Vineyard February 2024

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FEBRUARY 2024

Courting unique excellence Yotes Court in Kent is building for the future from the soil up.

INSIDE Kirkland UK has an outstanding reputation The evolution of wine retail Matthew Jukes reviews three excellent Bacchus wines

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

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VINEYARD for viticulturists in Great Britain

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www.vineyardmagazine.co.uk VINEYARD Kelsey Media, The Granary, Downs Court Yalding Hill, Yalding, Maidstone, Kent, ME18 6AL 01959 541444 EDITORIAL Editor: Rebecca Farmer vineyard.ed@kelsey.co.uk

NEWS 8

Vineyard pest and disease detection survey 2023-2024

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Clear vision for Crouch Valley

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UK focussed Podcast series

Features: Malcolm Triggs GRAPHIC DESIGN Jo Legg Flair Creative Design jo.legg@flair-design.co.uk ADVERTISING & MARKETING Jamie McGrorty 01303 233883 jamie.mcgrorty@kelsey.co.uk PHOTOGRAPHER Martin Apps www.countrywidephotographic.co.uk MANAGEMENT DIVISIONAL MANAGING DIRECTOR: Steve Kendall PUBLISHER: Jamie McGrorty RETAIL DIRECTOR: Steve Brown SUBSCRIPTION MARKETING MANAGER: Claire Aspinall PRINT PRODUCTION MANAGER: Kelly Orriss DISTRIBUTION

Distribution in Great Britain: Seymour Distribution Limited 2 East Poultry Avenue, London EC1A 9PT Tel: 020 7429 4000 www.seymour.co.uk Distribution in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland: Newspread Tel: +353 23 886 3850 Kelsey Media 2024 © all rights reserved. Kelsey Media is a trading name of Kelsey Publishing Ltd. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden except with permission in writing from the publishers. Note to contributors: articles submitted for consideration by the editor must be the original work of the author and not previously published.

Where photographs are included, which are not the property of the contributor, permission to reproduce them must have been obtained from the owner of the copyright. The editor cannot guarantee a personal response to all letters and emails received. The views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the Editor or the Publisher. Kelsey Publishing Ltd accepts no liability for products and services offered by third parties.

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New study reveals soil health benefits of regenerative agriculture

REGULARS 14

Matthew Jukes

23

Back in full swing

English Bacchus wines tend to be frisky, mischievous, uplifting and restless.

Plumpton College asked current and former students to tell us their WSET stories.

26 The agronomy diary

Winter actions to mitigate SWD risks.

28 The vine post

Is mechanised pruning an option for UK vineyards?

34

Express your terroir

Winemaking with mechanical harvesting.

36 Representing you

WineGB harvest report and Christmas coverage.

46 Machinery

VR robotics set to revolutionise UK viticulture.

49 Machinery advice and tips Pulverising vineyard prunings.

Front cover image: Yotes Court © Martin Apps, Countrywide Photographic

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Winery

CONTENTS Features Courting unique excellence

16 24 30

The view from the tasting room at Yotes Court Vineyard is simply stunning and the more time that is spent at the location the more fascinating it becomes.

Natural disease control programme for wine grapes

UK grapevine disease management overview.

The evolution of wine retail Today you can find any wine, at any time, wherever you are.

Outstanding reputation

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While most machinery dealerships work hard to attract new suppliers, Maidstone-based Kirkland UK doesn't face that challenge.

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ar mer cca F e b

From the editor

“He who marvels at the beauty of the world in summer will find equal cause for wonder and admiration in winter,” wrote John Burroughs in the Atlantic Magazine of 1866.

At this time of year attention has turned to pruning the millions of vines across England and Wales.

Industry reports have underlined how much this task has expanded in recent years with more vines to prune than ever before and WineGB have highlighted that the 2023 Harvest Report authored

by Stephen Skelton MW (page 36) has received much positive attention in the national press. This positive coverage has to be good for the public perception of English and Welsh wine.

On a snowy visit to Yotes Court in Kent (page 16) it was the lifecycle of the vines that came into sharp focus as the far off views disappeared behind a white curtain. It is true that when the vines have been pruned, to the casual observer there is little to marvel at. However at this time of year, that some can consider to be bleak, I find the power locked up in the vines to be something of a warm thought blanket. The idea of what will burst into life in just a few short months is humbling.

To think that with the right care and precision cuts, skilled workers are laying the foundations for what is a new season full of promise is quite inspiring. Viticulture can sometimes be a lonely occupation but knowing that vineyards are undertaking this process all over England and Wales has always made the industry seem so connected.

I look forward to the WineGB pruning competition as a celebration of this vital vineyard task and those who undertake it. Although the 2023 Pruning competition had less than ideal weather with many waterproofs in sight the camaraderie and competitive spirit certainly kept us warm.

Send your thoughts and comments

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

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Pierce’s disease

Vineyard pest and disease detection survey 2023-2024 In June this year the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA)* conducted its first survey of UK vineyards. The survey is a legislative requirement to enable early detection of potential threats to UK biosecurity and to protect industry and the wider environment. It also helps confirm country freedom from certain plant pests and pathogens, in order that the UK can safely trade with other countries.

The survey ran from June to October.

The survey involved collecting latent samples for Pierce’s disease, walking, and visually inspecting the crop, and sweep netting the field margins for disease vectors. Over several years it will incorporate all known commercial vineyards.

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The survey was focused on twelve organisms listed below – a combination of insects, bacteria/phytoplasma and viruses which are termed Quarantine Pests and Diseases (QPDs) which are those listed in schedule 1 of the UK Plant Health regulations. Wherever these are found action must be taken to eradicate their threat to industry and the wider environment.

Margarodes prieskaensis, Margarodes vitis, Margarodes vrendendalensis, Grapevine flavescence doree phytoplasma, Xylella fastidiosa, Xylophilus ampelinus, Canadidatus phytoplasma australiense.

Peach rosette mosaicvirus, Grapevine ajinashika virus, Graphocephala atropunctata, Draeculacephala Minerva and Scaphoideus titanus.

We are very pleased to report that none of the (QPDs) listed above were found during the survey, and that the biosecurity programme we have in place is working due to our rigorous import checks and the responsible importation of vines by the industry.

Additionally, we continue to work closely with WineGB, to help protect the biosecurity of our country and the economic success of our growers.

Our work is centred around preserving and protecting vineyards from potential quarantine pest and disease threats that could compromise their health and productivity.

Our Plant Health and Seeds inspectors are available to help vineyard owners navigate the challenges of plant health. Whether it's identifying quarantine pests or preventing the spread of quarantine diseases, our aim is to empower the industry with the knowledge and tools necessary to overcome these obstacles.

Please do contact us with any questions, concerns, or collaboration opportunities.

APHA APHA is an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and is responsible for: ◆ Identifying and controlling endemic and exotic diseases and pests in animals, plants and bees, and surveillance of new and emerging pests and diseases. ◆ Scientific research in areas such as bacterial, viral, prion and parasitic diseases and vaccines, and food safety ◆ Facilitating international trade ◆ Protecting endangered wildlife through licensing and registration ◆ Managing a programme of apiary (bee) inspections, diagnostics, research and development, and training and advice.

NEWS

Clear vision for Crouch Valley

McNeill Vineyard Management is confident of a bright future for the Crouch Valley wine region as it appoints key new hires.

As MVM's team expands, founder Duncan McNeill has a clear vision for the region: “Crouch Valley will become the next Central Otago or Oregon within the next ten years.”

Leading UK vineyard services company, McNeill Vineyard Management, is expanding its team with two key hires as it looks to drive forward the next phase of vineyard development in Essex’s now famous Crouch Valley wine region.

Viticulturist and company founder, Duncan McNeill, who has been widely credited as establishing the region as a premier producer of English wines, will be supported by new operations manager, Umut Yesil and labour coordinator, Rachel Leishman.

Umut Yesil, who also co-owns Riverview Crouch Valley Vineyard, will be responsible for implementation of management plans, tracking workflows and enabling logistics for MVM which works with over twenty vineyards across 400 acres throughout southern Essex.

Rachel Leishman will oversee the coordination of MVM’s manual labour teams on the ground from winter pruning to summertime leaf canopy management through to grape harvesting.

In 2022, MVM also formed a successful

strategic alliance with Mikey Hollington of Crow’s Lane Estate Contracting who, following significant investment, has taken on the role of machinery operations for MVM according to Duncan’s specifications.

In addition, a new partnership with an Essexbased contract winery is in the offing, which should be operational for the 2024 vintage and is working with a variety of new and emerging wine brands.

Duncan McNeill, an alumni of Eastern Insitute of Technology Hawkes Bay, New Zealand and Plumpton College, West Sussex, began his viticulture career in New Zealand. He said: “This is an incredibly exciting chapter for MVM and the Crouch Valley as we welcome Umut and Rachel to the team and establish new strategic industry partnerships to facilitate the ever-growing needs of our new and existing clients.

“MVM established many of the vineyards we see in the Crouch Valley today and we’re proud to be the pioneers of its premium, quality grapes. We’re passionate about propelling Crouch Valley into an exciting new era of wine production and it’s my aim that within the next decade this area will be considered the UK’s answer to Central Otago or Oregon as a producer of world class still wines.

“What we’re seeing is a real turning point for

this region as it evolves from its grape farming roots, into a world-class wine production area that is synonymous with the production of the very finest English wines.

“The Crouch Valley is a place very close to my heart and there’s something very special happening here at the moment, with a real sense of unity and momentum amongst a growing number of incredibly exciting wine producers. Together, I feel confident that we can really inspire the next chapter in the Crouch Valley story.”

MVM was established in 2011 and works with a variety of the UK’s most prestigious and wellknown vineyards and wineries.

M

M

McNeill Vineyard Management Ltd MVM founder and CEO Duncan McNeill (centre) pictured with MVM's vineyard team including Mikey Hollington, owner, Crows Lane Estate Contracting (left), Nadine McNeill, MVM company director (right), Rachel Leishman, MVM labour coordinator (right), and Umut Yesil, MVM operations manger (seventh from right)

DESKTOP www.mvm.uk.com 📞 Duncan Mcneill 07972 668370 Envelope duncan@mvm.uk.com

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NEWS

Dr Ruth Wade with the Paul-Tech soil station

New study reveals soil health benefits of regenerative agriculture

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A study being conducted at the University of Leeds Farm is shedding light on the benefits of regenerative cultivation techniques.

The study compares soil health, crop production, greenhouse gas emissions, and profit of different farming systems across seven 12m x 40m plots.

Some of the plots were ploughed and power harrowed, while others underwent minimal cultivation using non-inversion, shallow cultivation.

Cover cropping, living mulches, manures, livestock integration, and herbal leys have also been utilised as part of the trial.

Data were collected by state-of-the-art soil stations created by Estonian ag-tech company Paul-Tech, which take real-time readings of nutrient availability, soil water levels and soil temperature at depths of 8cm and 20cm.

Each plot received three treatments of nitrogen throughout the trial, with nutrient and water availability measured at both depths after each application.

The stations revealed that the trial plots which had minimal cultivation held more nutrients and water around the root zone for longer than plots that had been ploughed.

