woods next to the Hide, which is a nice bonus.”

While the wines are sophisticated, considered and a mature take on English sparkling wine, Jacob and brother-in-law Andrew Seden, who is heading up the sales, marketing and tourism side of Black Chalk, are both keen to steer away from a “stuffy” cellar door atmosphere, appreciating that tours need to cater for people with a very broad range of wine knowledge.

“The wines may be focused in a certain way but the visitor experience will be quite broad,” said Andrew. “You need to pitch the talks at the right level, which can be challenging to gauge but as a producer you have to recognise which groups just want to wander around the vineyard with a glass of wine and those who want to know absolutely everything and expect to discuss the wines to the nth degree. We only have an hour or two to put the estate across, so it is more about creating an experience and letting people go away with the feeling that they have visited somewhere with a creative ethos rather than focusing on particular elements of the wine.”

Looking to the future, there are some other parts of the estate, around 40 to 50-acres which have been looked at to see if they are suitable for vines. However, Jacob is keen to ensure that the brand doesn’t get too ahead, noting that with English wine it is very easy to “find yourself in too far, too deep” very quickly.

“Our project is unusual in English wine terms and I don’t know if this is the next step for the entire industry, but the Black Chalk project is certainly an indication of how the industry has matured,” said Jacob. “There is now enough awareness of English wine to allow producers to step outside the mould and challenge what methods are needed to make something a bit different. Our customers are likely to be those who are already familiar with English wine, who are looking for that next step up.”

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Mat h e

WINE REVIEWS

w es Juk

Food for thought Some wines are simply gluggers, others are complex enough to tackle ambitious gastronomic creations.  www.matthewjukes.com paper-plane, admin@vineyardmagazine.co.uk

There is a popular term in the wine business for bottles which seem a little more structured, youthful or edgy than usual. You will have heard it over and over again at wine tastings – “it’s a food wine”. Everyone nods sagely when this expression is trotted out. Ah ha, a food wine, one which cannot be drunk on its own because it is too angular and obtuse, too tannic and earthy or too skinsy or hot.

I cannot stand the term ‘food wine’ because, by definition, you can eat anything you like with any wine you like and conversely crack on with any bottle you desire without a napkin on your lap! Having said this, I do understand that some wines are more disposed to fine dining than others.

I find that wines with pronounced acidity and accordingly, more length of flavour on the finish, are the finest ones to carefully match to your own culinary repertoire.

These are wines that maintain their integrity on the palate while you are

enjoying your food, hopefully adding complementary flavours to those found on your fork. I have written many wine books with food and wine matching chapters and my Daily Mail column has been matching wine with food for over 20 years. I spent 26 years writing restaurant wine lists, too, so I think I know a thing or two about food and wine pairings, but I am not a snob about this complicated and personal matter of taste.

One thing is certain and everyone reading this page will know what I mean when I say that some wines are simply gluggers, and others are complex enough to tackle ambitious gastronomic creations.

I have found three wines this month whose wineries have not yet appeared in my Vineyard column over the last two years. All are ideally suited to sitting on the smartest restaurant wine lists imaginable. Priced at £10, £20 and £30, there is no set price point for well-chosen, on-trade wines; they just have to be very well made and owners of long, fine, unwavering flavours.

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MATTHEW JUKES I understand that sparkling red wines are a rather unusual category of drink and that they are not to everyone’s taste, but this one is a revelation.

Made from Rondo and using low sulphur and no dosage at all, this wine lives right on the edge of civility. The nose is shockingly adroit with earth, spice and leaf interweaving the sour cherry fruit. In French terms, it is like a crunchy, youthful Bourgueil crossed with a vibrant Morgon and then carbonated in some zany Willy Wonka factory.

In English terms, it is unique and that is why this wine is so special. It is no surprise that Charlie and Brett at Vinoteca have snapped up this beguiling creation. I have known these guys for a very long time and they like cutting edge, daring, low intervention wines.

This is why their wine shop/restaurant chain stocks only eclectic, gastronomically diverse and desirable bottles. This is a case of perfect wine meets perfect vendor, and so I urge you to buy this wine and drink it at home, as much as buy it and drink it at Vinoteca!

2017 Brut Nature Sparkling Red Dunleavy, Somerset £28.50 www.vinoteca.co.uk

NV Penny Red Halfpenny Green Wine Estate, Staffordshire £9.50, reduced to £8.75 each by the case. www.halfpennygreen.co.uk

This is the least expensive red wine I have ever featured in this column and it is certainly one of the most alarmingly delicious.

Made from 73% Rondo, 17% Pinot noir and 10% Regent, there is even a whisper of staves here to add a little excitement. Ok, it is on the juicier side of the fence and, in an ideal world, I would like it to be a little more tart on the finish, but there is ebullient fruit here and it would cope with all manner of meaty main courses.

The colour is proudly dark and the spice is well judged. The main reason why this is an unmissable wine for bars and restaurants is its crowdpleasing flavour and rock bottom cost. This is the definitive ‘by the glass’ red and it is also a wine which retains a pleasing and vibrant English vibe.

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Our wine industry experts can provide you with the advice you need to help your business grow.

• • •

www.carpenterbox.com/vineyards

This is a remarkable wine. Served blind I cannot believe that anyone would think it came from Dorset and I would venture that most tasters would head straight to Chablis for their answer.

This only underlines just what a special site Bride Valley is and how prescient Steven and Bella Spurrier were when they planted vines on their property.

This is a stunning Chardonnay with more precision and poise than you could possibly expect. It is also a wine that demands to be served with great food. When I say great food, I do not mean expensive food. Well chosen, carefully prepared seafood and fish dishes like the kind you find in lovely Dorset pubs and restaurants is precisely what this wine deserves. It is yet another great creation in our country’s journey towards becoming a world class destination for all serious food and wine lovers.

Biological assets Capital allowances for equipment Grants and funding

• • •

R&D tax relief VAT Making Tax Digital

Contact John Billings on 01903 234094 or email info@carpenterbox.com

F E B R UA R Y 2020 | V I N E YA R D

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WINEGB CONFERENCE

WineGB business and marketing conference Shaping the UK wine industry for the future On Thursday 30 January, the industry’s membership organisation Wines of Great Britain (WineGB) hosted its third technical conference at Denbies Wine Estate, Surrey.

Over 150 members gathered for the business and marketing focused event which effectively covered topical issues surrounding the sales of English and Welsh wines. Opening the day’s packed programme, Ruth Simpson, conference chair and co-founder of Simpsons Wine Estate, explained how her and her husband Charles had established their Kentish estate after seeing extraordinary growth in the UK wine industry.

“As an industry, we have successfully gone from being an insignificant wine region to an exciting and dynamic collection of producers,” she said. “There is huge potential as UK aspirations drive reputation of the wines worldwide, but we need to look at how the industry moves forward in the long term.

Producers large and small need to come together to ensure that we maintain our enviable, premium position and so we have brought together a diverse range of speakers to share their knowledge from around the globe.”

The morning session titled ‘the balance of supply and demand’ delivered a poignant and sobering review of the UK’s rapid vineyard expansion, which was welcomed by many delegates and provided much food-for-thought for the rest of the day.

Justin Howard-Sneyd MW drew on his extensive experience as both an English wine producer and previous wine buyer for several market

“There is huge potential as UK aspirations drive reputation "

26

heavyweights, including Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and Laithwaite’s, to lay out stark figures on where the industry is likely to head if planting continues and sales fail to keep up.

Significant increases in the area under vine over the last three years may have been cause for great excitement and buzz in and around the sector, but the harsh reality is that producers now seriously need to consider the dynamics of supply and demand. Hoping to “stimulate debate”, Justin argued that a frank discussion about sales was “long overdue”, especially when taking the volume of the 2018 and 2019 vintages into consideration.

“We need to paint a clear picture because there is the potential that we are going too far, too fast,” said Justin, who also runs Hive Wine Consulting.

“The area under vine continues to increase, a lot of vineyards are yet to produce a harvest and we don’t know exactly how many vines are due to be planted this year. There are limited figures on production and sales, but looking at estimated stocks, we are producing more than we are currently selling.”

Planting plans should be reassessed While the current situation is allowing producers to age wines, with no pressure to “rush out” young bottles, this will undoubtedly change, especially if people keep planting and average yields increase.

Three different scenarios were then presented.

The first considered that if planting suddenly slows,

stopping at 4,000-hecatres under vine; if the 10 year average yields remain at 25 hl/ha, or 4t/ha; and sales jump to 10% per year for the next 5 years, and then drops back to 5% per annum, stocks would climb past 80million bottles.

“That is 13 years’ worth stock, and I doubt many business plans are based on carrying this amount,” said Justin. “These are modest assumptions and already we need to figure out how we can get sales ramped up.”

In the second scenario, assuming there are already significant vineyard establishment plans in place, Justin looked at where the industry might be if the area under vine reached 5,000ha. He put forward that sales could grow at 20% per year for 5 years, slowing to 10% for another 5 years, but this would still leave 70million bottles, equating to nearly 7 years’ worth of stock.

