Vineyard April 2020

VINEYARD for viticulturists in Great Britain ™

APRIL 2020

EDITOR’S VISIT A slice of South Africa in Sussex

MATTHEW JUKES WINE REVIEW Define a generation

IN CONVERSATION Michael Huskins, Dalwood Vineyard

THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX Finding new ways to keep customers happy

VINEYARD CONSULTANTS • Planning Applications

• Site Finding

• Site Aquisition

• Leases

• Grants •

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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 Chaplin vineyard.ed@kelsey.co.uk Studio Manager: Jo Legg jo.legg@kelsey.co.uk Graphic Designer: James Pitchford james.pitchford@kelsey.co.uk ADVERTISEMENT SALES Simon Hyland Talk Media Sales Ltd 01732 445327 Simon.Hyland@talkmediasales.co.uk PHOTOGRAPHER Martin Apps www.countrywidephotographic.co.uk MANAGEMENT CHIEF EXECUTIVE: Steve Wright CHIEF OPERATING Officer: Phil Weeden MANAGING DIRECTOR: Kevin McCormick FINANCE DIRECTOR: Joyce Parker-Sarioglu PUBLISHER: Jamie McGrorty HR & OPERATIONS MANAGER: Charlotte Whittaker RETAIL DIRECTOR: Steve Brown RENEWALS AND PROJECTS MANAGER: Andy Cotton SENIOR SUBSCRIPTION MARKETING MANAGER: Nick McIntosh SENIOR PRINT PRINT PRODUCTION MANAGER: Georgina Harris Print Production Controller: Kelly Orriss DISTRIBUTION Distribution in Great Britain: Marketforce (UK) 2nd Floor, 5 Churchill Place Canary Wharf, London, E14 5HU Tel: 020 3787 9001 PRINTING Precision Colour Print Kelsey Media 2020 © all rights reserved. Kelsey Media is a trading name of Kelsey Publishing Ltd. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden except with permission in writing from the publishers. Note to contributors: articles submitted for consideration by the editor must be the original work of the author and not previously published.

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

NEWS 8 9 10

Majestic closes doors

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Around the world

Collaborative cook book pledged

REGULARS 26

Talk to us!

28

Matthew Jukes’ wine review

Spring is officially here and you’ve been sharing your pictures on social media!

Define a generation.

40

Vineyard-planning and coronavirus

41

The vine post

42

The agronomy diary

44

Representing you

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Optimise postbottling development

Interview with Pierre Denis.

Prepare vineyards properly for best results.

Updates from the industry’s membership organisation.

Total package oxygen

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Wine events postponed

Front cover image: Ovens Farm Vineyard

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CONTENTS Features

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News Coronavirus has hit every person and business in the UK – and wine makers, retailers and drinkers haven’t escaped that.

In conversation Micheal Huskins owns and manages Dalwood vineyard in Devon as part of a co-operative.

Drive through drinks and Pinot in the post When the usual sales channels aren’t available some vineyards have found new ways to keep customers spending.

Editor’s Visit A slice of South Africa in Sussex.

Mannings Heath is a vineyard with high ambitions.

Re b

The Vineyard specialists

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What a month it has been not just for vineyards but the whole country. I’ve got to start with an apology if you’re sick of hearing about Covid-19, it’s not escaped the pages of Vineyard Magazine.

It’s not all bad news luckily, although a few days ago I was worried my first issue as editor might be the gloomiest yet. It has certainly been an unprecedented change to all of our lives but it’s been inspiring to see the vineyards, winemakers and industry bodies pull together in such a difficult time.

As this magazine reaches you, hopefully you’ve taken part in #theBIGenglishwinegoodfriday, or joined a virtual masterclass or vineyard tour – maybe in the UK but even far away in California – or taken on delivering your own wines to local customers so they can stay home and save lives.

I took over from previous editor Victoria Rose at the beginning of March, having just returned from a trip to France myself and therefore putting myself in one of the first isolation groups. Looking back I can’t quite believe how much has happened in four weeks. I’ve been overwhelmed by everyone I’ve spoken to though, especially those who have added home-schooling and a wine delivery service to their already busy lives, and still found the time to be quizzed by me.