As a result, the minimal cultivated plots recorded a significantly larger nutrient release after fertilisation and higher nutrient availability at the 8cm mark compared to the ploughed plots, and nutrients were held around the rootzone for longer.

By contrast, water quickly drained through

the ploughed soil, leading to a significantly smaller nutrient release at fertilisation and considerably less nutrients available to the plants at 8cm.

Soil temperature was also impacted by the cultivation method with the ploughed soil experiencing much larger temperature changes over the course of the trial.

The ploughed soil froze when air temperatures dipped below zero, whereas those sown under a minimal cultivation system maintained a more stable temperature throughout and did not freeze.

Commenting on the study findings, Paul-Tech Chief Executive Mikk Plakk, described them as ‘fascinating’.

The study is ongoing and will look at the impacts of other regenerative techniques on soil health over a longer period.

Mr Plakk said: “The data from our soil stations clearly shows soil nutrient availability and temperature differences between plots with different cultivation methods.

“For example, the soil in the conventional ploughed plot froze at root level and showed significant temperature differences while the minimal cultivated plots didn’t freeze and temperatures were relatively consistent in the root zone.

“Also, in the minimal cultivated plots, the soil was more effective at holding water, which meant far more nutrients were available at 8cm than was the case in the ploughed plots.

“The findings have a significant bearing on how farmers and growers should be treating

soil. They strongly suggest cultivation methods have the potential to significantly improve soil and plant health while reducing the amount of inputs they need to apply.”

Paul Tech’s soil station combines realtime proprietary sensor data with weather and satellite data to produce agronomic recommendations for farmers and growers, which are reported via an online dashboard.

This empowers them to make more informed decisions about crop inputs and irrigation, leading to better soil health, plant health, yield and cost savings.

The system is in place on commercial farming operations in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe and is being launched in the UK this month.

“Getting access to real-time, high frequency data from the soil station was vital for this study and will be equally valuable for farmers and growers,” Mr Plakk added.

“This level of insight would not be available without the ability to measure water and nutrient movement throughout the soil, which our system has been specifically designed to do.

“As the study continues, we expect to discover further insights into how different cultivation techniques impact on soil health, the environment, and the bottom line.”

The trial is being led by Dr Ruth Wade, Research Fellow at the University of Leeds.

Dr Wade said: “The results coming from this regenerative agriculture plot trial will provide important data on the impacts of different farming systems both on the environment but also for the farm business.”

Appointments to Food and Drink Wales Industry Board Six appointments have been made to an industry board which aims to grow, promote and enhance the reputation of the Welsh food and drink sector.

The members of the Food and Drink Wales Industry Board will engage with the businesses throughout the country and Welsh Government to help see continued growth as Welsh food and drink thrives both at home and abroad. The six appointments are: ◆ Professor David Lloyd, Chair of the Food and Drink Wales Industry Board. Director of the Food Industry Centre, Cardiff Metropolitan University: David began his career in the food industry in the laboratories of a major bakery based in Cardiff. He then worked in various parts of the UK for a variety of major food companies as Technical Director. In his current role, at the Food Industry Centre, David works closely with both the private sector and Welsh Government. He advises on issues affecting the sector and has also influenced the Welsh Government’s Food Policy. ◆ Mrs Alison Lea-Wilson, Deputy Chair of the Food and Drink Wales Industry Board. Joint owner of The Anglesey Sea Salt Co Ltd: In 1997, Alison and her husband David, started the Anglesey Sea Salt Co Ltd. They have built it up and it is now one of the main Welsh food products exported to around 15 countries.

The business has attracted at least 30 awards including gaining 3*** Golds in the Great Taste Awards. ◆ Miss Alison Harvey, Agri Supply Chain Advisor – Rural Advisor Co: Alison has over 15 years’ experience successfully delivering high level customer service, project management, communications, and knowledge exchange across the UK red meat sector. During that time, she has also developed a range of skills and knowledge within the industry, notably in the areas of supply chain management, export and working with farmers from around the UK and New Zealand. ◆ Mr Andy Richardson, Partner – European Food and Farming Partnerships (EFFP): Andy has over 30 years’ experience in the UK food and drink industry. He has worked in commercial roles in the animal feed industry for BOCM PAULS and recently worked for Volac where he was Director of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability. Andy has also co-founded two international collaborations. These are about developing sustainable supply and demand of protein and edible fats. ◆ Mr Graham Black, Non-executive Director, Seafish: Graham also chairs the Seafish Wales Advisory Committee which has representatives from across the seafood supply chain in Wales. Prior to his work in Seafish, Graham was Director of Marine Scotland. ◆ Mrs Valerie Creusailor, Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of Goch and Company: With a career spanning over two decades, Valerie has played a pivotal role in advancing operational efficiency in both private and public sectors. Her proficiency encompasses skills development, team dynamics, and optimising bottom-line performance across various senior managerial roles.

Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths said: “Welsh food and drink continues to go from strength to strength with exports for the sector reaching £797 million in 2022, a record high.

“The members of the industry board bring with them a wealth of experience, expertise and passion to see the sector grow further still."

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NEWS

UK focussed Podcast series

A partnership between Itasca Wines and Vineyard magazine has resulted in the launch of a new Podcast series being shown on Youtube focussing on UK growers and winemakers, with the first episode available to watch from early February.

The Grapevine Podcast was conceived by Mike “MYK” Wood, a radio presenter, producer and media production specialist, in partnership with Itasca Wines founder Malcolm Walker, born from their collaboration on the TV series Cellar Rats. The idea was to produce an industry live, visual “show” instead of a generic audio podcast. The aim is to attract an industry audience as opposed to the general public. The podcast is targeted at the wine industry, vineyard owners, growers and winemakers rather than a “wine tourism” lifestyle audience. Guests will be industry insiders, experts in their chosen fields and disciplines as well as celebrities from the world of wine, steering away from promoting and tasting wine in favour of telling their stories, asking advice and discussing innovations and technology across both the UK and worldwide. Mike commented: “You can't taste or smell wine on TV, so why would you try on a podcast?"

In the first episode – which will also be available to view via Vineyard Magazine’s website – Mike interviews Malcolm Walker, the man behind Itasca Wines. “Malcolm’s journey into wine makes a really interesting story in itself,” commented Jamie McGrorty, publisher of Vineyard Magazine. Many readers will not know that Malcolm has enjoyed a fantastic career in the film industry, starting off as a teenager when he undertook a seven year apprenticeship to work on film set design and construction for feature films. Once his apprenticeship was complete,

YOUTUBE www.youtube.com/@cellarrats SQUARE-INSTAGRAM www.instagram.com/cellar.rats LOCATION-ARROW www.cellarrats.tv

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH VINEYARD MAGAZINE

Malcolm travelled the world searching for filming locations, and in recent years moved into the role of a Director in TV drama working with ITV and BBC. He later ventured into independent work, producing the Cellar Rats TV series. A question that will be on many readers lips is how did Malcolm go from being a film director to becoming the founder of Itasca Wines? That is a question that we are sure Mike will be asking Malcolm in his first podcast!

If you are interested in being interviewed by Mike and featured in one of The Grapevine Podcasts, please get in touch with Mike Wood via the Youtube channel where you can also view the first episode.

Alternatively, please visit the website or connect via Instagram.

Sponsorship

To discuss sponsorship opportunities available on the Podcasts please contact Jamie McGrorty at jamie@vineyardmagazine.co.uk or telephone 01303 233883.

Vintage portfolio completed The Sussex House of Rathfinny is a family-run, grower-producer, focussing on crafting low-intervention, traditional method, vintage sparkling wines with Sussex PDO status.

The 2019 growing season experienced an early start due to record-breaking warm temperatures during late July and August, coupled with a wet end to September and October. Despite the soggy picking conditions, the fruit flourished and produced elegant and pure wines.

New 2019 sparkling wines

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New ‘house-style’ Rathfinny Classic Cuvée 2019 is a blend of 44% Pinot Noir, 41% Chardonnay, 15% Pinot Meunier. It has spent a minimum of 36 months in bottle, brut in style with a low dosage of 4.5g/l. RRP £35.

Rathfinny Blanc de Blancs 2019 is made from a

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

limited production of the very best hand-picked Chardonnay grapes from Rathfinny single-site vineyard in the South Downs of Sussex. It has spent a minimum of 36 months in bottle, brut in style with a low dosage of 3g/l. RRP £49.

The Master's campaign

The 2019 vintage releases coincide with a new brand campaign titled ‘Rathfinny & The Masters’, demonstrating that Rathfinny can only be found in the premium on-trade, independent off-trade

or directly from the Cellar Door.

Completing the portfolio

Rathfinny’s signature wine, Blanc de Noirs 2019 is a wonderfully complex blend of predominantly Pinot Noir with a small quantity of Pinot Meunier. RRP £49.

A fruity favourite, Rosé 2019 is a sublime blend of 60% Pinot Noir, 22% Chardonnay and 18% Pinot Meunier, with the barrel-aged red Pinot Noir. RRP £43.

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WINE REVIEWS

English Bacchus wines tend to be frisky, mischievous, upliſting and restless.

Suppose Bacchus were around today, and he was given the honour of bestowing his name on any grape variety he chose.

Would he plump for a Silvaner, Riesling, Müller Thurgau ‘crisscross’ (my technical term for a convoluted hybrid grape’s genesis)? Given he is the god of winemaking, orchards, fertility, insanity, ritual madness, vegetation, religious ecstasy, and theatre in no particular order and among others, perhaps he might warm to the idea that a ménage à trois was involved in his parturition.

I think he would be thrilled to learn his name was taken by a happy-go-lucky, cheeky, light-hearted variety instead of a sombre, furrowed brow of a grape, like grumpy old Carignan, awkward Grignolino or joyless Pais.

English Bacchus wines tend to be frisky, mischievous, uplifting and restless, while German versions are often more leaden-footed and clunky. I think the raucous, carousing deity would very much enjoy drinking our finest English Bacchus wines at his legendary Bacchanalian festivals while dancing the frenzied Baccheia dance, named after, you know who! And so it is that we, in the UK, who are privileged to think of this knavish tutelary every time we raise a glass of pale, white, herbal, elderflower and lime zest-tinged wine to our lips. Well, I raise my glass to that.

You will already know I am a fully-fledged disciple of Bacchus and all things bacchanalian, having mentioned no fewer than 20 Bacchus-based wines on these pages since Vineyard Magazine’s inception and this week, I have three more stunning wines for your consideration. And don’t just drink these stunning wines on your own – perhaps organise a party, a really good one, and be sure to include some frenzied dancing.

2022 Thorrington Mill Vineyard, Bacchus £20.00 www.thorrringtonmill.co.uk

Ben Smith makes this wine at Itasca Wines, and the fruit comes from the Thorrington Mill vineyard in Essex. One imagines the brief here is to build a more main course-shaped offering because it employs 13% barrel fermentation in neutral oak plus some malolactic fermentation to gather its skirts and boost its mid-palate succulence.

The result is terrific, with none of the green bean or raw nettle notes associated with lesser Bacchus wines. This time, there is a hint of yellow plum and Chinese pear before the flavour rotates towards a more formal, crisply refreshing Bacchus finish. Youthful and energetic, I have a feeling that this wine will evolve nicely over the next twelve months, making it a candidate for both the cellar and the fridge!