“This model relies on the fact that sales will accelerate, but that will only happen if the industry can look at prices under £20 per bottle,” he said, “but how many producers are in position to supply the supermarkets at £6 or £7 per bottle?”

The final scenario looked at the reality of improved yields, and how better viticultural techniques and a warmer climate could push averages up to 30hl/ha which is “not unreasonable to aim for”. Justin then added this to the assumption that planting is likely to increase to 6,000ha and sales are likely to sit around 10% for 5 years, followed by 5% for 5 years.

“This would see stocks soars past 120million bottles, which is over 20 years’ stock,” said Justin.

“I am being challenging here, but that is not a pretty

WINEGB CONFERENCE picture. Grape prices would plummet and cash flow problems would cause business failures.”

However, it is up to the industry what happens next. It is possible that sales are better than the reported figures, wine tourism and direct to consumer sales have great potential and if plantings are “slowed or halted for a few years” while sales are encouraged, the industry could aim for stock levels of around 80million.

“We will steal sales from Champagne and we can grow sales by getting people to drink sparkling wine in general more often,” said Justin. “We have been lucky so far in the UK that the power has been in the producers’ hands because there has only been so much to sell. The prices have so far remained high, but this could change so producers need to control their own routes to market.”

Finishing his session, Justin warned that those in the industry should now “dampen down the rhetoric” about new plantings and focus instead on the wines. He encouraged anyone in the room who meets potential investors, to make sure they are fully aware of the market they are entering.

Maintain premium retail prices To really emphasise the gravity of the situation, David Cox, ex-European director of New Zealand Winegrowers, looked back on how the region was transformed from being “the envy of all other wine regions” with producers “commanding high retail prices”, to one plagued by cheap, supermarket, bulk wine sales.

“In 2008 there was big vintage, there had been more plantings and no one expected it,” said David. “New and existing growers needed to find buyers for grapes, wineries were running out of space and families needed money, so prestige turned to mass. Supermarket buyers and UK importers saw a chance to cash in on this. Bulk wines went from accounting for less than 5% of

exports to over 40%.”

While the well-known brands refused to start discounting, dozens of own label wines started to appear and with supermarket Sauvignon blanc priced as low as £3.99, the reputation the industry had built over the last 20 years was being ruined overnight.

“All New Zealand Winegrowers could do was to start crisis management and make sure everyone was on the same page,” said David. “The big brands took a leadership position which helped to introduce damage limitation. There was a lot of advice given about dropping fruit and there was a call to stop planting and this did help to protect quality. Wineries looked to go beyond Sauvignon blanc and brand New Zealand did survive, but it was touch and go.”

Eventually, the supply and demand came back into balance, there were fewer bulk deals and customers went back to paying higher prices because there was an understanding of the quality.

“To protect the reputation on which the English wine industry has been built we need to keep the premium retail prices,” said David. “Producers need to avoid discounting just to gain listings. A second tier Charmat sector is madness and needs to be avoided at all costs. Capitalise instead on export markets and the still wine sector, which has great potential.”

This was not quite situation in Australia, however, and Mike Paul ran delegates through the lessons which could be learnt from that region in the 1990s.

“Brand Australia was sophisticated, it worked across all price points and there was a scarcity value; we used to tell the supermarkets how much wine they would be able to have,” said Mike. “But then came expansion and by 2001 there was a surplus which continued to rise to over 1billion bottles of wine. This led to promotions, devaluation and all at a time when the novelty of Australian wine was wearing off. Producers were caught in the quicksand, in 2013 70% of wine sold at a loss and in 2015 85% of growers were unable to reach

production costs.”

Today, Australia’s wine region is home to a diverse range of high quality, innovative producers, but consumers are yet to see Australian wines as premium. From this, Mike advised that anyone looking to plant should have a clear route to market, and the strategy should always be to short the market, allocating wines instead of selling.

While the supply and demand session provided a stern reality check for the industry, casting a dark shadow on the potential future of the industry if expansion continues and sales stagnate, the conference was overall extremely positive about where the UK wine industry is heading.

Protect brand Britain After almost a year of planning, researching and consultation, chair of WineGB, Simon Robinson, and marketing manager, Julia Trustram Eve, unveiled the first draft of the membership organisation’s proposed marketing strategy.

The initial preview of the report suggests that WineGB will be looking to tackle the name ‘British wine’, finally trying to take ownership of this confusing term, particularly for use in export markets. There will be an increased focus on the promotion of traditional method sparkling wine, which is considered the “jewel in our crown” and the product on which the reputation of the industry has been built. The strategy will also actively support wine tourism in the UK and the developing importance of still wines.

The generic strategy, which has been developed to ensure WineGB can better protect the provenance of English and Welsh wines while also building a global brand, is currently being reviewed by members and will be officially released and put into action from next month.

To help WineGB realise the generic strategy’s full potential, Sarah Abbott MW, has been brought in to pinpoint the ways in which the industry can better present itself to increase awareness while

F E B R UA R Y 2020 | V I N E YA R D

27

WINEGB CONFERENCE maintaining a premium position.

Under her company Swirl Wine Group, Sarah is well seasoned when it comes to working with “underestimated wine regions” to help “underdogs” collaborate effectively to reach engaged consumers.

Sarah already works with producers in Georgia, Turkey and Japan, and is now helping Julia and the WineGB team to implement a very targeted campaign which will differentiate traditional method sparkling wines.

“Collective marketing and creating a shared identity adds enduring value and differentiation,” said Sarah. “As well as looking at the typicity of the country’s wines, we also need to look at the hero wine style, the champion you can send in to open doors. That doesn’t mean the industry should only talk about one wine style, it just allows you to cut through the market and the industry is lucky to already have this champion wine style in traditional method.”

As premium sparkling wine sales are booming around the world, Sarah points out that there is great potential for the industry to grow if the industry works together, with each other and the WineGB team, to make this shared identity really powerful.

“You have to have faith in the strategy and give it some time,” said Sarah. “Members of WineGB already have a range of great, diverse stories to go to the market with and the job of the overall strategy is simply to orchestrate these and to highlight the different attributes.”

Rewriting English wine history After looking at where the industry is positioned currently, with traditional method sparkling wine “just emerging onto the world stage”, Sarah stressed that to establish a strong foundation based on elevated quality and prestige, the industry should stop focusing on the past.

“Producers and the press often compare the

28

wines to Champagne, but it is crucial that the country can define its own style,” said Sarah.

“We also need to stop saying that the reputation of English wine was in the gutter. The industry pioneers made these explorations and worked out what was and wasn’t successful. Champagne is fantastic at promoting its creation myth and the UK wine industry needs to stop being apologetic over the fact that it has taken 50 years to figure out what works here.”

Alternatively, Sarah proposed that there should be a new focus on the “bold dreamers” without whom the industry wouldn’t be where it is today.

The industry needs to embrace that it hasn’t been easy, but producers have been “chipping away” and the early development years are a vital part of the journey.

“Even with all the great wines and the increased distribution, there is still this idea that consumers will be amazed that English wine is not rubbish,” said Sarah. “We have to get away from this, and you have to be able to talk about the craft, experimentation and empirical analysis which has enabled the industry to get to where it is now.”

Producers were also urged to stop putting this success down to climate change with Sarah pointing out that no one should aspire to be a “poster child for global warming”. Quality should again be linked to all the hard work which has been going since the 1950s.

“Having an empowered press office can counter the shallow click baiting headlines and can push out deep meaningful messages about what is actually happening,” said Sarah.

In the afternoon, talks continued to focus on the potential for sales growth, with speakers drilling down on the various ways in which producers can effectively put marketing into action.

Changing face of the media Specialising in digital communications, Geraint

F E B R UA R Y 2020 | V I N E YA R D

Watts from LocaliQ looked at the importance of understanding the customers’ journey and how people can be reached more effectively with social media, search engine optimisation and a strong online presence.

“The digital landscape today is very diverse and how you access that will impact on your brand,” said Geraint. “Digital advertising is worth £7.3 billion per year and producers need find the most effective ways to communicate to consumers. It is all about getting the right message out to the right people at the right time.”

Messages should be “crafted” and tailored to suit the platform you are using and producers were also advised to “dig into” Google analytics a bit deeper to follow up on how campaigns are performing.

Continuing to look at marketing messages, Robert Joseph, journalist, wine producer and consultant, asked delegates to think about who their customers are; what styles of wine they are buying; when, where and how they are buying it; and finally why they have chosen that wine. Robert effectively challenged the concepts winemakers and producers think consumers buy into and the reality behind wine sales.

“Consumers don’t care about who made it, or where it came from, nearly as much as we think they do,” said Robert, who after starting the International Wine Challenge noticed that just because a wine tastes very good, doesn’t mean it will sell. “When it comes to wine, price differences are vast, but how can we expect consumers to know which is premium? How many people on the high street actually know what terroir is? And why do wine critics focus on bone dry style wines when we know customers prefer sweeter demi-secs?”

Consumers are driven not by winemaking jargon, but instead by a variety of social considerations, such as price, including both cheap everyday tipples and bottles which are used to impress; whether the wine is organic; fashionable; something new; has a captivating label; or is local.