It’s not all a bright new future though. For now, vineyards are embracing the opportunities that this new market brings, but for many the sales growth isn’t matching the business lost from vineyard tours or wine tastings – not to mention other business with bars and restaurants that have closed.

The next month ahead will be a more telling one, as we see how long this lockdown will last and how buyers choose to spend, when panic turns to caution.

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COVID-19

Wine events postponed as Covid-19 hits There’s been one unmissable headline in March as coronavirus has hit every person and business in the UK – and wine makers, retailers and drinkers haven’t escaped that.

It’s been a challenging month for events globally, but everything from wine tastings to national conferences have been cancelled or postponed. In unprecedented times, the norm has been tipped on its head. While pubs and bars have been forced to closed, supermarkets and wine merchants have been put under enormous strain both in store and online, and buyers desperate to stock up on wine have been turning to their local vineyards.

The most notable cancellation from the UK wine calendar is the London Wine Fair, planned to take place on 18-20 May, 2020. As the Government increased restrictions on events it became less likely that the show could take place.

The organiser issued a statement on 20 March, which read: “It is with a heavy heart that Hemming Group Ltd is postponing London Wine Fair 2020. It remains inconclusive as to when, or for how long the Government might place restrictions on mass gatherings in the UK. Nonetheless the London Wine Fair team has taken the difficult decision to postpone this much-loved event.

“We are keenly aware that the developing Covid-19 pandemic is putting immense pressure on not only the events industry, but the drinks industry and the hospitality industry. We value our position at the heart of both and will always make decisions with them front of mind.”

The Raw Wine Fair, which was supposed to take place in Covent Garden on 8-9 March also

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had to postpone its event. However, we don’t know when these will take place in the future.

Although some vineyards attempted to keep their doors open for tours and tastings, with social distancing and increased cleaning in place, once Boris Johnson made his announcement on 23 March, it was no longer possible. The following day, social media and inboxes were flooded with cancellations, postponements and offers of delivery services.

The International Wine Challenge (IWC)

also decided to move its judging process to November 2020 and results will be published just before the Christmas trading period.

All existing entries will be transferred automatically to the new judging dates. The IWC aims to process all wines entered in the

coming weeks ahead of a UK lockdown. All wines will then be stored in a temperature controlled wine warehouse until November. The Merchant Awards UK will be judged keeping to the original timeline with an award announcement in July.

Following signs of life returning to normal in mainland China, IWC China will remain open and will be judged in June as planned. More information here: www.iwcchina.com/en Chris Ashton, Director of IWC said: “We have been following UK Government and WHO advice and although the tasting may be small enough to be allowed to run, the fact that the judges come from all over the world makes it too significant a risk to all. Obviously, this is a very difficult situation for everyone and things are changing rapidly. I thank you for your patience and support and hopefully we will all be able to be prepared for when the virus is brought under control.”

©Roger Utting / Shutterstock.com

Majestic forced to close its doors due to unprecedented demand Majestic Wines has closed its doors to walk in customers, and even stopped taking orders the day before the British lockdown began due to unprecedented levels of demand which continued to take its website down intermittently for days.

As the lockdown of the UK has continued, the British public have shown the importance of the wine industry with their spending habits, clearing out supermarket shelves before moving onto online retailers. It’s been felt across the market, with other wine merchants also taking their business offline to deal with vast existing orders.

In a statement, Majestic said: “We currently have a large backlog of orders we are working through, and you will be able to order directly through your local store by email or placing an order online shortly. We will also be keeping our landlines open to each branch, but would ask that this option is only used by vulnerable people and those who are self-isolating.

“We will be providing all staff with personal protective equipment, including latex gloves, facemasks and sanitiser, so that they can continue to fulfil orders safely. We will also be limiting the number of staff to a maximum safe number per store (including delivery drivers).

“We retain the right to close any of our

branches at any point, if we feel it is the safe thing to do.”

Meanwhile, the Wine Society chose to close its business completely, with its CEO Steve Finlan explaining in a statement: “I have taken the decision to stop taking new orders and also to stop making deliveries with immediate effect. The Prime Minister's statement was very clear that the single most important action we can all take in fighting coronavirus is to stay at home in order to protect the NHS and save lives.