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es Juk

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

w

Bacchanalia

Mat h e

2022 Penn Croft, Village Bacchus £19.00 www.penncroftvineyards.com

I am a huge admirer of Ben Smith’s winemaking, and I was privy to an early sample of this wine last August, which looked incredible.

Penn Croft has a pair of Bacchae (not confident of this plural because the internet suggests this means a collection of priestesses) in its portfolio, and Village is the lighter, zestier and more pointedly refreshing of the two. While this wine is not as voluminous as the ‘reserve’ level wine, called Penn Croft Bacchus, without the ‘Village’, it certainly packs a lot of flavour, and the delivery is stunningly controlled and beautifully enticing.

Having tasted legions of Loire whites, Kiwi Savvies and all manner of dry white wines from far-flung corners of the Earth, I cannot find a more sophisticated twenty-quid, complex, multi-faceted, aperitifstyle white wine.

2022 Camel Valley, Atlantic Dry £15.95 www.camelvalley.com www.wadebridgewines.co.uk £16.50 www.ewwines.co.uk £17.99 www.drinkfinder.co.uk

Bacchus is surprisingly adept while working with other varieties, and far from hogging the limelight, it is happy to share responsibilities. Sam Lindo cleverly uses 50% Pinot Blanc to balance the 50% Bacchus perfectly in Atlantic Dry, and I think this is the finest vintage yet of this ever-reliable wine.

Sam’s one-word descriptor of what Pinot Blanc brings to Bacchus’s aromatics and zestiness is ‘poise’. Pinot Blanc calms Bacchus’s hyperactivity, adding a relaxing aura while allowing Bacchus to punch through with discreet spice and ginger hints.

Texturally, this is a satiny-smooth wine which seems incongruous in the world of Bacchus, but it is not such an alien concept given Thorrington Mill’s near-creamy texture. Atlantic Dry shows that the confident progression of a style is a divine right of any wine brand, including those whose backbone is Bacchus, and if that isn’t godly, then nothing is.

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EDITOR'S VISIT

er m r Ed ito

Courting unique excellence

Rebecca Far

Yotes Court in Kent is building for the future from the soil up.

The view from the tasting room at Yotes Court Vineyard is simply stunning and the more time that is spent at this Kentish location the more fascinating it becomes.

Owner Susannah Ricci along with vineyard manager Tony Purdie have between them applied skill, imagination and hard work to make Yotes Court into a flourishing vineyard business, offering a fantastic brand image and producing unique wines with a focus on individuality and exceptional quality.

Susannah Ricci and her husband purchased the Grade I listed Yotes Court more than a decade ago. According to Historic England there are around 500,000 listed buildings in England and of these only 2.5% are deemed so historically significant that they are given a Grade I listing. Other examples of Grade I listings include Vintners Hall London or Dover Castle in Kent. Becoming the caretaker of such an important piece of history brings with it great responsibility and the house and gardens have been lovingly restored. When land adjoining Yotes Court (that had been in fruit production) became available Susannah was sure she wanted that land to continue to be in agricultural production and in a sense connected with the original estate.

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There are several ways that visitors can enjoy Yotes Court Vineyard. From March to October the vineyard is open Wednesday to Sunday offering visitors the chance to book a vineyard tour followed by a structured tasting. “Wine tastings with lunch were very popular before Christmas,” said Susannah. A self guided tasting is also available. The cellar door at Yotes Court means visitors are always able to take home a bottle or two.

From the top of the vineyard looking down across the vines with the Kent countryside and the Bidborough Ridge in the distance it is easy for the visitor to become fully immersed in the experience. The website declares that the ethos at Yotes Court is “unfussy, inclusive and fun” which is a great way to describe the overall feel of Yotes Court and yet beneath that is the sense that the entire team at Yotes Court are striving for even greater excellence both in the vineyard and the whole experience of wine.

In 2016 over 95 acres were planted with 128,000 vines of Pinot Noir Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. “There was a small bit planted in 2017 because that part of the land needed a little green manure to get it up to speed,” explained Tony. At the time this was

the single largest planting of vines in the UK. After purchasing the land Susannah sought the help of experts to help her bring the land into production. It is clear that this decision was based on the idea that Susannah wanted to ensure that the land was used in the best possible way. “I knew I needed to get the right people and ask the right questions,” she said. A vineyard was only one of the possible uses of the land and at the suggestion of Strutt and Parker Susannah consulted Stephen Skelton MW who declared that the site was absolutely perfect for vines.

“Yotes Court was for me, an ideal site for vines. Being below 100m above sea-level, a south-facing slope, well sheltered and frostfree. Added to that was the soil, which had a good ragstone content, aiding drainage and heat retention. The site was mainly divided up into sensible sized blocks for additional shelter. It was planted with a high density of vines which both helps ripening and increases yield. Results to date have been very encouraging,” said Stephen Skelton MW. After advising on varieties and clone selection among other things Stephen put Susannah in touch with vineyard manager Tony Purdie who relocated from New Zealand

EDITOR'S VISIT

Photos: Martin Apps, Countrywide Photographic

Susannah Ricci to Yotes Court and has managed the vineyard since that initial planting.

The working relationship that has built up between Susannah and Tony is one of the reasons for the success and continued development of Yotes Court. Originally the excellent clean fruit grown at Yotes Court was used for traditional method sparkling wine by another Kent producer.

“Key to the operation at Yotes Court is that the site grows amazing grapes,” said Tony.

With this in mind Susannah realised that it was necessary to also create a connection between the vineyard and the finished product. “I didn’t want Tony to get bored,” she said with a smile.

“I tried the still Pinot Gris and the Pinot Blanc from Stopham, and I thought they were so good,” said Susannah. The quality of these wines showed the possibilities for still wine production in England and led Susannah and Tony to begin the vineyard expansion at Yotes

Court. In 2018 the varieties Pinot Blanc and Bacchus were planted and in 2019 Pinot Gris was also planted and there is also a small parcel of Divico vines. The new plantings expanded the area under vine by another 10 acres. This land had previously been planted in a maize and spring wheat rotation and there was also an area planted with apricot trees that were suffering from an infection. “This land is 148m above sea level but the land is too good for arable production,” said Tony. <<

1 77

EDITOR'S VISIT

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The more Tony discusses the ever changing challenges of viticulture in the south east it becomes clear that he loves the puzzle solving nature of growing grapes The balancing act

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11 8

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The decision to make this expansion has allowed Yotes Court to launch both still and sparkling wines under their own label.

The branding of this wine is unusual in that each wine looks like an individual but is also clearly part of the “Yotes Court family,” said Susannah. This is extremely difficult to achieve but is done so seamlessly at Yotes Court that adding a new wine or releasing a limited addition is a natural extension.

For the wine branding Susannah drew inspiration from the race horses she owns and this adds to the feeling of connection that runs across the wines. “The sparkling wines are all named after winning horses and the still wines are all named after racing terms,” she said. Susannah described how her horse ‘LiveLoveLaugh’ was successful at the Topham Chase in 2021 which is one of only three races held over the Grand National Fences but that owing to the pandemic he did not get the traditional winners treatment so to celebrate she named a wine after him.

‘LiveLoveLaugh’ is an early release traditional method sparkling wine made from Pinot Gris grapes. Tony added that this is a fruit driven, easy drinking sparkling wine which was first produced in 2021. It has proved very popular at the cellar door and is sold in pubs and restaurants across London. For the 2022 season the vines required special care to ensure that the grapes maintained the correct balance of sugars and acid whilst holding on to the fruit flavours that make this wine so noticeably different. The secret to

<<

Tony Purdie

this has been canopy management Tony explained. The wine maker is Nick Lane at Defined Wine in Canterbury.

It is clear that the connection to the finished wine is important not just to Susannah and Tony but to the whole team. “In the early years the grapes would leave in our distinctive pink bins and the fruit was excellent; we were really proud of it and it seems sad not to see it return as made wine,” Tony said. “Getting that direct feedback from the customer with people coming back time after time, is just brilliant,” added Susannah.

Standing opposite the visitors car park is a statue of a pink horse with green spots ready to welcome guests to Yotes Court. This statue is a fantastic way to introduce visitors to the brand at Yotes Court but it also serves to show how the atmosphere of understated fun is at the heart of the brand.

Tony laughed as he told the story of the arrival of this pink horse: “Susannah explained that a horse was being delivered to the vineyard and asked me to take responsibility for it. I was a little concerned about this and the horse arrived in a proper horse box but when the back was lowered this horse was all covered in bubble wrap, I wondered if I was supposed to feed it.” The story only serves to underline that fun really is part of vineyard life Yotes Court.

Yotes Court sits on the Greensand Ridge “the ragstone based soil weathers down to sand and clay,” said Tony. “The clay soils contain colloids and this allows the soils to hold onto nutrients that are then plant available, but the best thing about Greensand soils is that they

As far as the team goes we are all really proud of the cellar door and the tasting rooms selling our wines

are free draining, so it is a light friable soil,” Tony explained.

The area has been connected with fruit production for centuries. “We knew a lot of the history of the site and it had been an orchard since the 1930’s," said Tony.

Susannah and Tony had a good relationship with the previous owner, well-known fruit grower Harry Wooldridge and he was enormously helpful in identifying problematic parcels and those that would produce the best fruit.

Tony has worked in Hawkes Bay where providing irrigation in the vineyard is a major part of the viticultural process. “One site I managed was an old river bed with gravel stones and low fertility where we had to give the vines constant water for them to survive,” said Tony, although he was quick to point out that the water was from a renewable source. Describing the soils in England and Wales Tony said: “This is really one of the only countries in the world where the soils still have a good water holding capacity so even in a really dry year the vines can find enough water.”

Tony has been instrumental in the establishment of the WineGB pruning competition which took place at Yotes Court in 2002 and 2023.

The venue for the 2024 competition has not been decided but Tony will once again be part of the judging panel.

“In the formative years you have to be careful about competition from weeds and it is about letting the vines grow into their natural space but once the vines are mature vine balance becomes the focus.

“We could cause over vigour in the vines and reduce crop production.

A vine can be tipped into a vegetative state which can be quite hard to get back from.

“One way to get this balance is to lay a few more buds per metre per vine row and spur pruning will achieve this. Spur pruning will balance the crop load and shoot production. Spur pruning reduces the bunch size and bunch compaction while increasing the skin/juice ratio for quality wine production. Other benefits are a more even bud burst and greater plant available reserves in the trunk and cordon,” Tony explained. <<

19 9

EDITOR'S VISIT << Spur pruning does require more intensive canopy management as this will determine the amount of heat accumulation in the canopy. “Heat is more important than light, the temperature of the bud influences whether bud primordia becomes fruit, tendril, leaf or bud. That is why it is trickier to get big crops in cooler climates,” Tony added. Before anyone started to think this was an easy solution Tony pointed out that in a really hot year it is possible to remove too much leaf which could expose the berries to sunburn but leaving lots of leaf cover can keep acids high in the grapes. The more Tony discusses the ever changing challenges of viticulture in the south east it becomes clear that he loves the puzzle solving nature of growing grapes.

Every year and every season adds to that pool of experience for which there is no substitute.