“Producers need to understand what they are

WINEGB CONFERENCE selling and why people are buying it,” said Robert.

“Do their customers want to hear about soil or do they just want to drink it, do they expect a luxury package, or do they want to hear about the sustainability of the wine? On a global scale, too, we need to play on the term British and try to link up with other well-established British brands.”

To gain a better understanding of consumers’ motivations, Robert recommended that producers meet with the people who buy the wines as often as possible and stressed that cellar door facilities will help producers to find out what customers want.

Direct to the consumer

Following this theme, Steve Charters MW delved into how wine tourism can increase loyalty and attract higher margin sales, but it must be done correctly.

In the same light as Robert, Steve explained that while there is an educational component to tours and tastings, this shouldn’t be overdone. Most consumers want to know more about food pairings than dosage levels and producers operating wine tourism offerings should realise that they are selling a day out, above selling the wines.

“You can be very skilled viticulturally, or an accomplished winemaker but it doesn’t mean that you will be good at receiving people, being responsive to their needs and providing them with the experience they expect,” said Steve Charters MW. “I have seen too many wine businesses who make great wine but do not put the effort into receiving visitors.”

The wine is also less important than the experience. Although consumers are very good at detecting bad wine, they are not very good at distinguishing between good, very good and outstanding. The story the estate can tell, the access to information, the level of service and the memories created will have far more of a profound impact than which awards the wines have won.

“What keeps people buying is the quality of service, not the quality of the wine,” said Steve.

“The key is to lock them into your estate. Only at the very end should the aim of tourism to be to sell more wine. If you offer a bad experience they may buy a few bottles out of a sense of obligation, but if you increase the service and they buy 12 bottles every year for the next 20 years, that is the success and the real aim of what you are doing.”

Wine tourism strategy should also fit into the local area and producers have a responsibility to not operate in a vacuum, seeking to work with other local businesses, particularly food and accommodation sectors, to make sure everyone benefits.

Tourists are also curious to learn more about the industry and providing them with information on the English and Welsh wine scene can help deliver this. Finally, wine tourism should be a cooperative effort and like the generic brand strategy, producers should try to work together to promote their regions.

For those interested in developing cellar door facilities, WineGB will be holding a tourism conference on 26 June 2020 at Denbies Wine Estate. This will be chaired by Mark Harvey of Chapel Down and current the chair of WineGB’s wine tourism working group and will include a talk from Steve Charters MW.

F E B R UA R Y 2020 | V I N E YA R D

29

Cowderoy Op o e J

ns t io ra

Representing you

Ma nager

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.

What WineGB is up to: WSET winner of the WineGB Award 2020 We are delighted to announce the winner of this year’s WSET winner of the WineGB Award, Emily Jago, who works for Bibendum. The prize offers the opportunity to enhance knowledge of not only the UK wine industry but of vineyard and winery practices. Emily will receive a case of award-winning English and Welsh wine and have the opportunity to visit vineyards across the year. Additionally, Emily will also be able to attend all of our key events across the year. By the end of the year, we hope that in Emily we will have an enthusiastic ambassador for our industry and its wines.

> WinesGB Award Winner 2020 Emily Jago

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

Follow us on: @winegb

instagram facebook-square

@wine_gb

twitter-square

WineGB Sustainability Scheme and Vine Nutrition bulletin

Members of the WineGB Environmental Sustainability Working Group (ESWG) have agreed a set of objectives and guidelines, designed a selfassessment tool and appointed Ricardo (a global engineering and strategic, technical and environmental consultancy business) as the auditing partner, so the Sustainable Wines of GB scheme is up and running. In the next few weeks, we shall be recruiting 30 Founder Members, who will further develop the guidelines and be the first to benefit from the scheme.

According to Anne Jones (Partner & Category Manager, Drinks, at Waitrose): "We will be supporting founder members with a comprehensive PR and media plan at launch. Both Waitrose & Partners and Marks & Spencer are fully behind the scheme, and we'll be working with key journalists to maximise exposure to both industry and customers. We'll also be looking at sales driving activity through retailers such as Waitrose, as well as event opportunities and other promotional activity with influencers and journalists." For further details, see the member's area of the Wine GB website.

WineGB Business and Marketing Conference 30 January

National Pruning Competition – battle for the Golden Secateurs!

30

Come and demonstrate your pruning skills and battle it out to win the title of 'Vine Pruner of the Year'!

The WineGB national pruning competition 2020 will take place on 28 February at Tinwood Wine Estate, Chichester. ◆ Team and individual entries (£30 team and £10 individual) ◆ Lots of prizes and the Golden Secateurs Trophy ◆ Free craft beer and pulled pork rolls (and vegetarian option) All welcome - come and cheer on the pruners!

For more information and to enter contact Jo Cowderoy jo@winegb.co.uk .

Closing date 21 February.

F E B R UA R Y 2020 | V I N E YA R D

WineGB’s first conference dedicated to business and marketing proved a popular event and one of the highest-ever attended conferences. ‘Shaping the UK wine industry for the future’ and ‘Developing your business today’ were the two themes across the line up of presentations from expert speakers. A wide range of members attended, from new to long-established producers, large and small operations, producers of all styles of wines in the UK. The presentations provided stimulating content and discussion points. WineGB’s strategic marketing objectives were also announced at the conference, together with a strong message to the industry to unite behind its generic focus. Full details of the content are covered in this edition on pages 24-27. Feedback from delegates was extremely positive, noting the thought-provoking messages and many insights and advice featured in the presentations content. A conference on wine tourism is planned for early summer – details will be announced shortly.

Marketing and business tools Soon to be launched on the members’ area of the WineGB website is a marketing toolkit which will include hints, tips, templates and case studies covering a wide range of marketing, tourism and business-related aspects.

Additionally, WineGB is working on a programme of workshops and masterclasses around the UK to deliver to members.

2020 DIARY DATES Please check the online calendar for updates on the WineGB website.

8 September

WineGB annual trade and press tasting RHS Lindley Hall, London. The event gets bigger and busier each year.

19 November

WineGB Viticulture Technical Conference

28 February

UK wine trade event on the calendar. Producers interested in exhibiting, please contact the London Wine Fair direct – Alex Booth a.booth@hgluk.com

Look out for details on the WineGB website.

May & June

WineGB Pruning Competition

15-17 March

WineGB at ProWein, Germany

A great event for producers exploring export markets.

Contact Julia@winegb.co.uk

20 April

Plumpton Wine Division

Will bring together world renowned wine scientists from around the globe to contribute to a symposium entitled ‘The Perceptions of Wines in an established wine world’.

28 April

WineGB AGM and Members’ Conference

Vintners Hall, London. This year the conference will focus on ‘selling your wine’. Details will be posted on the website.

18-20 May

London Wine Fair, Olympia WineGB will have a presence at the Fair alongside a number of UK producers, to highlight the industry at this, the main

A Summer of English Wine!

Kicking off on 23 May, English Wine Week and Welsh Wine Week will be extended due to the increasing success of this annual event.

Denbies Wine Estate, Surrey.

JOIN WINEGB FOR A WIDE RANGE OF BENEFITS AND RESOURCES Here are some of the benefits from membership: ◆ Technical expertise, support and

22-24 June

WineGB Awards judging will take place

Led by Susie Barrie MW and Oz Clarke. Entries will open soon.

26 June

Tourism Seminar.

This will focus on maximising your cellar door sales and ensuring the best visitor experience. More details coming soon.

9 July

Viti-Culture

Plumpton College, Sussex. The event for the wine industry.

29 July

New for 2020: a gala dinner to celebrate success of the industry Chelsea Old Town Hall, London.

guidance. ◆ Marketing and promotion to raise the profile of the industry in the UK and overseas together with opportunities to participate in events and activities. ◆ Voice in Government campaigning on the industry’s behalf. The Cellar Door Relief Scheme is now receiving some interest from MPs. The WineGB proposal can be seen on the website. ◆ Communication via regular bulletins and other publications. ◆ Training and education. Upcoming training events, and WineSkills events can be found on the online calendar. ◆ Networking activities, including the AGM, members’ conferences and social events. ◆ Export guidance to steer through the complexities of operating overseas. ◆ Support from WineGB’s Patrons and Industry Partners who provide a wide range of goods and services.

JOIN WINEGB

 01858 467792 paper-plane, office@winegb.co.uk  www. WineGB.co.uk F E B R UA R Y 2020 | V I N E YA R D

31

WINEMAKING

ru

m

n pto

Looking through glass

M a rk C

Focus on glass composition, glass colour and lightweight glass.

There is a huge selection of glass packaging available to winemakers and brand owners and options seem vast, wide and endless.

The differing quality and lack of supply of glass bottles on the market throughout 2019 taught a lot of people that consistency of supply and glass quality is an important consideration for winemaking.

Making a choice of what your brand will be bottled in and how it is represented is really important to both the winemaker and brand owner. Sustainable packaging is more and more important to consumers and in turn wine producers and having lightweight glass while maintaining performance for both still and

sparkling is important.