“I wholeheartedly support the need to do this and as a result we need our employees to stay at home. Many of our employees are already working from home, but this latest development means that our warehouse and transport operations will now be suspended.

“Many of you will be disappointed and some may not agree with our decision, but it is simply impossible for us to argue that it is worth putting our employees at risk in order to deliver a non-essential service. I believe that this is the responsible action to take right now and I hope that most of you will agree.

I am extremely sorry that this will mean that we are unable to fulfil outstanding orders for the time being. It is uncertain exactly how long this position will prevail.”

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COVID-19

Collaborative cook book pledged for Hospitali‫ ﬚‬Action Top chefs, food and drink producers, and industry insiders from Devon and Cornwall have come together in a show of solidarity in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis, which forced the mass closure of businesses and left the sector and its employees facing an uncertain future.

They have pledged to create a “beautiful digital cookbook to inspire comfort in adversity,” and to make the publication available to all through the JustGiving platform, asking people to give what they can in this time of financial hardship.

The production team describe the cookbook as: “A snapshot of the unique and diverse food and drink culture we have nurtured here in the West Country, and the rich network of chefs, producers and entrepreneurs who together make the region a world-class gourmet destination.”

Each dish will be matched with a suggested drink produced in Devon or Cornwall – the team are enlisting the help of wine merchants, vineyard owners, brewers, coffee roasters, mixologists, distillers and cider makers. A

‘resources’ section will include advice from local growers, foragers and food writers.

Everyone involved is giving their time and expertise free of charge, with all funds going directly to Hospitality Action, a national charity which supports hospitality workers and has launched a Covid-19 Emergency Appeal.

A JustGiving page has been set up and everyone who donates any amount, large or small, will be sent a link to download the cookbook when it is ready.

Mark Lewis, chief executive of Hospitality Action, said: "Our support has never been more urgently needed by so many people as it is now, and we need many more donations if we are to continue supporting people in acute need.

We are therefore hugely grateful to the team behind this project and all the chefs who are supporting them in this wonderful initiative.

On behalf of the people we’ll be able to help through your generosity, thank you."

The cookbook, entitled ‘Comfort’, will feature recipes from chefs including Mitch Tonks, Michael Caines, Nathan Outlaw, Elly Wentworth, Paul Ainsworth, Emily Scott, Ben

Tunnicliffe, Mick Smith, Jude Kereama and Chris Eden; each will be easy for families to prepare at home using local, seasonal produce – with links through to websites where the ingredients can be purchased.

The project is a collaboration between writer Lucy Studley, whose PR and marketing agency Cornwall Content specialises in food and drink; Gabriella Dyson, who is Editor at publisher The Maverick Guide; and experienced food stylist, photographer and designer, Ali Green.

Lucy Studley came up with the idea after speaking to clients devastated at having to close their businesses and tell staff to stay at home.

She explained: “During the last few weeks I’ve been talking to clients every day who are heartbroken at having to close their doors just before Easter – it amounted to a collective cry of anguish. Business owners who faced losing everything repeatedly said to me, ‘if this saves one life it will be worth it.’ I wanted to do something to help – to create a positive story at this dark time and to financially support hospitality workers who face hardship.”

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The BIG English Wine Good Friday Black Chalk winemaker Jacob Leadley sent out an email in March that soon turned into a nationwide wine movement, asking the Great British public to stock up on English or Welsh wine in time for Good Friday.

The concept, he explained, was simple: “If every person in the UK that loves English or Welsh wine bought a bottle direct from their favourite producer, I think we might secure an entire industry and their workforce on one very enjoyable evening.”

This inadvertently evolved into the hashtag #theBIGenglishwinegoodfriday, which has been circulating on Twitter since. The initial missive had been retweeted more than 100 times and received over 250 likes. What started as an early evening musing over a glass of wine, has since escalated into a movement.

Several English wineries and the industry at large began to push that The Big English Wine Good Friday would take place on 10 April from 7pm. A number of winemakers – including Leadly and his assistant winemaker at Black Chalk, Zoe Driver – produced short videos to be released across social media channels, along with tasting notes and commentary posted by wine writers, sommeliers, retailers and other industry figures.