Tony has a major focus on producing clean fruit and as such he walks through the vineyard everyday. As he explains the processes across the vineyard with such an easy manner it is clear to see why so many people have turned up to undertake pruning in the vineyard on a snowy January day.

“People just love working for Tony,” said Susannah confidentially.

“We have a whole team of retirees who have an amazing array of past careers and they help out at harvest and at pruning,” she added. It is clear that as the vineyard matures

22 0 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 4 | V I N E YA R D

At Yotes Court the aim is for the vines to produce on average 10 tonnes per hectare Yotes Court is also putting down deep roots in the community.

“In the summer we have university students and people who are keen to get outside,” said Tony. “All the people are so passionate about the work they do and the friendships they have created,” Susannah concluded.

At Yotes Court the aim is for the vines to produce on average 10 tonnes per hectare, ensuring that the vineyard is producing enough fruit from a business perspective but also that quality remains exceptionally high.

Adapting pruning techniques as the vines grow is not the only innovation that has been adopted at Yotes Court. When the vines were young to ensure that they were able to develop, herbicides were used, “but now that the vines are established we are heading to a regenerative style of Viticulture. I have been passionate about Sustainable wine growing for many years and we are accredited under the SWGB scheme,” said Tony.

“The best part of the scheme is that they challenge you to continuously implement practices that are beneficial for the whole

ecosystem. Coming from New Zealand the industry really embraced sustainability, but regenerative farming is also about looking after the soils for people who are coming after us.

“Soils are one of those unique things in life that get better with age. Having got the vines established now we have to look after the soils.

“The vines in the areas where the soils had suffered from neglect previously were not happy and there were even a few fatalities in those blocks because the soil biology was not ideal.

“Bare soil is really a killer of soil. The sun heats it and degrades the microbes and of course our vineyard is on a slope and water retention in the soil on a slope is always important. However, as with all things cover cropping has to be undertaken carefully as it is really competition for the vines so you need to be patient. People who are not patient do not make good vineyard managers,” said Tony with a laugh.

“We don’t want a monoculture of cover crops either. We want to get it as diverse as we can but we have had to incorporate organic matter as well. After some trials we have been using Nutragrow which is a pelletised by product of biogas fermentation. This creates a slow release of macro and micro nutrients that are plant available. There is nothing huge so it will not cause vine imbalance,” he added. <<

2 11

EDITOR'S VISIT

Winter grazing of sheep is part of the move to regenerative viticulture at Yotes Court Winter grazing of sheep is part of the move to regenerative viticulture at Yotes Court. Tony was unwilling to use sheep amongst young vines but now the sheep are grazed within 25 hectares of the vineyard.

“Being from New Zealand it is nice to see sheep in the vineyard, they are a great way of nutrient recycling,” he said. “The sheep also clear the ground over the winter allowing for greater airflow which in turn helps protect against frost in the spring,” Tony explained. On the point of regenerative viticulture it is clear that at Yotes Court the aim is to incorporate as many practices as possible but doing this patiently ensuring that each footstep is on a solid foundation.

Talking about pests in the vineyard inevitably raises the subject of SWD but Tony pointed out that one pest that is not seen in the UK is grape vine mealy bug. “I spent 30 years in New Zealand panicking about mealy bug because it is a vector for virus, the whole world has mealy bug problems except the UK,” he said.

Regenerative methods can bring unexpected consequences. Tony explained: “We have found that cut worm caterpillar is now a problem. It doesn’t like bare ground and sterile soils so by planting cover crops and improving soil health, pests that haven't been on one's radar in the past suddenly become a problem.

“Cutworm caterpillars come out in the spring and crawl along the wire and just eat the whole bud away. It is possible to attribute this damage to blind budding which can be caused by many different diseases or to other damage such as deer or birds and because these caterpillars are nocturnal unless you go out at night you will not see just how destructive they are. It is just one more thing to be mindful about.”

“One of the problems in the UK is downy mildew. If you lose your canopy to downy mildew you lose the ability to ripen the fruit. It is important to keep on top of the spray programmes and to monitor. We have 23,000 entries on Sectormentor and we also use Sencrop which is great because if there is a hotspot the weather station can be moved so <<

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

Cutworm caterpillar I can get details about leaf wetness. You really need to be pro-active in this maritime climate. It is easy to get downy mildew in the canopy if you are not vigilant,” Tony explained.

Discussing the 2024 season and what this may mean for the vines Tony said: “We had a cloudy wet summer which produced quite big canopies so the canes we are laying down are quite vigorous. We had an above average heat during flowering in 2023 which is around the time the bunch primordia set so there is the potential for another good season.

The vines are in their ninth season and that means that the root structure is well established, so we can be fairly certain if we have a good initiation the year before we will get a good crop the following year, but there are numerous other factors that will influence this.”

Looking to the future Yotes Court will be releasing a still Chardonnay this summer and in the vineyard Tony is very positive about the potential of Divico as a variety that he has found easy to grow with minimal inputs that also makes great wine.

As the snow falls on my journey down past the vines it is obvious that much has changed at Yotes Court since the initial planting. This beautiful countryside and those who are connected with this vineyard and this brand are taking every opportunity to grow with those vines as they move into maturity taking each new step in a well thought out manner looking to achieve excellence in every way.

EDUCATION

Back in full swing We asked current and former students to tell us their WSET stories.

What are these quotes from Plumpton alumni about? ◆ “It’s that first blind tasting that can really boost your confidence” ◆ “It’s the first time you get to test your palate which is both exciting and daunting” ◆ “It gives a real sense of achievement and validation in the wine world once you succeed” ◆ “It introduces a commonly understood tasting vocabulary for the whole industry.”

WSET exams of course!

Term is back in full swing at Plumpton, and our first-year wine students are prepping for their Level 3 exams. We asked current and former students to tell us their WSET stories.

Sara Chisholm, Second Year Wine Business: “With an ambition to open an English-focused wine tourism business, Plumpton’s teaching of Sparkling Wine at WSET Diploma level has been invaluable in building my confidence and expertise. Lessons are well planned to ensure in-depth pre-reading is broken down into digestible and memorable practical and written exercises, ensuring the sometimes-overwhelming amount of information is brought to life and becomes more easily applicable to the real world!”

Natasha Rompante, Third Year Wine Production: “WSET Level 3 seemed like a natural progression within my studies as well as a requirement in many wine specialist jobs.

What better place to study it than at the UK’s centre of wine excellence. The curriculum was made fun and easily comprehensible.

I now have my WSET Level 3 and a great understanding of the world’s wine regions.”

Alumnus Sally Murphy, who co-owns and manages popular Lewes eatery Squisito told us: “I took my WSETs alongside my Wine Business degree at Plumpton and I’m constantly referring back to the books and tasting sheets today. They helped me when I was working as a sommelier, really being able to bring regions and places to life when explaining them to guests but now it’s really useful within my own business. Teaching my team how to understand wine, and how to taste and begin to help them to pick up the basics with the ever-growing and changing

wine list we have at Squisito. I am also hoping to send some of my team to start their WSET training at Plumpton in the future.”

We even asked Paul Harley, Higher Education Manager and WSET Administrator for his recollections, and some advice for this year’s cohort: “Gosh, you’re asking me to go back over 15 years to when I last sat a WSET exam! Teaching WSET always brings back fond memories of my formative years in the wine trade. The key to success is combining reading chapters from the WSET’s (fantastic) textbook regularly, tasting wine often and participating in the classroom sessions as much as you can. Be confident in your own abilities too, once you’ve studied the course you know far more about wine than you think.”

Photos taken by: School of Port for WSET Diploma Level 3 Fortified Wine Tasting

WSET diploma

Interested in studying a WSET diploma or a undergraduate or postgraduate degree in wine production, business or viticulture and oenology? Visit www.plumpton.ac.uk/wine to find out more.

DESKTOP www.plumpton.ac.uk Envelope wine@plumpton.ac.uk INSTAGRAM @plumptonwine

22 3

DISEASE MANAGEMENT

Natural disease control programme for wine grapes UK grapevine disease management overview.

Disease management is a persistent issue in wine grape growing. At present, disease control is reliant on conventional chemical fungicides, however, these programmes are expensive, ecologically damaging and are experiencing an increase in resistance to key active ingredients. Biopesticides represent an environmentally and financially sustainable solution to this problem.

Biopesticide use is yet to be widely adopted in the sector – but by using them we’ve achieved a high level of broad-spectrum control that is free of the risk of resistance.

All whilst satisfying consumer demand for wines that are produced to a high environmental standard. The following programme outlines how you can protect your crop in an ecologically friendly and low-cost manner to produce high quality wines that keep both the environment and the consumer happy.

Fargro’s ecological spray programme

Our programme combines three biopesticides (Taegro, Romeo, SB Plant Invigorator).

Modes of action

◆ Taegro, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens

strain FZB24 – Bacteria colonises the plant surface and secretes anti-fungal compounds to inhibit establishment of spores.

Product

◆ Romeo, Cerevisane (denatured brewers

yeast) – Denatured yeast cells are recognised as fungus by the plant and elicit natural plant anti-pathogen defences. ◆ SB Plant Invigorator, Mix of ecologically friendly and phyto-safe surfactants – Degrades fungal hyphae and spores.

How does it work?

Starting at BBCH 53 (inflorescence emerging), Taegro is used first to establish a protective population of bacteria on the plant surfaces. This is then alternated weekly with Romeo to prolong the efficacy until the next Taegro application. SB Plant Invigorator is used throughout the spray programme, for its physical mode of action against powdery mildew, to facilitate physical compatibility, and to help with Taegro establishment on the leaf.

Once BBCH 85 (softening of the berries) is reached, Taegro and Romeo are applied together to give strong protection of the grapes as harvest approaches. This is due to increased risk of botrytis when sugar levels are high.