UV protection is also important and there have been some headways in incorporating UV protection into flint/clear glass bottles to maintain the visual appeal for Rosé and white wine. Both quality and branding are important features to the glass packaging wanting the wine to taste its best through sensory perception and actual quality of the wine. It’s important the value of the wine is maintained especially considering all the effort and cost to produce.

In the article I will cover the UV protection different glass colours offer, the physical and chemical properties of glass as well as a new glass forming technique that maintains both

Colour variation and protective abilities COLOUR OF GLASS

SAMPLE THICKNESS

FILTERING POWER

Flint

5mm

12%

Halfgreen

3mm

16%

Blue

3mm

18+/-5%

Uvagreen

3mm

87%

Antiquegreen

3mm

99%

Oakgreen

3mm

64%

Amber

3mm

>99%

Emerald

3mm

45+/-5%

Yellow

3mm

99.5%

Gold

3mm

60%

> Light transmission: This varies according to the colour and thickness of the glass; the table above shows the approximate values of glass filtering power

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F E B R UA R Y 2020 | V I N E YA R D

structural integrity but allows for lightweight bottles for both sparkling and still wine.

Glass composition Technical information and chemical characteristics Glass is obtained by melting a mixture of raw materials. The three main components in the process are: ◆ Silica, which is the vitrifying element (it melts at very high temperatures); ◆ Soda (sodium carbonate), which is the melting agent (it lowers the melting temperature of the silica); ◆ Calcium (calcium carbonate), which is the stabilizing element (it improves the chemical resistance of the glass).

Other ingredients are added to these three components in order to obtain certain properties: ◆ Magnesium, that lowers the speed and temperature of the devitrification and thus enables the working of the material at better temperature conditions; ◆ Aluminium oxide, which lowers the coefficient of thermal expansion, increases the viscosity

Temperatures (approximate average data) Melting at 1500°C Refining at 1300°C Forming at 900/1000°C Annealing at 350/550°C

WINEMAKING levels at processing temperatures and improves resistance to water and thermal shocks.

Other additives (nitrates, sulphates) are introduced in order to eliminate gas bubbles and improve the homogeneity of the vitreous paste, as well as colouring or decolouring agents. It is worth underlining that the decolouring of glass is not generally a chemical reaction but the result of a physical process based on the superimposing of complementary colours. With the production of flint glass (clear glass), despite the use of carefully selected raw materials, some impurities continue to be present (such as iron oxide or very small particles of chrome that give a yellow-green colour to the batch).

For this reason, appropriate amounts of other ingredients are added, such as selenium (pink) and/or cobalt (blue) to obtain the typical "colourless-transparent" aspect of glass. Other frequently added colouring agents are chrome (green), pyrite and graphite (dark yellow), copper (red).

Physical characteristics Because of its distinctive features, glass can be considered both as a solid (because of its hardness, the ability to maintain its shape, etc.) and as a liquid (because of its isotropy, disordered structure, etc.), and it is therefore some-times described as a "high viscosity liquid".

Between its extreme fluidity during the refining phase and the solid state of the finished product, there is the so-called "working range". ◆ Hardness: this is increased by calcium and boron. Only diamond can scratch glass; ◆ Density: this varies according to the type of glass. On average it is 2.5 kg/dm3; ◆ Fragility: this well-known characteristic is partly a result of its viscosity, which may cause internal stresses during the cooling phase; these can be partially eliminated using a particularly careful annealing process; ◆ Tensile and elongation strength: negligible;

◆ Resistance to compression: 40 kg/mm2.

This makes it possible to use glass in the construction industry; ◆ Thermal conductivity: 50 times lower than steel and 500 times lower than copper. Glass is not a good heat conductor and this is another cause of its fragility; ◆ Conductivity of electricity: glass is a very bad conductor of electricity in its solid state (the glass used as an electrical insulator is obtained by using specific variations in its composition, since the presence of alkali must be minimised in order to eliminate the surface conductivity, created by the saline solutions that form between the dampness of the external layer and the sodium silicates - the white effect).

Lightweight glass process and technology Prior to 1970, most glass beverage containers were manufactured by the blow and blow (BB) process. However, it became apparent that to achieve the goal of reduced glass weight, innovations in the forming process were needed for greater control of glass distribution. This led to the innovation of the narrow neck press and blow (NNPB) process. This technology was used to manufacture nonrefillable bottles at reduced glass weights, while continuing to meet conventional minimum thickness requirements.

This was achieved through the ability of the plunger to actively position glass, creating more uniform thickness distributions for a given glass weight. Today, NNPB technology is widely used in the production of non-refillable beverage bottles throughout the worldwide glass container industry.

In recent years, the industry has begun to consider the potential use of NNPB technology for refillable beverage containers, which had been historically formed using the BB process. The interest in the NNPB process is the same as the established use for non-refillable bottles – to reduce weight by taking advantage of improved glass thickness

distributions inherent in the NNPB process.

However, refillable bottles present distinct challenges due to reduced glass surface strengths that are associated with repeated use. Therefore, the current study was undertaken to evaluate the viability of using bottles that have been manufactured by the NNPB process in the refillable marketplace. This study utilised computer stress analyses to evaluate refillable bottles made by the NNPB process compared to the same bottles made using BB technology. In this initial study, internal pressure and vertical load results will be discussed. Impact considerations will be reported in a subsequent presentation. Four different beer bottle sizes and designs (330ml, 500ml, 650ml and 750ml) were evaluated. The internal pressure and vertical load stress indices of each design were obtained through finite element analysis (FEA), utilising an Autodesk mechanical simulation programme.

In a recent study, both identical minimum thicknesses and identical average thicknesses for NNPB and BB processes were analysed for internal pressure and vertical load stresses through finite element analysis and concluded that: ◆ When minimum thicknesses were maintained at the same value, bottle weight could be reduced approximately 14% through the use of the NNPB process. This weight reduction can be achieved with manageable increases in the stress index. ◆ When the average thicknesses are held at the same value, both the internal pressure and the vertical load performance can be significantly improved through the use of the NNPB process, while the bottle weight remains unchanged. Based on these results, NNPB would appear to be a viable candidate for refillable bottle production. However, additional work to include the effects of NNPB production on impact resistance is planned using the same approaches that were utilised in this study. These results will be reported in the future.

 www.BruniErben.co.uk  07805 081677 paper-plane, Mark.Crumpton@BruniErben.co.uk

F E B R UA R Y 2020 | V I N E YA R D

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Darcy G

GRAPE GROWING

er nd

The vine post

a

Pruning season progresses.

It’s been a tough pruning season so far with the wet weather, but the recent cold snap has allowed most growers to now get underway. Thanks to the frosts in October, Vine-Works has had teams pruning our customers’ vineyards since the beginning of December. As the pruning season progresses, the upcoming WineGB pruning competition is becoming more prominent in our thoughts.

This is something we’re very much looking forward to.

The idea of bringing the viticultural industry together to celebrate this important task is not new. There have been pruning competitions held across the globe for decades with many prestigious titles to be won. Here in the UK, our inaugural pruning competition was held in 2019 and we’re looking forward to seeing how it develops over time.

The wine side of the trade holds countless competitions – a lot more people volunteer to critique finished wine rather than stand in the cold to prune a vine! However, it’s vitally important to bring the viticultural side of the industry together and champion the skills required to establish a flourishing industry. We need to celebrate the expertise of our vineyard labourers and applaud their proficiency. This not only boosts morale for those involved, but actively encourages others to consider joining our diverse industry.

Becoming a competent and efficient pruner

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requires many years of practice, dedication and hard work. Pruning is a labour-intensive task, physically and mentally. From a distance, it may appear to be repetitive and therefore relatively simple, but each vine must be considered on an individual basis and each cut tailored to the vine’s positioning and growth patterns.

These are time-consuming thought processes which less experienced pruners will need to concentrate on. Any mistakes will become clearly apparent as the season progresses…

Vine-Works are proud to have an 80% return rate of our vineyard labourers. Our teams are highly skilled and efficient, having spent numerous seasons pruning in vineyards across Europe. They are proficient in multiple pruning techniques and are capable of working at an impressive speed with exacting precision!

Our workers enjoy participating in competitions; in-house ones are great, but industry-wide ones hold a lot of prestige.

They are eager to showcase their skill and a little team rivalry goes a long way towards encouraging fantastic results!

How you choose your pruning team is another question. We currently have over 100 labourers out in fields across the country, all of whom would love the chance to represent their colleagues. The accolade of being chosen to participate in the UK pruning competition is an achievement in itself, displaying our appreciation of their hard work and our faith in their

competency and professionalism.

When determining your chosen few, consider not only their pruning ability, but also how they may respond under pressure. It can be daunting for even the most experienced pruner to be suddenly demonstrating their art under scrutiny.

By nature, UK vineyard sites are spread out across the country with many even located far from their office or winery bases. Participating in the annual pruning competition means you can motivate and incentivise your staff with a fun day out to look forward to as well as the potential to win something!

Bringing the industry together is a brilliant way to ensure we all stay in touch, share ideas and take time to reflect on our achievements.