As this publication goes to print, the industry was hoping that momentum would build to encourage consumers to order a bottle of English or Welsh wine either direct from the vineyard or from a retailer or agent in time to enjoy on Good Friday evening. We will have to wait until our next issue to report on whether it managed to secure the industry, though.

Leadly said: “I really didn’t expect this to escalate as it has done. The original tweet seemed to resonate with the industry as I think we are all searching for some positives right now. It has been so encouraging to see all the messages of support from fellow winemakers, such as Charlie Holland (Gusbourne), Brad Greatrix (Nyetimber) and Tony Milanowski (Rathfinny) and everyone else involved in English and Welsh wine.”

Julia Trustram Eve, marketing manager of WineGB, added: “This is a fantastic initiative that’s bringing together and growing a wide community of English wine lovers. It’s also encouraging consumers to shop local and great to see the support that it has already generated from our friends in the industry and trade.

“We wholeheartedly support this initiative and congratulations to Jacob. In fact we will be rolling out more online events such as this on the following Fridays – keeping #Englishwinenight and #theBIGEnglishwinegoodfriday front of mind!”

WineGB has set up a ‘Shop Local’ campaign page for consumers to find vineyards who will deliver direct to their home and which flags up special offers.

Fox & Fox to the rescue with chari‫ ﬚‬wine trio

Proving there is still some sparkle amid the challenges of the Covid-19 outbreak, East Sussex-based boutique wine producer Fox & Fox has launched a trio of sparkling wines that will raise funds for two charities supporting those affected by the crisis.

From each sale of the three-bottle tasting pack called Foxy Rescue Remedy, £10 will be divided equally and donated to The Drinks Trust and the Sussex Community Foundation.

The Drinks Trust, formerly The Benevolent, has launched a new campaign to support sommeliers and bar, restaurant and club staff who are currently unable to work. Meanwhile, the Sussex Community Foundation is providing vital support for local food banks as well as caring for vulnerable people.

“In these difficult times a little of what you fancy does you good and with a charitable donation being made from the sale of every Foxy Rescue Remedy pack, our customers can take comfort in the knowledge that they will also be doing some good and supporting others at the same time,” said Fox & Fox co-founder Jonica Fox. “We have always strived to make delicious wines which

people want to drink. Whether you are buying Fox & Fox for yourself, or as a wonderful gift for someone who may be feeling lonely, worried or isolated at the present time, we hope you will find our East Sussex sparkling wines deliciously distinctive, refreshing and enjoyable.”

Ross Carter, CEO at The Drinks Trust, who has launched a campaign to support the individuals of the UK drinks industry through difficult the weeks ahead, said: “We are now fundraising to help deliver that support and I would like to thank everyone who is supporting us at this difficult time and Fox & Fox for this fantastic initiative.

We will be adding more practical advice and ultimately financial help to those who have lost their jobs.”

Kevin Richmond, CEO at Sussex Community Foundation added: “Sussex Community Foundation is working flat-out to help the small grass-roots charities, including food banks and those that care for vulnerable people, to continue to provide vital help for those in real need in Sussex. There are a lot of people relying on and urgently needing support. We really appreciate every donation to our Sussex Crisis Fund.”

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NEWS

Nyetimber takes tasting online In response to closed tasting rooms and cellar doors, Nyetimber has launched its own virtual masterclasses. These are a series of educational, interactive sessions hosted weekly by a Nyetimber Brand Ambassador.

The first masterclass took place at 7pm on Friday 3 April for the Vine to Bottle Masterclass with Brand Ambassador Julian Kirk. Viewers discovered the secrets of how Nyetimber makes one of the world’s most acclaimed sparkling wines – from planting the vines to opening the bottle and the story in between.

These classes are accessible via Zoom, last around 30 minutes and each session will incorporate live Q&As at the end. Updates on upcoming virtual masterclasses can be found on Nyetimber’s website or social media pages.

Oddbins saga continues as stores close Wine retailer Oddbins has closed its doors, although whether this is forever has been delayed by the Covid-19 outbreak, as it put all its staff on furlough.

Oddbins went into administration more than a year ago, in January 2019, and it was expected to be sold as part of a rescue package at the end

of March. However, on March 24, all staff were issued a letter telling them they were being put on furlough and sent home “until further notice”.