Benefits of programme

◆ Lower cost than conventional programmes ◆ Application is easy and practical ◆ No chemical residues on product ◆ No damage to environment and beneficial

soil life

◆ No exposure of staff to chemical pesticides ◆ Biopesticides that work with natural

plant defences increase levels of desired polyphenols

The programme in practice We trialled the spray programme at a wellknown vineyard in West Sussex in 2023. The spray programme delivered exceptionally high levels of control of powdery mildew, downy mildew and botrytis – performing equally well as the conventional programme in the adjacent rows and blocks. 99.6% of the bunches from the trial were harvested with a loss of only 0.4% to pests, disease and cultural issues combined. ◆ Application area: 0.3ha split evenly across two adjacent fields, 75m elevation, west facing ◆ Crop: Grapevine, variety: Chardonnay ◆ Target application type: Boom spray (tractor mounted) ◆ Spray start date: Week commencing 26.06.2023 ◆ Harvest: Week commencing 02.10.23 ◆ Water rate: 500L/ha Notes: ◆ Apply in tank mix and always add SB Plant Invigorator first ◆ For best results apply in late afternoon/evening ◆ Amount of applications is liable to change depending on development of crop ◆ Programme can be extended should harvest dates change – please be conscious of harvest intervals and application limits on production labels ◆ Two sprays of copper and sulphur were done at the woolly bud stage

Active ingredient

Maximum number of applications

Rate

Harvest interval

Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain FZB24

10

0.37kg/ha

1 day

Cerevisane (denatured brewers yeast)

10

0.25kg/ha

1 day

Mix of ecologically friendly and phyto-safe surfactants

N/A

1ml/l

N/A

If you would like to find out more please contact Fargro Technical Development Manager, Jack Haslam ENVELOPE jack.haslam@fargro.co.uk phone-alt 01903 256856

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DESKTOP www.fargro.co.uk ENVELOPE technical@fargro.co.uk phone-alt 01903 256857

DISEASE MANAGEMENT TEMPLATE SPRAY SCHEDULE START: BBCH 53 (inflorescence emerging) Disease risk

Spray programme week 1

◆

2 3

◆ ◆

◆

7

◆

9

◆

11

◆

13 ---

◆ ◆

◆

12 ◆

◆ ◆

Continue with programme until BCCH 85 (softening of the berries)

14

◆

◆

◆

15

◆

◆

◆

--Harvest

Downy mildew and powdery mildew risk period

◆ ◆

◆

10

◆ ◆

◆

8

◆ ◆

◆

6

◆ ◆

◆

4 5

◆

Use Romeo and Taegro together between BCCH 85 and harvest -

-

Botrytis risk period

-

End of July – clean foliage observed with little sign of powdery or downy mildew, despite pressure from conditions

End of August – disease free developing bunches

End of September – clean bunches ready for harvest Taegro MAPP Number 19204 Romeo MAPP Number 19170. Use plant protection products safely. Always read the label and product information before use.

Further detail on warning symbols and phrases is included on the labels and leaflets.

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

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AGRONOMY DIARY

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Winter actions to mitigate SWD risks

Rob S

Spotted Wind Drosophila (SWD) was a big talking point among many growers at November’s Vineyard & Winery Show, so Hutchinsons agronomist Rob Saunders examines what can be done now to help manage the risks later this season.

SWD is by no means a problem in every vineyard every year, but 2023 saw some significant issues in several vineyards, and not just those in the traditional hotspot areas of south east England.

As we discussed in last October’s issue (http://tinyurl.com/Vineyard-Lessons-learned), warm, humid conditions in early September prompted an explosion in numbers, just at the time many grapes were ripening.

While late summer into early autumn is the main period for SWD damage in grapes, with much depending on the conditions at this time, there are some things growers can do now to help manage the risks.

Deploy winter monitoring

First and foremost is precision monitoring.

Winter may not seem like the obvious time to be looking for SWD, but strategically placed traps are relatively more attractive at this time of year because they are not competing with other food sources, such as cherries, raspberries or blackberries.

Precision monitoring using multiple traps should be placed close to overwintering sites, such as dense hedges and woodland.

Optimum layout is the subject of ongoing research, but red traps appear to be visually attractive to SWD over a distance of 4m, which may provide a clue as to what spacing will be optimum.

Adults do not lay eggs between November and April, but they will fly and feed during mild periods in the winter and spring, with winter survival rates depending on the duration and extent of any cold spells. Various precision monitoring traps are available, from small yoghurt pot size traps that are filled with a lure liquid, to larger reusable units. The choice of trap often comes down to a trade-off between the labour required for maintaining and checking traps, versus the initial cost.

In the summer, monitoring ‘wet’ traps can be tricky though, as you essentially have to

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sort through a vinegary soup looking for drowned fruit flies with spots on their wings.

One alternative is Landseer’s automated SWD monitoring system, called ‘Trapview’. This uses pheromone traps that are equipped with cameras capable of distinguishing drosophila species and are connected to the internet to allow remote monitoring and catch reports.

The system costs around £370 per year but could provide more reliable data and mean less time spent forensically examining trap contents.

Virtual risk forecasts, such as the Omnia pest modelling service, may also be of use for assessing the overall risk level on individual sites.

Establish ‘dead-end hosts’

Another measure that could have a role in the overall SWD management strategy is to establish plants that are know to be attractive to SWD as egg laying sites, yet do not offer suitable conditions for the development of those eggs, either due to natural toxicity or lack of suitability.

Such plants are known as ‘dead-end hosts’, and their potential use in UK soft fruit and cherries has been studied in some detail by Sam Ardin, who worked with the AHDB as an

intern in 2017. After assessing 127 potential plant species, she shortlisted eight plants that offer the most suitability as dead-end hosts in UK conditions. These include: 1. Pyracantha coccinea (Scarlet firethorn) 2. Prunus padus (Bird cherry) 3. Rubia tinctorum (Dyer’s madder) 4. Symphoricarpos x chenaultii (Chenault coralberry) 5. Cotoneaster salicifolius (Willowleaf cotoneaster) 6. Arum maculatum (Lords and ladies) 7. Prunus lusitanica (Portugal laurel) 8. Phytolacca Americana (Pokeberry) She acknowledges that introducing fruiting plants into a habitat could promote bird populations, which might then pose a risk to fruit, but equally, birds may also consume wild fruit that contains SWD eggs and larvae, thereby having a beneficial effect.

The use of dead-end hosts is still a relatively untried approach in the UK though, and further research is needed to ascertain how SWD preference is affected when there is a choice of hosts, how genetic variation influences SWD/host interactions, and how environmental conditions and life history might impact the effectiveness of dead-end host species.

DESKTOP www.hlhltd.co.uk ENVELOPE information@hlhltd.co.uk phone-alt 01945 461177

Pyracantha coccinea

THE TRADITIONAL TRACTOR SHOW SEASON OPENER RETURNS! TICKETS

CLASSIC & Vintage COMMERCIALS

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Is mechanised pruning an option for UK vineyards?

An

THE VINE POST

DESKTOP www.vine-works.com ENVELOPE sales@vine-works.com phone-alt 01273 891777 Pruning is the largest outgoing for time and labour costs during the growing season.

Having worked extensively in Australia and New Zealand, I thought it would be useful to look at how vineyards in these regions keep pruning costs to a minimum utilising mechanisation and whether the UK could benefit from implementing these systems.

Marlborough, New Zealand

Due to the vigorous nature of many of the sites and the varieties grown (70% Sauvignon Blanc), most vineyards are pruned to a vertical shoot positioning (VSP) three to four cane system (David Allen (ed), 2022). According to a November 2022 report, the Marlborough region is experiencing a shift to mechanisation due to the scale of vineyard plantings (27,800 hectares) and the diminishing workforce.

The manual practice of ‘stripping out’ has become somewhat redundant as a machine, manufactured by a company called Klima, is now widely used. This machine has been able to reduce labour inputs by about 40%. The Klima is a front-mounted pruning stripper and mulcher that can operate at speeds between 2 km/hr to 6 km/hr and cover 300 ha/season.

The Klima is most effective when the following four aspects are adhered to: ◆ The wires need to be releasable - anything attaching wires to posts or attached to the wires needs to be released so that the wires can be fed through the Klima’s head; ◆ A small number of skilled pruning staff need to undertake the initial pass making the all-important cane selection and head positioning choices; ◆ The Klima then lifts, extracts wires and surplus material clear of replacement canes stripping and mulching in one pass; and ◆ The fruiting wires are then reattached to the intermediate posts and canes are ready to trim to desired bud number and tie down.

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Barossa Valley, Australia

Barossa Valley, like many wine regions in Australia, relies heavily on the mechanical pruner/barrel pruner to reduce labour inputs.

Spur pruning makes up 80% of vineyard pruning in the Barossa Valley. This style of pruning has been proven to reduce costs. Spur pruning in the Barossa Valley costs roughly $1,600AUD/ha (with pre-pruning) compared to cane pruning at $2,300AUD/ha. Spur pruning is used widely in all regions across Australia, but generally in warmer regions. It is cheaper, easier for inexperienced labour, and creates a more uniform bud break and shoot growth. Australia has other cooler climate regions throughout that are adopting spur pruning to reduce costs and require less labour resources. Yield results from spur pruning on average give a higher bunch number, but the bunches and berries tend to be smaller than cane pruned vines in this region.

Options for UK vineyards

The most commonly used pruning method in the UK is the unilateral (single) or bilateral (double) cane Guyot system. This system is favoured for the ability to prune according to the vigour of the vines. It allows the grower to have better control on overall yield which is important for reaching critical quality parameters in cool climate viticulture. Pre-pruning/barrel pruning is becoming more commonly used in the UK which helps save pruning crews time by cutting shoots between the third and fourth lifting wire position. The Klima method which is widely used in New Zealand in cane pruned vineyards could be an option to reduce labour demands/costs here in the UK. Spur pruning in the UK could be explored in varieties grown for both still and sparkling wine production. Spur pruning is an effective pruning method for most Vinifera varieties and could be a way for growers to save on pruning costs whilst potentially increasing fruit

Photo: Andrew Forgesson, 2023

Spur pruning (Shiraz) – Barossa Valley quality. A study was conducted in Tasmania, Australia (cool climate growing region) looking at Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grape varieties and the differences between cane and spur pruning on yield and overall quality of the fruit.

There was no effect on the total yield for either cultivar in any of the three seasons the study was completed. Total soluble solids and pH were found to be higher in the spur pruned vines over the course of the study (J.E. Jones et al, 2018). The overall results provide confidence that quality is not lessened, in fact could be improved, by shifting from the industry norm of cane pruning to spur pruning.

With the UK wine industry expanding exponentially, it is important to look at potential mechanisation for pruning.

Marlborough and Barossa Valley are two important regions when it comes to innovation within the industry. The practices done within these regions could potentially help the growers who are struggling for labour resources when pruning rolls around each year.

At VineWorks, we believe in the future of the UK wine industry. That is why our team of viticulture experts are always looking for ways to achieve the best outcome for our customers one vine at a time.

References: • Allen, David (ed), www.wine-searcher.com/regions-marlborough#marlborough-sauvignon-blanc-1. 16 Nov 2022

• Jones, J.E., Kerslake, F.L, Dambergs, R.G., Close, D.C. “Spur pruning leads to distinctly different phenolic profiles of base sparkling wines than cane pruning”, 2018. Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, University of Tasmania

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WINE RETAIL

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The evolution of wine retail

adla nd

Today you can find any wine, at any time, wherever you are.

There have been some big news stories in the world of wine retail in recent months. In November, Oddbins closed its bricks and mortar shops. Wine Retail Holdings Limited, which traded as Oddbins, and its sister company, European Food Brokers Limited, went into administration shortly after, leaving more than £3m in debts.

Reporting on the closure, Harpers spoke to the company’s director, Balbir Chatha, who said that they were unable to regain the same level of trade since footfall from office workers and commuters had dropped after lockdown.

"The change in the buying habits of customers during lockdown has been difficult to reverse,” Chatha told Harpers. “We have invested heavily over the last two years but things did not work out to plan. We were hampered by lack of credit leading to pressure on our cash flow along with the increased costs of trading from traditional bricks and mortar sites.”

Oddbins is the latest in a series of big names that have withdrawn from the high street, with brands like Threshers pivoting to focus their energy online. However, online wine retail is clearly no picnic either, with Naked Wines’ CEO Nick Devlin leaving his role in November after a significant underperformance against projections for their online US sales.