The distance and disparity between vineyard sites can cause a lack of communication which is important to overcome. If a sense of fun and light-hearted competitiveness helps to connect us across the industry, we’re all for it…but watch out Team Davenport, we’re going for 1st place this year!

 www.vine-works.com paper-plane, sales@vine-works.com  01273 891777 F E B R UA R Y 2020 | V I N E YA R D

Equipment for Vineyards

■ ■ ■ ■

Anti-Stress

frost protection A non-toxic biodegradable coating that can minimize the damage of climate related stress, Anti-Stress provides a unique permeable film on the leaf surface and can reduce the effects of: frost & freeze transplant shock rapid temperature variations drying winds water & drought stress heat & sunburn

Cultivators Vine Trimmers Soil Aerators Hedge Cutters

Purchase direct from the UK Importer:

improves tolerance to frost by 2 to 2.5 degrees C does not interfere with photosynthesis does not wash off during normal rainfall conditions does not restrict plant growth For more information contact the FAST office on 01795 533225.

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t: 01892 890364 • e: info@lameng.com Lamberhurst Engineering Ltd • Priory Farm Parsonage Lane • Lamberhurst • Kent TN3 8DS

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REINFORCEMENT PLANET VINE PROTECTORS GROWING NEL&SHELTERPRUNING&FRUITTO HARVESTING TYING IN ELECTRICPRUNING PRUNING&FRUITTOOLS HARVESTING PEST CONTRO REINFORCEMENT POSTS& WIRE TYING IN HARVESTING GROUNDANCHORS PLANTING&GROWINGHAR We are pleased to welcome the new PLANET vine protectors to our Vinevale range.

PRUNING&FRUITTOOLS The protectors are made from anti-rodent square SPRAYING mesh net at the top, featuring an anti-herbicide sheath at the bottom. This design ensures the growing vine has good ventilation and light transmission.

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G encouraged development of the vine both S VESTIN SANCHORand T HAR TOOL N below above the ground, where as E D M N T E I U C R O U LS G R O O R IN FOINNG&GFRHAUIRVTTESOTINGGARVEGRSOTstandard INEFVALE G& RIEN WING UN T tube protectors can create a N PR I H G& YI D G N RA V E UITCN ATG INUSP K ING PLANTI WHIEN PR ED YIN RO N G LTERTD L G G N U greenhouse effect, damaging the plant at I O IN & S R R & W P G S TESTING N NEL HARVE GRO TLSRYIAC RSDTS CON C E LANTI TUN L ARVIN IN E OOE H E the root.

I TN G LS P T IT V O G U O N ESTIN ME ING&FR HARV PRUN ETY PRUNNINELG&&SVFRHEEUILTSTTERTWIN ORCE G REINF S& WIRCHORS TUHNA RNG&GRO ING G T N A S N I PLANTI D O N G W P Available in 50x13cm, 50x14cm and 60x13cm U L N R O ELTE &GROCONTRO TING GR ROWI NTING PEST HARVES ING&G NEL&SH

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TUNNEL Cooting Road, Aylesham Industrial Estate, Canterbury, Kent CT3 3EP

FEBRUARY 2020 | VIN

PLANTIN 35

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AGRONOMY

Rob S

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Agronomy diary

Dic

Waterlogging is detrimental to any crop and vines are no exception. Saturated soil suffocates roots, reduces vigour, and can increase the risk of diseases such as downy mildew and botrytis.

Wet soils are also slower to warm in spring and will hamper harvesting activity in autumn.

Heavy rain last autumn and winter may well have highlighted areas of poor drainage that need addressing, especially on heavier sites without the natural drainage of sloping chalk soils.

Poor-draining areas (often headlands on low-lying areas) should be mapped now as it may be some time before land is dry enough for remedial work, such as subsoiling or installing piped drainage.

Meanwhile, ensure ditches, culverts and existing drains are clear to let water away efficiently.

could be costlier longer-term if competitive weed species (e.g. docks, nettles, couch) take over.

Bare soil under vines is still at risk from erosion, capping and poor infiltration, so consider applying organic matter, which can help suppress weeds too.

On fertile soils, opt for material with a high carbon: nitrogen ratio, such as paper crumble (a by-product of paper manufacturing). This is relatively cheap, spreads easily, builds structure, and is long-lasting. With a C:N ratio of 60:1, it can help keep foliar growth in check on fertile soils as microbes consume nitrogen breaking down the carbon. It is also an excellent food source for worms, which benefit natural drainage and nutrient cycling.

Cereal straw (typically 80:1 C:N) and wood chips are other options, although spreading can be trickier.

On thinner soils where fertility needs building, use material with a lower C:N ratio (ideally 20-25:1), such as green waste compost.

Remember, dark materials absorb heat away from vines, while lighter materials reflect radiation, potentially helping ripening.

Protect bare soil

Know your soil

Although some growing systems favour bare soil throughout the year to minimise weed competition and aid ripening, such approaches are tough on soil health, so providing some protection with green cover and/or mulch is preferred.

Low-vigour grass, such as red fescue, sown in alleyways is a cost-effective way of protecting the soil surface and improving the ability to travel, while minimising competition with vines.

Although more expensive to establish than natural regeneration (“tumbledown”), the latter

Understanding soil properties and characteristics is fundamental to successful management in established and new vineyards.

The Terramap high definition soil scanning service can measure 21 variables at over 800 data points per hectare, so provides the ideal starting point and can explain site variability.

It maps all common nutrient properties, pH, soil texture, organic matter and Cation Exchange Capacity, plus elevation and available water. Results can be used in Omnia to create accurate, multi-layered management plans.

Drainage

36

ea le kN

Protecting soils is a win-win for vineyards.

Healthy soil is fundamental to maintaining a good quality and profitable vineyard.

Hutchinsons’ Rob Saunders and Dick Neale highlight three key areas to focus on.

Winter maintenance tips Now is an ideal time to finish any remaining tree and boundary maintenance, such as trimming overhanging branches or hedges.

While wind shelter around vineyards is a necessity, shading reduces light interception, slows ripening, and may increase Powdery mildew risk.

Another important task ahead of the growing season is to ensure adequate cold air drainage at the bottom of slopes or hollows by cutting/clearing, purpose-made holes in hedges. On cold nights in spring, cold air sinks downhill and may be trapped in low points creating a frost pocket. Holes allow cold air to escape, reducing the associated frost risk.

Biostimulant trial Hutchinsons is trialling a microbial soil stimulant at a number of established sites this season to see whether there is any noticeable benefit on vine growth. This will test manufacturer claims that the biologically-active substances produced by the bacteria directly and indirectly benefit the environment, soil fertility and plant growth.

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AGRONOMY

Ab Rose by

How alive is your soil?

The Vidacycle team uncover the secrets behind building soil health.

The term ‘regenerative farming’ is becoming widely celebrated, and is being widely adopted, with even very large companies like General Mills in the US pledging to bring regenerative agriculture to 1 million acres of their supply chain by 2030.

Regenerative farming is all about building soil health in order to foster resilient and flourishing farm ecosystems whilst reducing costs. At Vidacycle we support regenerative practices in the vineyard, and over the last few years we have learned just how much the soil can tell you if you are willing to dig a hole and look!

Healthy soils are all about the biological life within them. Plants photosynthesise, make sugars, and then they actually exude up to 30% of those sugars into the soil through their roots, which feeds the soil biology – essentially bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms. In exchange for the sugars the plant exudes, the microorganisms bring the plant nutrients. Cleverly, microorganisms can dissolve insoluble nutrients in the soil below and bring them to the plant in a soluble form.

We have ignored the value of these biological

38

systems for so long – in large part due to the way we test for nutrient requirements in the soil. A classic N, P, K lab analysis only looks for nutrients available in a plant soluble form, and disregards the fact that microorganisms can bring nutrients to a plant from other sources. We have worked with a number of concerned farmers who, after transitioning to regenerative practices, found their Phosphate level was worryingly low in soil lab tests even though they were getting good yields. Of course, the explanation is simple, the plants were getting their P thanks to the biology in the soil.

Microorganisms also secrete glues and slimes which hold the soil structure together, forming aggregates – the structural basis of healthy soil.

This aggregated structure allows water and air to easily percolate around and through it, so the soil will be able to hold more water deep down in its profile for when plants really need it, as well as remaining aerobic throughout.

If you want to start to build the biological life in your soil and manage your vineyard more regeneratively, then soil health principles are a good place to start. In short they are: ensure that

living plants are in the ground all year round, minimise soil disturbance, minimise synthetic inputs, increase diversity, and incorporate animals into the system.