Photo: cktravels.com / Shutterstock.com

33 0

Trends in wine retail

I asked industry expert Joe Fattorini for his thoughts on these events: "I suspect this is part of the bumpy shift to "the Digital Shelf". We used to have this binary distinction between online and physical shopping.

But now it's a constant blend. We sometimes discover and explore wines online, and then buy in-store. Or we discover a wine in-store, at a cellar door, or in an independent shop but then buy it online.

"Today you can find any wine, at any time of the day, wherever you are. Instantaneously. Along with every option for buying it. Think of how profound that shift is. And what it used to be like when someone – a sales assistant – was the gatekeeper of the shelf during opening hours, in a store, that you had to go to physically.

"The impact for retailers can be very different. People tend not to buy wine in a multiple grocery chain because it's great wine. It's because they can buy it in the same trolley as lavatory paper and chicken nuggets.

"But we buy from independent and specialist shops and cellar doors because it's part of an experience. And that experience has to compete with other online experiences (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube) and integrate seamlessly with the physical store/winery experience as well as your values and brand.

While other retailers are closing stores, Majestic is opening them. They have opened 15 new stores between November 2020 and November 2023. And with a further +70 potential sites identified across the UK, store expansion remains an important focus "I don't think Oddbins "meant" anything to people any more. And I talk to people who feel Naked doesn't "mean" what it once did to them. That meaning is increasingly created or maintained online. And it's a deliberate process.

"I've three pieces of advice for anyone – a single winery through to a national chain – that will help you succeed in the Digital Shelf era.

1. Go through all your written materials and make sure you use the word "you" at least three times as often as you use the words "I" or "we". It will make your copy better. But it will also fundamentally shift the way your business orients itself to its customers.

2. Get some low-cost insights and help. Shameless plug… that's why I started my Substack and Wine Marketing Masterclass. To give MBA-level insights and tools for $100 a year. But I also often recommend Ana Andjelic's "The Sociology of Business" for insights into modern customer behaviour.

3. Move from thinking of selling a bottle or a case to "lifetime customer value" – retaining and growing a community of customers, rather than simply trying to win individual sales."

Cellar Door

There is little substitute for personal interaction when building lifelong relationships with customers. William Boscawen of Mereworth Wines in Kent is enthusiastic: “This is a rising tide and we’re all scrabbling for brand awareness. There are a million things we can do to try and grab the attention of the evermore informed consumer. Looking at how New World wine businesses started to succeed it is very clear that the really important factor for a small business is the cellar door experience.

“Pushing a wine tourism agenda as a way to direct consumer sales is what works for us. You start to anticipate exactly what a customer is expecting when they come in, and with each visit, you understand more about their behaviour. The cellar door is such an invaluable part of our business, but that’s a game that takes a generation to figure out I think, to build that brand awareness and brand loyalty.”

On the High Street

Majestic is aggressively expanding its brick-and-mortar portfolio – including small format stores in Harpenden, Hertfordshire and Crouch End, London. This expansion has occurred since Majestic split from Naked Wines in December 2019 and won the backing of Fortress Investment Group.

Why is their model working where others are failing? Traditionally, Majestic stores have been located on the periphery of major towns and cities – enjoying larger premises at a lower cost than some of their rivals who are located more centrally. However, the new small format stores suggest a new style retail akin to the proliferation of the supermarket ‘Express’ shop, aimed at convenience and impulse purchasing.

Attractive services like in-store tasting counters, approachable staff, next day delivery and free glass hire, offer value to customers.

Majestic has incorporated a seamless digital offer over the last 20 years. A well-constructed website aids the customer journey, with free click and collect giving an incentive to customers to visit the store.

That ease of use is taken even further with a unique ‘No Quibble Guarantee’, offering a replacement bottle of equivalent value if a customer is unsatisfied.

Majestic’s portfolio of English wine continues to grow, albeit relatively slowly. At the time of writing, they had 30 products available on their website, from 12 different producers. One of them is part of << the Definition range, Majestic’s own label line.

There is little substitute for personal interaction when building lifelong relationships with customers 3 11 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 4 | V I N E YA R D

Independent retail

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I wanted to get a feel for how independent retailers are faring too. I spoke with Robert Boutflower. He is the Private House Sales Director for Tanners Wine Merchants, an independent family wine merchant in Shrewsbury since 1842. I asked how they are prospering in the current climate, and what part English and Welsh wine plays in their operation.

“Current data from The Wine Merchant magazine suggests that many independents, mostly bricks-and-mortar based, are doing fine.

“There’s little doubt that having both a thriving shop/shops backed up by a customerfriendly, integrated website allows a merchant to interact with the customer on the customer’s terms – which is vital. Social media supports both avenues, alongside out-of-hours tastings, and all the other channels to market that you need in any campaign to sell wine. Breadth and flexibility are key.

“We feel that over the last decade, driven by several factors, English and Welsh wines have become a more important part of our range. Obviously, climate change and modern technology, alongside wider recognition from the customer, have improved quality, and thus sales. They are still too expensive when viewed across the wine world as like-for-like value (Tanners Champagne is 30% cheaper than most English Fizz) but the twin effects of ‘buying local’ and ‘supporting UK’ mean that customers will try them, and often buy them.

“Fizz, which copes best with the vagaries of the UK climate, is still the strongest category and the one we headline. Brand leaders have wide appreciation and are increasingly well-made.

From experience, good whites can be made from Solaris in particular, and Chardonnay in good years, and both are saleable.

“In summary, English and Welsh wines do

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

not necessarily sell because they compete on the world stage, other factors push them to be a growing part of any independent merchant’s range. We believe that energy and growth will only continue, and the main boost in the future would be a reduction in tax (duty) to give home-grown produce an edge.”

The digital shelf

One of the limitations of wine retail in the online sphere has previously been the rigid commercialism of it all. Consumers had a purely transactional relationship with online sellers – which does not build loyalty.

More retailers are becoming savvy to the opportunities to use the romance of wine as a way to upsell, which potentially provides a new route to market for English winemakers.

With the increased popularity of recipe box subscriptions and dine-at-home services since lockdown, some retailers are offering wine pairings as add-on items. This gives consumers that sense of curatorship and expertise.

Examples range from high end offerings like Home by Simon Rogan, but are increasingly being seen at more accessible price points, like

the recipe box website Gousto.

Online wine retailer Perfect Cellar offer clients the chance to build a ‘virtual cellar’ where they can save details of their favourite wines and a free app that gives food and wine matching recommendations. Taking the in-person experience from the online offer to the next level, they have also launched a monthly tasting box subscription.

While several tasting subscriptions have come and gone over recent years, this one is unique in offering an on-demand set of tasting notes. They are delivered by Master Sommelier Christopher Delalonde and accessed via Amazon Alexa. The wines are delivered in a letterbox-friendly package of essentially single serve bag in box wine – a 100ml sample of each.

They are good quality, moderately priced wines that will undoubtedly serve to build customer loyalty as people return to the website to order full bottles of their favourites.

This approach offers interesting opportunities for English winemakers to get their product into the hands of interested consumers that they may not otherwise reach.

WINE RETAIL

Weights and measures reforms Some detail in a Government announcement which may be of practical interest to UK vineyards.

The Department for Business and Trade curiously announced at the end of December that ‘pint’ size wine would be “stocked on Britain’s shelves for the first time ever thanks to new freedoms from leaving the European Union.” While this statement filled a lot of column inches and engendered much discussion on social media, it’s clear that the “900 British vineyards set to benefit across the country from new freedoms” were not particularly rocked.

There are many reasons why this headline is an irrelevance. Mainly, the fact that nobody actually makes 568ml-sized bottles for sparkling wine. The bottles would need corks, labels and packaging to fit too. Bottling lines would need to be recalibrated. Furthermore, the discrepancy with EU and other global legislation means that any wine packaged in this format could not be exported.

You would have to be extremely committed to the idea (and have quite deep pockets) to produce an imperial pint of English sparkling wine for retail. It’s not impossible, but it doesn’t seem likely.

Dig a little deeper into the Government’s announcement, however, and there is some detail which may be of practical interest to those 900 vineyards. Most significantly, the closing of the loophole which prevented sparkling wine from being sold in the 500ml measure that was already permitted for still wine.

Ahead of the game

Rathfinny Wine Estate in Sussex is a known champion of this reform, pragmatically seeing four 125ml glasses as the perfect measure for a couple to share. They have been campaigning to be allowed to use 500ml bottles since 2015.

This size can be made using the traditional method where secondary fermentation takes place inside the bottle. The smaller half bottle (375mll) is usually filled by the ‘transfer method’ from a larger vessel, giving a perception of reduced quality and less fizz.

Mark Driver from Rathfinny is delighted that the reform has been introduced: “We have always believed that the 50cl bottle would be

very popular with consumers both in the UK and abroad. It fits perfectly into the current zeitgeist of ‘less, but better’ and encourages responsible drinking and sustainability – and could be a unique selling point both here and abroad for English sparkling wine, especially as Champagne houses have publicly stated they have no interest in the bottle size.”

Rathfinny has already laid down the first batch of their 50cl bottle, called the Rathfinny ‘Mini Cuvee’. Made from the 2020 vintage, the bottles should be available to purchase in 2024.

William Boscawen from Mereworth Wines, Kent is sceptical about how much demand there might be for the diminutive vessels.

He’s waiting to see how things unfold before jumping on this particular bandwagon.

“I’ve never had people ask us for a smaller bottle of sparkling wine, but there is a nice romance to it. Of course, Pol Roger had their pint-sized bottle specially made for Churchill.

But I don’t know what the price point of a smaller bottle format would be, whether or not you’re passing on glassware to the customer more than experience.

“I think the interesting thing is not the size in which it’s packaged, but the size in which it’s poured. You can serve sparkling wine in any way you want because HMRC has never stipulated a measure. Look at James Bond, who drinks champagne from tankards. You can go into private clubs in London and they serve it in a silver tankard, which I think is infinitely more interesting than confusing a customer with a 500ml bottle or even a 568ml bottle.”

wineries too?

Cans are arguably a more sustainable option than glass for single-serve wine. They have a smaller carbon footprint, take up less space to store and are lighter to transport. Cans are also endlessly recyclable.

Wendy Outhwaite of Ambriel is in favour of the change: “Choice is good. We won't personally be doing cans, but I think others should have the freedom to do it, and consumers should be free to choose it if they want it. Cans generally are great for travelling, visiting the beach etc and (speaking as a parent) less likely to be spiked by someone. I also think that younger people drink less and this may be an easy way for them to drink small amounts of stuff that they might like.”

Can the can?

The other possible avenue of interest is the new allowance for still wine to be packaged in 200ml quantities. This opens up the opportunity to use slimline cans, which may be enticing for producers of all sizes. UK sales of canned wine increased from £2.5m in 2018 to almost £15m in mid-2023, suggesting growing consumer acceptance of the format.

Some UK breweries use the services of mobile canners to access the format when they cannot afford the capital investment needed to install a canning line. Perhaps this is an option for

The Rathfinny 50cl 'Mini Cuvee F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 4 | V I N E YA R D

3 33

Quality management starts with machinery

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The management largely depends on which wine we intend to produce, how we manage the pressing and the following winemaking steps. Many UK wineries don’t have a good and efficient set up for machine picked grapes; in most cases, they are trying to adapt the equipment they have which is understandable.

This also means that newly born wineries now have the opportunity to start off on the right foot and get ready with less effort. Efficiency, impacts quality as well as cost.

Low efficiency can be due to a number of factors including but not limited to: lack of space, small or not suitable machines, extended waiting time for the grapes before pressing and lastly, the inability to process a large amount of fruit in the same day.

As a winemaking consultant, I’ve often found myself in wineries where the machinery choice wasn’t made by an experienced winemaker, often by the owners who received advice from the suppliers which can be knowledgeable in their area, but certainly don’t make wine and don’t have a direct contact with the daily challenges relating to many aspects of winemaking.

Pressing logistics

Assuming that most wineries cannot process grapes as fast as the machine pick them; I find the picking logistics and the grape pressing sequence the most important factor when harvesting mechanically.

By choosing the right sequence you manage the skin contact time: phenolic, acidity precursors extraction as well as oxidative reactions. It’s the winemaker’s choice to increase or the decrease the skin contact time, and with machine harvesting this can be done more efficiently than using hand picking.

Machine picked grapes largely arrive to the winery as whole berries; this opens up a “new pressing opportunity” without using a destemmer. The results from whole berry pressing are in between the whole bunch and the crushed fruit pressing with advantages in terms of time/cost and space, including the possibility to separate the free run juice generated by the machine. This juice might not look or taste so good but it’s actually a good base to keep on a cuvée…

If whole berry pressing is not what we’re looking for, then crushing is the most cost and quality efficient way in most cases especially in our cold climate. By crushing, filling the press and draining, we can load about three times more grapes than we could manage to fit as whole bunches.

The long traditional pressing programmes which can take between three and six hours become unnecessary or actually unsuitable for machine picked grapes and we can use fast programmes which take 1.5 to 2.5 hours based on grapes and the technique that we wish to apply while achieving better quality wines.

I’m obviously not against whole bunch pressing and I think we still need to do some of it, I’m just comparing the methods.

I’ve already touched on this subject last February 2023 and I’m not going to talk about the juice management and how machine harvested grapes can produce high quality sparkling wines. What’s certain, the winery

ng Consu lta nt

Machine harvesting is becoming more popular in our young wine country; however, scepticism is still frequent.

This article is designed to be a follow up to and expand on the article published in the February 2023 edition of Vineyard which dealt with machine harvesting and its influence on the quality for still and sparkling wines, what changes in winemaking and three different approaches. To avoid repetitions, if you missed this article, you’re very welcome to ask me a copy or it is available at www.vineyardmagazine.co.uk.

In short, machine harvesting can produce high quality wines both still and sparkling as long as the right criteria and equipment are applied.

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One year later.

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Winemaking with mechanical harvesting

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work changes according to the picking method and the target.

Total acidity and precursors management

Often, we still have to deal with high total acidity in our grapes; this is the main reason why we add sugar at disgorging.

However, it is possible to improve the acidity control by managing the skins differently and then we would be able to release more low or zero sugar added wines and deliver better quality.

Another important benefit is that we can extract and actually transfer aromatic precursors from a juice batch to another according to our pressing sequence and squeezing the suitable skins more than once to also achieve better yields.

As usual, everything needs to be put in the right context and for the right purpose.

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Representing you Working in partnership with Vineyard magazine for a developing UK wine industry.

WineGB is the national trade body representing the vine growers and winemakers of Great Britain from the largest producers to small hobbyists.

Our members work together with the organisation to develop strategy, expertise and marketing opportunities for long-term, sustainable success.

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WineGB harvest report and Christmas coverage Photo: Cat Wilder

36

Just before Christmas, we released our annual Harvest Report with data on the 2023 vintage. We predict that the GB wine industry will produce between 20-22m bottles from the 2023 harvest.

Other key points include: ◆ The harvest was 50% bigger than Britain’s previous record year in 2018. ◆ The top 25% of vineyards recorded an average of 15.60 tonnes/-ha (6.31 tonnes/-acre). ◆ The top four grapes Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Meunier and Bacchus performed exceptionally well, with the average of all vineyards almost reaching 10 tonnes per hectare. ◆ Yields have risen as more vines have been planted. In the last five years alone, hectarage has grown by nearly 75% and hectarage in production today is over 1,000ha higher than in 2018.

Yield data was gathered from WineGB’s members and represents the most comprehensive early study available.

Producers and growers of all sizes, and across the wine growing regions in England and Wales, took part. The report was authored by UK viticulture consultant Stephen Skelton MW. Stephen Skelton MW said: “2023 will be a vintage to remember. The excellent yields are attributed to not only the near perfect weather for grapes at key times of the growing season, but also comes on the back of more hectares than ever before coming into production, having seen nearly 75% growth in plantings in the last five years alone.”

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Nicola Bates, CEO of WineGB, added: “There was a silver lining to our miserable summer, and that is a fantastic season for wine. UK consumers are drinking more and more home produce and at the same time exports are going up especially in the Nordics and Japan.

We look forward to having more wine to present to our growing consumer base.”

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international and regional media in 32 countries. This included 47 nationals including Sky News, the Financial Times, The Times, and the Telegraph.

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KIRKLAND UK

Outstanding reputation While most machinery dealerships work hard to attract new suppliers, Maidstone-based Kirkland UK doesn't face that challenge.

Kirkland UK, which specialises in fruit and vineyard equipment, regularly takes calls from manufacturers who want Kirkland UK to promote, sell and provide reliable after care for their products in the UK. It is a measure of the family business’s outstanding reputation for product knowledge, customer service and after-sales support that it is already the sole importer for around 25 leading brands, and as the area of UK land under vines continues to grow at a seemingly exponential rate, the Kirkland UK team is starting 2024 with a real spring in its step.

Kirkland UK’s ambition has always been to be able to meet the needs of any UK grower for any piece of equipment he or she may need to fulfil any particular task. As owner Scott Worsley explained, it has reached that position by listening to its customers over the past nearly 20 years.

“Our unbeatable product range is a direct result of stocking what

33 8

growers have asked us for,” he said. “On some occasions they don't even know what they want. They just tell us what job they are trying to do and ask us what piece of kit will best help them do it. If we stock something, it’s because somewhere down the line a customer has asked for it.”

It means the growing business can now supply virtually any machine any grower could possibly want, from a specialist tractor to the latest electric machines, drift-free sprayer or fully autonomous vineyard robot.

“With labour availability continuing to be a challenge, growers are increasingly relying on automation, and we are happy to advise them on the best way forward in this developing market,” explained sales << manager Ben Devine.

The growing business can now supply virtually any machine any grower could possibly want

KIRKLAND

Ben Short, Parts Manager After being successfully demonstrated in the field last harvest, the Gregoire grape harvester has become a firm favourite with vineyards, again reflecting its labour-saving potential.

Available either trailed or self-propelled, there is a harvester to suit every grower, and anyone buying one of the machines is given the opportunity to visit Gregoire’s state-of-the-art operators’ training centre.

“Gregoire is a great company with many years’ experience, which makes it an excellent choice when looking at harvesting machines,” said Ben. Running seamlessly alongside the harvester is the D’Eusanio stainless steel grape trailer range that Kirkland imports from Italy and

<<

is available in a range of sizes and options.

With the Gregoire, as with every other piece of equipment sold from Kirkland UK’s well-stocked showroom, the product was thoroughly checked out by the team before being offered for sale. “Customers trust the machinery we recommend because they know we will have already done an extensive amount of homework before agreeing to put our name to it,” explained Scott.

Kirkland UK has always a leading dealer of specialist fruit and vineyard tractors, but a recent reshuffle in the world of Italian manufacturers means the company now has access to a much wider range.

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For more information, see www.freilauber.de or simply scan the QR code.

VINEYARD & ORCHARD EQUIPMENT The new power harrow

With 2024 looking set to be a busy year for the company, Kirkland UK has expanded its sales team A tie-up between Antonio Carraro and Carraro, which has for many years made specialist tractors for other leading brands, means that, as a long term Antonio Carraro importer, Kirkland UK will have access to the whole range of rebadged fruit and vineyard tractors, with Carraro no longer a separate brand.

“We can now supply everything from a basic spray tractor through to a tracked, CVT-equipped model,” explained Ben Devine. It’s great news for us and for our customers.”

With 2024 looking set to be a busy year for the company, Kirkland UK has expanded its sales team by taking on Tom Wheatley as fruit and vineyard machinery sales manager. Well-known in the industry, Tom has worked for a number of other dealerships and comes from farming stock. He grew up in Elham in east Kent, where father Peter kept sheep and grew fruit.

“I was keen to join Kirkland UK to help deliver great service to a growing market and sell a wider range of machinery,” he said.

“These are exciting times for viticulture and I am delighted to be part << of an ambitious and customer-focused family firm.”

For sensitive processing of the inter-row cultivation with two oil-driven heads. The electro-hydraulic system ensures precise scanning for a clean result around the trunk.

LMG with (under) vine stem cleaner

Mounted at the front of the mower, it not only gently removes all the shoots, but it also brushes the weeds under the mower blades.

SMG rotary mower

High drive power combined with extreme blade overcut result in maximum cutting performance even under the most difficult conditions!

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Tom Wheatley, Fruit and Vineyard Sales Manager With many fruit growers now grubbing up at least part of their south-facing orchards to plant vines instead, Kirkland UK’s longstanding links with growers gives them a clear head-start when newcomers to the industry need advice and support.

The company regularly offers not just advice but a ‘starter pack’ of machinery to newcomers to the industry. “We don’t offer a specific ‘bundle’ as we are careful to supply

<<

exactly the right equipment to meet individual requirements, but we can put together a competitively priced tractor, mower, sprayer and undervine weeder package to new entrants, along with as much advice as they need,” said Tom. While selling the right equipment to individual customers is important, after-sales has an equally high priority for the team at Kirkland UK. Issues are rare, but when they

occur, Scott makes it his personal responsibility to put things right, going above and beyond to make sure the customer is happy.

“Our business has been built on longterm relationships and we are determined to continue that ethos,” he commented.

Two full time members of staff, Ben Short and Andy Huthwaite, run the busy parts department, while Dave Allen heads up the experienced service team. <<

Tilly Shephard, Marketing

Andy Huthwaite, Parts Co-ordinator

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UK IMPORTER

Antonio Carraro pride themselves on producing versatile and compact tractors for specialised agriculture. Focusing on the importance of having a compact build, low centre of gravity & equal wheel distribution ensuring the operator has increased stability, comfort and traction especially on rough terrain and steep slopes.

Coming soon are the new range of Carraro Tractors ranging from 75hp-120hp!

KIRKLAND UK, Griffins Farm, Pleasure House info@kirklanduk.com Lane, Maidstone, ME17 3NW

kirklanduk.com

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KIRKLAND UK

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Photos: Martin Apps, Countrywide Photographic

Chris, Service Engineer

While based in the centre of prime grapegrowing country, Kirkland is a UK operation in more than just name. The number of manufacturers that have appointed the company as sole UK importer is a tribute to its national outlook and its ability to look after customers wherever they are. A recent roadshow saw the team visit Scotland, Hereford, Hampshire, Kent and Suffolk, while tie-ups with local dealerships ensure first class after-sales service can be provided nationwide.