We work with farmers and vintners to empower them to monitor and understand their soils with the help of our app Sectormentor. We have developed a series of simple tests with farmers and leading soil scientists that enable everyone to investigate that key question ‘how alive is my soil?’ We are now working with a number of pioneering vineyards in the US, and the UK, who are starting to monitor their soils by measuring earthworm populations, the wet aggregate stability of their soils, the diversity of the plants above ground, percentage of bare soil, rhizosheath formation around plant roots and a Visual Evaluation of Soil Structure (VESS). You can find a protocol for how to do these tests on our website vines.vidacycle.com. Next month we will share some knowledge that has been gathered from tests on vineyards in the UK. In the meantime, it’s a good time to ask yourself: how alive are your soils?

 vines.vidacycle.com paper-plane info@vidacycle.com  07952 005864 F E B R UA R Y 2020 | V I N E YA R D

PORTABLE / Frost protection / Drying / Ventilation / Cooling

Get In Touch Vitifruit Equipment Unit 3, Skitts Manor Farm Moor Lane, Marsh Green Kent, TN8 5RA

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We have confirmed reports from growers that have protected up to five hectares in severe frost conditions. Tow and Blow requires no concrete foundations, no building permit or consent, is incredibly quiet, and the low fuel consumption ensures low emissions.

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Suitable for 1.9m rows.

MACHINERY

As I sat down with David Sayell and Richard at how many machines have been going out in Witt, the owners of Vitifruit Equipment, the first weeks of January, it is continuing be a machinery suppliers to the UK’s viticulture growing trend. After David Wood joined the team, sector, both were upbeat and eager to report to oversee repairs, servicing and maintenance that 2020 was already off to a busy start for as well as the hire fleet, as a company we have the Kent-based firm. been able to provide a more efficient hire system “Sales orders for new equipment are already and this has certainly helped us to respond coming in thick and fast,” said David, who better to customers’ needs.” established the specialist dealership For many small vineyard operations, with Richard in 2010. “Usually hiring is the only viable way we are in standby mode at of accessing key pieces of “Over the last this time of year, waiting equipment, particularly 12 months, for people to wake seasonal machines such up as the weather as deleafers which sales have improves, so it is quite only need to be used a been good and unexpected to be this busy in few times a year. However, steady" mid-January.” both David and Richard have also The continuous rain, which noticed that a significant number of seems to have been unrelenting since medium and larger sized growers are September, may be causing issues for increasing their use of hire as a way to try growers on clay soils, but for those vineyards before they buy. up on the drier, chalky hills, it is business as “Every good dealership will offer simple usual. On the day of my visit, Richard pointed out machinery demonstrations, which can be quite that one of the firm’s heavy duty Sauerburger comprehensive in running through the principles rotavators was currently on hire, being used to and benefits of the product, but being able to hire level out the soil and obliterate any early season a machine for a few days really gives operators weeds in the alleyways. the chance to get to grips with the equipment,” “Over the last 12 months, sales have been good said David. “This allows growers to make better and steady, but it is the hire side of the business informed decisions over whether the machine which has really taken off,” said Richard. “It was is right for their site and specific requirements certainly the highlight of last year and looking before investing for the long term.”

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rd Witt

Helping growers to make better informed decisions over which machine is right for their site and specific requirements.

c ha Ri

Hire is highly rated

vid Sayell & a D

VITIFRUIT EQUIPMENT Most hired machines Finding an alternative, non-chemical approach to weed control is certainly at the top of most vineyard managers’ shopping lists and with such a diverse range of options now available to the UK’s viticulture sector, it is not surprising that Vitifruit’s Boisselet system was one of the firm’s most hired machines last year.

“Looking back on the 2019 growing season, we had four Boisselet under vine cultivators continuously out on hire, all with different tools attached to them,” said David. “There are huge concerns over what will happen if glyphosate is no longer an option, but as vineyard site conditions vary drastically across the country, many growers could be left disappointed with the results if they have not invested in the right tools for the job. There are lots of European manufacturers offering solutions and we have spent many years finding the ones which will be of most benefit to UK growers. As people have changed their approach the Boisselet system has come into its own.”

Having produced vineyard equipment for over 100 years, Boisselet has spared no expense in carefully developing a state-of-the-art under vine cultivator that can get right

> Richard and David

up to the base of the vine, to accurately remove weeds and disrupt soils, while working at a reasonably fast pace. Its modular approach, with a frame which can be front, rear or side mounted onto the tractor, provides growers with such a wide choice of attachments it is possible to configure the perfect machine for each individual vineyard.

Alongside the usual range of cultivator tools, there are now two different strimmer attachments available from Boisselet. The first works in a similar way to a traditional hand-held strimmer, with four industrial, GT nylon cords rotating at high speeds to cut through moderate levels of weed growth. The second option is slightly more robust and features 24 nylon cords, which work horizontally like a mower.

“The strimmers went out a lot last year,” said Richard. “The first system is very simple to use and works better on less flinty ground. The second option allows you to drive reasonably close to the vines to deal with most of the weeds. Unlike other strimmer systems on the market, this does not move in between the vines so can be used with young vines as there is no risk of them being knocked or damaged.”

While strimmers will effectively deal with surface growth, David believes that disturbing roots is the most effective way of dealing with weeds in the long term and views the Boisselet system as the most comprehensive all-round approach.

“Strimming alone isn’t sufficient, but the great thing about the Boisselet is that you can use the strimmer while also cultivating,” he said. “This means that whatever weed issues you are dealing with there is a solution.

The Boisselet is a multipurpose frame so growers don’t need to invest in a completely new piece of equipment every time they want to take a slightly different approach.”

The traditional frame provides growers with two cultivator heads as standard, with a fixed coulter at the front of the machine. There is then space for a tool to work in between the vines and an option to add a third tool, such as a disc, which can effectively improve the overall visual appearance of the job.

Machines for the future Another popular hire machine for 2019 was Vitifruit’s Stockmayer deleafer, which David views as a machine for the future.

“When it comes to mechanising vineyard management tasks, there is no doubt that the UK is still playing catch up with Europe,” said David. >>

F E B R UA R Y 2020 | V I N E YA R D

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<<

“Echoing what they currently do abroad, deleafers are becoming more who have invested in their own will go out multiple times exactly when the popular with growers here. The technology has improved drastically over the job is required.” last decade and the Stockmayer, which has this year been fitted with a larger, As well as the Stockmayer defoliator, Vitifruit can also supply growers more powerful fan, is certainly rated highly by everyone who uses it.” with an option from Provitis. Working along the same principles, the Provitis As with all machinery, David is quick to point out that UK growers need deleafer is slightly more robust and is part of the French manufacturer’s to choose a system which is best suited to this country’s unique modular system. conditions. Some deleafing machines blast air into the canopy “In the last few months, we have noticed that more vineyard to dislodge and shatter the leaves. These systems, however, managers are being drawn to the Provitis range because of can only be used at limited times of the growing season its long-term potential,” said David. “Those with young “this machine and David is concerned that by forcing air into the vineyards, which are just becoming established, is capable of canopy at such high speeds, growers run the risk may not need every piece of equipment initially, of damaging grapes and increasing the risk of working quickly but owners are becoming increasingly forwarddisease. thinking when it comes to mechanisation. They already to clear the “Other deleafers have been designed based on growing have a shopping list of sophisticated machines which they rows" systems in Champagne, yet in the UK most growers have know they will need in the future to help keep labour costs much thicker canopies. Instead of being blown through the vines, down and the common frame from Provitis is a cost-effective way the leaves and debris will potentially just end up sitting in the middle to achieve this.” which is not ideal,” said David.

The Provitis mounting mast, which can be fitted on to any brand or Alternatively, the Stockmayer machine is built on a ‘suck and pluck’ model of tractor, supports a wide range of attachments, including vine principle. There is a hollow circular roller which creates suction to draw trimmers, deleafers, bud rubbers, pre-pruners and the firm’s revolutionary leaves towards a second, solid circular roller. The rollers rotate counterlifting and tying machine and cane pulling out machine. clockwise to each other to gently, but effectively, draw the leaves in and “Last month we took several customers to Alsace on a Provitis factory tour,” pluck them from the vines. No leaves are sucked through the blower, they said David. “There is still a lot of interest in the cane pulling out machine are simply plucked and dropped to the ground with the grapes remaining which only went into full production last year. Part of the Provitis modular untouched on the vine. system, the cane removal machine can complete three to four hectares per “The Stockmayer system can also be used throughout the growing season,” day and is by far one of the most innovative ways to reduce labour costs. said David. “This gives vineyard managers much greater freedom. We have Even if you are a small vineyard and cannot justify the investment costs, there several customers who will hire the deleafer at the very start of the season, is always the option to hire our machine.” as soon as the berries are pea sized, and then again just before harvest, so pickers have better access to fruit. Some growers just hire the machine once in the middle of the season, and those

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F E B R UA R Y 2020 | V I N E YA R D

Efficient pruning operations For those looking to make pruning operations even more efficient, Vitifruit also has a special heavy duty rear-mounted pruning pulveriser available for hire. Produced by Sauerburger, the Lima machine aims to effectively address and combat disease carry-over, while helping growers to clear the vineyard as quickly as possible.

The Lima has a pick-up reel which lifts the pruning canes from the vineyard floor and moves them into a mulching chamber where they are chopped into small pieces. This material is then passed through a fine sieve before being broadcast in between the rows.

“The finer we can lacerate the pruning canes, the easier and quicker it is for the bacteria and fungi in the soil to start digesting and breaking the material down into compost,” said David. “Vineyard managers have lots of different ways of dealing with prunings but some methods can be quite time consuming and potentially dangerous. Not only will the Lima reduce disease carry-over but this machine is capable of working quickly to clear the rows.”