Its favoured brands include Friuli, which makes a range of quality sprayers. “We have worked with Friuli for three years and have been impressed with the product range, backup and support,” commented Ben. The Friuli company boss lives on site and has his own vineyard, which means the product has been well tested and does the job effectively and efficiently, while its drift recovery feature means no costly wasted chemicals and less impact on the environment. Also popular with growers is a new top fruit sprayer with hydraulically variable tower height.

After a lengthy period of waiting in the wings caused by EU red tape, Corvus’ welltrumpeted fully electric UTV (utility task vehicle) is now available, with a demonstrator ready and waiting to be put through its paces. The zero-emission UTV is ideal for fruit and vine customers, not just because of its environmental credentials but because it lacks the fumes given off by internal combustion engine-powered variants.

Ilmer is another popular brand with Kirkland UK, offering “an extremely good range of well-built, quality mowers” in the words of Tom Wheatley.

The range runs all the way from a basic rotary mower through to models equipped with hydraulic wings and sensors, while available widths can accommodate everything from a table top strawberry set-up to wider orchard alleyways.

Another recently added brand is the Freilauber range from Germany, which includes a compact, very well built compost spreader available from Kirkland’s stock.

The recently delivered pre-pruner from this range has also proved to be a great success and is being put to good use in a Midlands vineyard.

“With every product we sell, though, the machine is only as good as the backup on offer, and that’s where Kirkland UK continues to excel,” Scott concluded. “The sale is just the start – it’s the quality of our after-sales service that sets us apart.”

SPECIALIST VINEYARD EQUIPMENT

KIRKLAND UK, GRIFFINS FA R M, P LE A S U RE HOUS E LA N E, MA I D S TO N E, ME17 3N W 01622 843013 IN F O@ K I R K LA N D U K .CO M KIRKLANDUK.COM

MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT

VR robotics set to revolutionise UK viticulture

The viticulture sector is set to become the latest industry to benefit from the introduction of cutting-edge virtual reality (VR) robotics technology, thanks to a new innovation programme funded by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

Despite what may appear to be a relatively small number of vineyards (there are over 900 vineyards in the UK), viticulture is the UK’s fastest-growing agricultural sector. Changes in weather and seasonal temperatures have driven production, with exports predicted to be worth as much as £350m by 2040.

Exploring new ways to modernise different agricultural practices is the Farming Innovation Programme, which is funded by DEFRA and delivered in partnership with Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency.

As part of the Farming Futures Automation and Robotics competition, grant funding was awarded to 19 successful projects, announced by Ministers during presentations at the recent Worldwide Agri-Tech Innovation Summit in London.

One of the successful projects will be delivered by Extend Robotics, a tech startup combining consumer VR technology, robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) to make it easier for people and machines to work together in perfect harmony.

The project, titled ‘Integrated Human-Augmented Robotics and Intelligent Sensing Platform for Precision Viticulture’ is a collaboration

between Extend Robotics, Queen Mary University of London and Saffron Grange, an established leading producer of Premium Sparkling Wine in East Anglia. Their combined expertise aims to develop AI-based solutions to enable the robotic automation of tasks such as pruning and harvesting.

With a well-publicised shortage of seasonal workers affecting horticulture which includes viticulture, the project aims to reduce reliance on this form of manual labour. This will reduce labour costs, while cutting emissions and the environmental impact of existing approaches.

Ultimately, the collaboration partners intend for the research project to significantly improve the productivity and sustainability of the UK viticulture industry. This will contribute to the growth of the UK economy and provide the UK a competitive edge in the global market.

Founder and CEO of Extend Robotics, Dr Chang Liu explained: “The viticulture industry in the UK may well be over 1,000 years old, but it has continually moved with the times. This is simply an exciting continuation of that progress.

“Our technology will allow growers to remotely monitor crop health, identify potential issues early on, and take appropriate action. Using AI, they will then be able to automate general tasks and improve the efficiency of their operations over time, resulting in better overall crop quality and higher yields. We’re going to change the face – and future – of viticulture in the UK.”

Vitifruit Equipment Sales and Hire

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 vitifruitequipment@sky.com

 01732 866567

MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT

Kubota and Chouette partner to drive autonomous vineyard innovation Following Kubota Corporation’s investment in Chouette in November 2022, the two businesses are to further strengthen their partnership to develop joint solutions for vineyard automation.

With a focus on advanced equipment and artificial intelligence (AI), Kubota and Chouette aim to support wine producers to overcome some of the current challenges facing the sector, which include labour shortages and issues related to sustainable development.

Chouette, a French-based start-up specialising in precision vineyard management technology, uses advanced sensors and artificial intelligence (AI) to analyse images captured by cameras to detect diseases, tree vigour and specific tree problems, such as frost damage or water stress. Based on data analysis, Chouette’s algorithms can create variable rate application maps and spray volume advice for chemical applications or other necessary treatment.

Kubota is accelerating open innovation through its established Innovation Centres across the World. Innovation Centre Europe’s focus is to build new business innovations in orchard and vineyard production through emerging technologies such as digitalisation,

AI, robotics and autonomous equipment, and advanced sensor technologies.

Since its initial investment, Kubota has been verifying Chouette’s technology with partners, plus growers in Italy and France, and now aims for commercialisation. Both organisations are working together to demonstrate precision farming solutions for vineyards through the Kubota dealership network.

“Through this partnership we aim to provide effective solutions for vineyard customers, for disease intensity detection and the adoption of sustainable farming practices,” said Hervé Gérard-Biard, vice president of business development at Kubota Holdings Europe. “Our approach combines embedded, tractor mounted sensors, mapping and AI-based vine analysis, bringing precise vine care and prescriptive vine treatment possibilities to EU wine producers.”

Embedded sensing enables mapping, disease diagnosis and prescriptive treatment throughout the whole season. Kubota’s vision for healthy vineyards also includes a number of areas of application to be developed in the future, for example vigour mapping and yield prediction.

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

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SPECIALISTS IN NEW AND USED FENDT TRACTORS, AND ESSENTIAL MACHINERY FOR VINE GROWERS.

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PRE-PRUNNER WITH AUTO OPEN #INTELLIGENT MECHANISATION

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44 8 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 4 | V I N E YA R D

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MACHINERY ADVICE AND TIPS

Cla i re Sey m o NP Sey mou r Ltd

When it comes to clearing the vineyard rows of prunings, pulverising or flail mowing in situ is the easiest, most environmentally friendly, and sustainable approach.

Burning the debris pollutes the air and upsets neighbours while removing the canes from the row is time-consuming and an unnecessary use of the labour force.

With the right machinery, pulverising, mulching and shredding prunings can be quick and effective, and is a great way to add humus to the soil.

Designed to deal with heavier working conditions, the Perfect Van Wamel KK mower series will chop prunings up to 10cm in diameter, as well as grass and other vegetation such as weeds and cover crops.

When fitted with the side chutes, the KK mower can then be used to distribute organic matter at the base of the trunks to provide nutrients and act as a blanket barrier to discourage further weed growth.

Those looking for an all-year-round mower which can deal with weeds as well as prunings, should opt for the variable-width Braun Alpha.

This has been designed for mulching prunings, cutting grass, and can also be fitted with Braun’s vine trunk cleaner heads which effectively bud rub and control weeds in the under-vine area, like a strimmer would, without interfering with the soil structure.

Finally, the Variochop shredder from Perfect van Wamel can be

ur

Pulverising vineyard prunings

front-mounted or rear-mounted and gives growers the additional option to adjust the pto speed.

Operators can select between 540rpm, 750rpm or 1,000rpm depending on the positioning of the pulveriser and the capabilities of the tractor. In particular, the 750rpm option will allow operators with larger tractors to drive the machine with a reduced engine speed to limit fuel consumption and improve efficiency.

For more information on pulverisers and other essential vine pruning equipment and machinery please contact NP Seymour on 01580 712200 or via email at sales@npseymour.co.uk

Tim joins the team NP Seymour celebrates 50 years and welcomes Tim Sillence to the team.

The UK’s leading fruit and vine machinery specialist, NP Seymour (which is celebrating its 50th anniversary and 40 years as a Fendt dealer in 2024), has recently appointed Tim Sillence to its sales team.

Tim brings a wealth of hands-on experience operating and demonstrating tractors and machinery within the fruit, vegetable and arable sectors to the family-run dealership.

Commenting on Tim’s appointment, Claire Seymour, Sales Director at NP Seymour, said: “Tim has a fantastic understanding of how things work mechanically, and more importantly, he knows exactly what growers need and expect from their tractors and machinery. Growers trust his opinion, which only comes from years of practical experience.

We’re absolutely thrilled that he’s chosen to join our family-run business.”

"Since my Dad, Nick Seymour, started this

business 50 years ago, NP Seymour has been a leading force in the UK fruit and vine industries.

Many dealerships have expanded into these sectors, but we are true specialists, and our decades of experience mean we understand growers' needs like no one else.

“The addition of Tim to our sales team will further strengthen this and ensure we’re providing our customers with optimal specification Fendt 200 v/f/p tractors and the right specialist fruit and vine machinery for their individual needs.”

Excited to have joined NP Seymour as it celebrates its 50th anniversary and 40 years of being a Fendt dealership, Tim Sillence said: “I’ve always enjoyed going on farm to demonstrate tractors and machinery and to show growers how new concepts and technologies work and what benefit they’ll have, be that saving time or labour, or

Tim Sillence improving crop yields and quality. I’m now looking forward to being able to take this further and guide and advise people on what equipment is going to make a real difference to their operations.”

“I am looking forward to contributing to the continued success of NP Seymour, being part of a team with such a long-standing history and dedicated approach to serving the fruit and vine industries, and most of all, helping our customers achieve their targets with the best machinery solutions.”

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

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Under vine weed control

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MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT

VITIFRUIT EQUIPMENT

Petalmatic Securing good weed control by mechanical means requires very special care performed by very special equipment, it's almost an art form or ballet, pirouetting around the vine trunks.

To achieve good consistent economic weed control requires sensitive yet powerful equipment. Vitifruit Equipment have been selling such tools for over 20 years in the UK and are very happy with customer feedback and experience.

David Sayell commented that it has been Vitifruit's policy to encourage potential customers to try out a machine on a trial or hire but also to try other machines and compare results.

Running three machines of their own for many seasons has shown just how versatile, accurate and reliable the

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Cutmatic Sabre blade and disc Boisselet equipment really is. Its ability to perform tasks with ease and without damage to the vines is mainly thanks to the hydraulic unit which provides the sensitivity and power called the Servo Motor.

The Servo Motor is provided with a universal tool mounting block so that many optional implements can be fitted and swapped around according to the situation in the vineyard, which in practice usually means a choice of the simple "Cutmatic" blade, the powered rotating "Petalmatic plus" blade or the "Filmatic" strimmer.

All these units can be mounted to the tractors front, side or rear and can work to the right of the tractor or left and right or even over the row. More details can be found at: www.boisselet.com

DESKTOP www.vitifruitequipment.co.uk phone-alt 01732 866567 ENVELOPE vitifruitequipment@sky.com F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 4 | V I N E YA R D

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