Just in time for the 2020 pruning season, David and Richard have also increased Vitifruit’s range of electronic secateurs, which now includes two different cordless battery-powered options to suit growers with smaller budgets.

The first handset is from a new supplier, called Arvipo. While the Spanish manufacturer has a full range of electronic secateurs, including the traditional handsets linked to a battery backpack, David and Richard have identified the cordless vineyard models as particularly appealing.

“The handsets come with two rechargeable batteries which will give enough power to last all day and they also come with a safety glove,” said David. “There are some secateurs which are supposed to be fitted with a safety system which can detect skin contact, but there is an element of doubt and if your hand is sweaty, or if it is damp outside, it may prevent the safety feature from working. The most reliable, safest solution is to have a pair of gloves with metal inserts covering your fingers and we can now supply those directly.”

Arvipo are ideal for smaller sites with vines on a traditional, basis training system. David, who has been working in the UK viticulture industry for over 35 years, has just bought a pair for the small vineyard he continues to manage in Kent.

“I have only done about six hours with them so far, but they are proving to be fantastic and have done everything I wanted them too,” said David.

“They have a special feature which will prevent the operator from cutting through the training wire and at just under £500 are very affordable.”

The second set of cordless secateurs from Zanon, are equally as affordable but are considered to be slightly more robust. The Zanon handsets also come with a more comfortable grip and a greater range of sought-after features like a progressive trigger, which allows pruners to make very accurate cuts and is a must for complex training systems.

“All the secateurs we supply have niches and will suit different growers’ needs,” said Richard. “Our mantra and ethos at Vitifruit has always been to provide various options, at various price points to suit all our customers’ requirements. It is up to the grower which system they choose, and we are just here to advise on the ranges and what the options are. We want people to be able to try out three or four options and then decide which one is best for them. Small to medium growers can take advantage of these new lower cost handsets which are designed to be practical for smaller sites.”

Keen to ensure that all growers can try various options, David recently travelled to Little Wold Vineyard in East Yorkshire for a demonstration day which proved to be very fruitful.

“Each vineyard who came along has ordered something slightly different, which proves that there is no one-size-fits-all handset,” said David. “The Zanon secateurs were slightly more popular because they also offer a tying tool with a common battery. This cuts costs down significantly and it is very unlikely you will be pruning and tying down at the same time. >>

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THE EXPERTS FOR WINEGROWING EQUIPMENT, MUNICIPAL EQUIPMENT AND SPECIAL MACHINERY We are manufacturers of machines for viticulture. We are a family business in itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 4th generation. Our products include trimmers in different versions and Deleavers (Single, Double sided and overrow). We also supply pre puners and special machines on customer request. www.aws-stockmayer.de

info@aws-stockmayer.de

Dealer and direct contact for England: Vitifruit Equipment, Unit 3, Skitts Manor Farm, Moor Lane, Marsh Green, TN8 5RA Kent (UK)

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MACHINERY <<

The tying tools are becoming a major piece of equipment on people’s shopping lists because word is getting out about how fast, reliable and easy to use the Zanon tying tool is.”

Targeting soil health As well as making processes more efficient in the vineyard, Vitifruit has also noticed that growers are looking for ways to increase vine productivity, with increased focus on soil health and nutrition.

“We have always had a range of fertiliser spreader options and as technology advances we are now able to help growers who want to take a more precise approach,” said David. “Growers, particularly large scale operations, are starting to tap into vineyard mapping services and we are now able to provide variable rate spreaders.”

After having soils analysed, data can be inputted in the Dal Cero DCM spreader which is fitted with automatic output with Topcon GPS Isobus in cab

monitoring and control. Instead of broadcasting across the whole of the vineyard, the DCM will spread at a variable rate automatically.

“In practice, if you have a very steep slope and were to spread fertiliser equally, most of the nutrients applied at the top will wash down to the bottom of the slope, so the vines at the bottom are getting a double dose while those at the top are effectively being starved,” said David. “By having the vineyard mapped, the spreader can simply be filled with whatever product you are using and the operator can simply press a button and just needs to drive the tractor. That means applications can focus on the vines where the nutrients do start to decrease.”

Vitifruit has been working with Dal Cero, a company which is focused on building robust spreaders, for a number of years and has supplied one of the variable rate spreaders to Vranken Pommery for use on its Pinglestone site in Hampshire.

Case study: Jacob Leadley at Black Chalk Featured in this month’s editor’s visit, Jacob Leadley at Black Chalk in Hampshire has recently started working with the team at Vitifruit.

“David came highly recommended by a whole host of other vineyard managers who I am very good friends with,” said Jacob, who has recently taken over the management of four vineyards in the Stockbridge area. “The Vitifruit team have been very proactive so far. David has really been able to understand exactly what we need and has come up with solutions for what we have already. My brain has been in the winery for almost 10 years and moving back to the vineyard does require a little more thought and assistance and so I am reaching out to professionals who have a good idea about tractors, sprayers and pruning shears.”

Conscious that the vineyards are surrounded by very sensitive chalk streams and some neighbouring houses, when it came to choosing a sprayer, Jacob needed to find a system which would reduce spray drift.

“We chose the double tunnel, 1,000-litre Lipco sprayer after speaking to people who have managed the vineyard here in the past,” said Jacob. “It was also important to find a sprayer which would allow us to spray even

“We upgraded to Dal Cero from another supplier and the difference in the build quality and longevity of the machine has been more than noticeable,” said David. “In terms of fertiliser, there has been a gradual and meaningful uptake in the Chelate injector wheel too. Everyone who has used that system, which releases liquid chelate into the soil to feed vine roots, has been very impressed.”

Looking to the end of the season, Vitifruit is now also able to make bespoke harvest trailers for customers, helping to make life easier when transporting fruit from the field to the winery.

“I design the trailers according to how the vineyard manager wants to use them in the field and then they are manufactured,” said David.

“Whether a grower wants a trailer which can go down the rows, which will need to be a certain width and have a tight-turn draw bar, or if they want a basic flat-bed trailer for larger bins, anything is possible.”

in slightly windier conditions and the Lipco’s curtain and recycling system does this while also saving on chemical costs.”

The principal aim of the Lipco design is to apply chemical exactly where it is needed, while ensuring that nothing is wasted to the atmosphere. Tunnel walls on the two-row sprayer sit either side of the vine row and capture the opposing spray which misses the vine. This then drips down into a tray and is recycled back into the tank, helping to keep chemical costs down and mitigating losses to the environment.

“It is very interesting to see more vineyard managers getting their heads around the principles of the Lipco sprayers,” said David. “There are more of these sprayers out in the field and growers do talk to others about how well they are getting on with them. They are so well built we rarely need to do much with them, apart from servicing them each year.”

With big ambition for the Black Chalk vineyards, Jacob is taking a very precise approach to pruning and with many hours ahead for the small team, he has also invested in a fleet of cordless Zanon secateurs and tying tools.

“We have only used the Zanons briefly, but they are a lot lighter compared to the larger corded ones and obviously, there is the benefit of not having to wear a battery pack,” said Jacob. “They also have a progressive trigger option, and come with enough battery packs to last for at least 8 hours.

While the you should always be mindful of what you are doing, we have also invested in some metal plated gloves for extra peace of mind.”

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AGROFROST Masters in Frost Protection !

More than 2500 units sold worldwide !

Frostbusters - FrostGuards - Wind Machines

NEW

The biggest range of frost protection systems in the world.

Why Agrofrost ?

We are the biggest producer of frost protection machines in the world and our turnover increases year after year. During the last 50 years, we have been the only company that introduced new effective solutions to fight frost. We have the biggest range of frost protection machines in the world, so we can always offer you the best solution and we continue to invest in research for better solutions and better results.

For spring 2019, we introduce several new machines: • New Frostbuster F501 with 8 or 10 bottles and automatic burner ignition.

• New 3-Point Frostbusters, with 2 low or 2 high outlets (ideal for blueberries).

• New FrostGuards Basic; a new economical model.

Visit us in Bordeaux at • A new Frost Alarm, based on the wet temperature.

Vinitech - Stand 1 A 0609 • New Wind Machines and Burners for Wind Machines.

UK Importer: NP Seymour - Cranbrook - Kent TN17 2PT Tel: 01580 712200 - www.npseymour.co.uk Email: hello@npseymour.co.uk

Agrofrost (Belgium) Contact: Patrik Stynen Tel.: 01580 291565 or mobile +32 495 517689 Email: info@agrofrost.be

Find out all about it on our website: www.agrofrost.eu

MACHINERY

Revolutionary machines fight frost Frostbuster and FrostGuard using phase transition.

Over the past 10 years, Agrofrost, which was founded in 2001, has become one of the world’s leading companies in frost protection.

Agrofrost says it remains the only company which continues to invest money in research for better solutions and better results.

Today, Agrofrost is the biggest producer of frost protection machines and it aims to always offer the best solutions because it has the biggest range of machines, which includes several models of the Frostbuster and FrostGuard, frost alarms, wind machines and burners for wind machines.

The two most important products are the Frostbuster and the FrostGuard.

Frostbuster The Frostbuster exists in several versions. Model F501 is the third generation of the Frostbuster and is a trailed machine that can protect up to 10 hectares.

For this season, a few 3-point mounted models will be introduced. The machines have a powerful fan, driven by the PTO of the tractor, and a propane burner.

During the frost, the driver must follow a circuit through the vineyard. The range of the fan is about 50 meters on each side of the machine. Therefore, it is only necessary to pass every 70 to 100 meters through the rows.

FrostGuard

Phase transition

By comparison, FrostGuards are stationary machines. The fan is powered by a propane engine and the machines rotate constantly 360°, covering between 0.7 and one hectare, depending on the kind of plants you want to protect. The FrostGuard is available in two different models, the Revolution and the Basic. The Basic is an economical model, with the same performance as the Revolution. The biggest difference is that the Revolution can be equipped with an auto start system. With this system, the machine starts automatically if the temperature drops below the programmed start temperature. This system is not available on the Basic models.

Depending on the crop you want to protect, the machines can be delivered with a low outlet at 20 cm above the ground, an outlet at one metre or a high outlet on top of the machine.

Neither the Frostbuster nor FrostGuard are heaters. The working principle is, unlike other frost protection systems, not based on raising the temperature above the critical values but on phase transition, or in this case by controlling the forming of hoarfrost.

We all know that hoarfrost is the biggest enemy for the flowers and buds, but there is a way to use this enemy for protection. The transformation of vapour into hoarfrost is called desublimation or deposition and as a process it releases a lot of energy, which can then be transferred to its surroundings.

In the vineyard this energy is not only transferred to the surrounding air but also into the leaves and flowers themselves.

With ice crystals extracting energy and humidity from the flower, the hoarfrost normally inflicts the most damage. Without protection, the layer of hoarfrost will increase and finally cause dehydration and under-cooling.

To counter this, Agrofrost machines pass a hot air stream every seven to 10 minutes, through the vines causing part of the ice to evaporate (called sublimation). The remaining ice also receives energy from the passing air.

The higher the humidity, the more energy is transferred.

After a few minutes, the air cools down again, the relative humidity increases and some new rime will be formed. This again releases more energy to the air and to the flowers or buds, creating an optimal protection with only a fraction of the energy input that is needed by other systems.

Another big advantage is that the use of these machines, unlike other protection systems, improves fruit set and fruit quality. This was discovered by some customers who noticed an improved fruit setting when they used the machines during full flowering. To backup these claims, studies have been carried out at the PCF Research Centre in Gorsem, Belgium, with initial results proving there to be a positive effect on fruit set improvements.

 www.agrofrost.eu  01580 712200 paper-plane patrik@agrofrost.be F E B R UA R Y 2020 | V I N E YA R D

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VITIFRUIT EQUIPMENT Secateurs

Tying Tools

www.vitifruitequipment.co.uk 01732 866567

Safe Spraying

Lipco Recirculating Sprayer

MACHINERY SALES AND HIRE

35 years working hand in hand with UK vineyards

Mechanical Weed Control

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Cane Puller

www.vitifruitequipment.co.uk F E B R UA R Y 2020 | V I N E YA R D

Frost Protection

vitifruitequipment@sky.com

Mowers

01732 866567

MACHINERY

Front suspension option A new suspended front axle option is now available for Case IH Quantum tractors, bringing to the specialty tractor sector the same levels of on-road and in-field comfort that operators of larger models in the Case IH range already benefit from, helping to reduce fatigue and increase productivity.

New suspended front axle Available on Quantum V, N and F models, the new suspended front axle suspension option has been designed by Case IH engineers along similar lines to the established design proven on larger tractors. Utilising a swing arm design connected by a saddle-type pivot, the layout of the suspension system means the structure is particularly robust which ensures no friction is created between the saddle bar and the front axle.

With its pivot center located in a higher position than on alternative systems, the suspension provides higher levels of rolling comfort. There is +/- 3° of movement at the compression end-stop position, and +/- 8° at all

other positions.

Suspension height can be set up manually from the cab, and this also allows any front implement to be attached and adjusted more easily. The system has four ride modes to suit all applications: locked, soft, medium and hard.

Additional features have been developed in order to further improve the driving experience of the new suspended front axle Quantum models. These include automatic ride height control, which ensures the full travel of the suspension is made available regardless of the load on the front axle.

An anti-dive/squat feature is designed to maximize tractor stability even when heavy implements are attached, while axle roll control balances the oil flow between the two cushioning cylinders, providing greater stability and comfort in hilly terrain.

The new suspended front axle option can be ordered on Quantum V, N and F models specified with a cab, and is available whether the tractor is fitted with front axle brakes. Operation of the front linkage, where specified, is unaffected.

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THE all new TERRAGLIDE SUSPENDED FRONT AXLE and TRELLEBORG PNEUTRAC TYRES

available across New Holland T4 Speciality range

JEREMY CLOUDE 07710 870153

Haynes Agri

RICHARD SMITH 07483 035922

@Agrimachines

@haynesagri

H AY N E S A G R I C U LT U R A L LT D .

www.haynesgrp.co.uk

COVERING KENT, SUSSEX AND SURREY

Unit 2, Owens Court Farm, Selling, Faversham ME13 9QN Tel: 01233 226284 Email: sales@horsepoweragri.co.uk www.horsepoweragri.co.uk www.wannersprayers.co.uk

HIGH PERFORMANCE SPRAYERS for modern plant protection

www.wannersprayers.co.uk

STOCK List Landini 2 Series 50 Compact tractor

Weidemann T4512 in stock 50

50 HP, Roll Bar, 3 Years 0% Finance

Landini 2 Series 45 2019 45 HP, Roll Bar, Full Warranty, 0% Finance

F E B R UA R Y 2020 | V I N E YA R D

McCormick F80 2009, 3,500 HRS £12,950 +VAT

OUTSTANDING

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FINANCE PACKAGES AVAILABLE *

vid Sayell & a D

c ha Ri

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VITIFRUIT EQUIPMENT

Happy hydraulics As the average size of vineyards increases, so does the demand for more sophisticated machinery and as people look for ways to replace an expensive labour force, there is a growing need for high-output, hydraulically driven tools.

As well as trimmers and deleafers, growers are now using post-pruning cane pulling out machines, bud rubbers, summer foliage lifting and tying in tools and pre-pruners. All these are commonly used on the continent and the manufacturers are well versed in providing solutions to power these tools, even if the grower’s tractor is not so well equipped.

Those who have not yet purchased a tractor, would do well to consider future machinery requirements to ensure that tractor is future proofed and capable of working with hydraulic tools. Growers need to ensure there is enough oil flow from the tractor and the controls to make easy functioning possible. If a good system is selected it makes the job of the tractor driver easier, the functioning of the tools smoother and the whole operation faster. The driver’s function is extremely important, and the control of the equipment should be as stress free as possible with all buttons and switches within easy reach.

Most tractor manufacturers offer a wide choice of fittings including different output pumps, a choice of the number of valves and side/rear mounting positions, manual or electric controls, and manual or dial up flow rate adjustment. These then need to be used in conjunction with the ancillary tool, so forward planning is necessary prior to purchase. Having fitted a number of these tools onto various tractors David Sayell of Vitifruit Equipment has found a way of marrying all the elements together. He has been supplying Provitis and Stockmayer equipment for many years and both these companies furnish control systems to work in most situations.

The Provitis “one mast fits all” concept is clearly becoming popular as the multi-function mast can be fitted with a range of tools, thus removing the expense of having a separate mast for each. The mast is supplied as standard with facilities to fit other tools in the range even if fitted years later.

People often also ask about the requirement for front linkage. When using trimmers, for instance, the front lift arms of the tractor are not necessary and is in most cases a disadvantage. It increases the length of the unit, making turning on headlands problematic, and it places the weight of the tool further away from the front axle, increasing the strain on components, particularly at high forward speed and over rough ground. The safest way is to bolt the mast direct onto the axle of the tractor using the brackets supplied by the equipment manufacturer.

 www.vitifruitequipment.co.uk  01732 866567 paper-plane vitifruitequipment@sky.com

X950R

Ideal for parks and caravan sites • Collection capacity: 570 ltrs • 48” / 122 cm mower deck • 2 wheel drive

“Your local vineyard tractor & machinery speciailsts” specialists”

Martin Bailiss

07796 305209 sales@farol.co.uk

www.farol.co.uk Rycote Lane Farm, Milton Common, Thame, Oxfordshire, OX9 2NZ Boddington Road, Byfield, Daventry, Northamptonshire, NN11 6FL Coldridge Copse, Shefford Woodlands, Hungerford, Berkshire, RG17 7AB Wharf Farm, Coventry, Hinckley, Leicestershire, LE10 0NB Holmbush House, Holmbush Ind. Est., Midhurst, West Sussex, GU29 9XY London Road, Twyford, Reading, Berkshir, RG10 9EQ

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