Duff & Phelps had been appointed to handle the administration of corporate entities including Wine Cellar Trading, Whittalls Wine Merchants and EFB Retail, which own Oddbins.

Quoins Vineyard helps couple Escape to the Country Wiltshire grower Quoins Vineyard played its part in helping a couple relocate on BBC television show Escape to the Country.

Owner Alan Chubb has been producing wine for the past 14 years and met with the couple at his vineyard to explain what it takes to grow and become

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certified as organic.

The pair were looking to move from Sweden to Wiltshire, with the aim of starting their own vineyard. Chubb gave them an insight into his processes and challenges, and the show can currently be watched again on BBC iPlayer.

Hattingley Valley has still got it Hampshire-based Hattingley Valley has announced the launch of STILL, its first range of premium still wines.

The family-owned winery specialises in sparkling wines, which have been award winners, but the new 2019 Rosé and 2016 Pinot Noir will be a first.

The range will be limited edition, with a small batch production of 8,000 bottles. The light and elegant wine from the 2019 vintage, STILL Rosé (RRP £14) is made from Pinot Noir Précoce, sourced from prime Kent and Berkshire vineyards and will be released in early April. Using fruit picked just before rainfall, the wine is processed in the saignée method and fermented in stainless steel tanks for five months, giving it a delicate yet vibrant acidity, dry with refreshing notes of red fruit.

Made from 100% Pinot Noir, the 2016 STILL red wine, set to be released later this year, uses only the ripest black grapes picked from the best vines.

Fermented on the skins for two weeks, before being transferred to French oak barrels, where it is aged for a further three years, the full-bodied wine tastes of rich dark berry fruit with notes of smoke.

A small batch production of only 8,000 bottles, the wines will be available to purchase from the winery’s website or select retailers.

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NEWS

Gusbourne launch range of still wines in ‘exceptional year’ Gusbourne Estate in Kent has launched a range of new still wines from a ‘truly exceptional year’.

It said: “At Gusbourne, we only make still wines in truly exceptional years. These special wines are produced in very limited quantities.

Exclusively crafted from grapes selected from our own vineyards, they embody our uniquely singleminded approach to creating the finest English wine.

“This year, we have released new vintages of our Pinot Noir and Chardonnay Guinevere, with new additions to the collection – an 809 clone Chardonnay and a Barrel Selection Pinot Noir due for release soon, alongside our latest Cherry Garden Rosé.”

The Cherry Garden Rosé will be the second vintage of still rosé that the winemaker has produced at Gusbourne, the first debuting last year from the 2018 harvest.

It is crafted from specially selected parcels of Pinot Noir, all from its Cherry Garden vineyard in Kent. Attractively light and pale, the nose is

dominated by wild strawberry and stone fruit, complemented by subtle hints of floral violets and wildflowers. The Cherry Garden Rosé 2019 will be released later this spring, priced at £25 a bottle.

Meanwhile, its Pinot Noir 2018 is soft, yet rich and clean, showing all the classic aromas of ripe strawberry, morello cherry and earthy spiciness.

This wine will be first allocated to Gusbourne Reserved customers and then made available for purchase from our cellar door, The Nest, as well as a selection of on-trade listings. This week for the first time, Gusbourne has also made its Pinot Noir 2018 (£35 a bottle) available for a limited online release.

Finally, it is also releasing a single-vineyard Chardonnay, priced at £25, that is produced from the 809 ‘musque’ Chardonnay clone. This is the first crop of this clonal variety that Gusbourne has used in its wine since it was planted in the Bottom Camp vineyard in Kent during 2015. Chardonnay 809 2018 displays a truly interesting and unique profile of flavours more commonly associated with the Muscat grape.

What winemakers want

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The Wine and Spirit Trade Association has surveyed members to discover what key messages it can deliver to government to support them through the coronavirus crisis.

Almost 95% of companies believe that the Government should suspend excise duty for six months.

However, the WSTA is calling for this deferment to be converted to a duty suspension allowing companies to keep hold of vital funds which will provide the lifeline that keeps them afloat by materially improving their cashflow.

While some alcohol businesses have seen a short-term increase in demand, for others the future looks grim. For example, restaurants, pubs and bars, the wider hospitality sector and its suppliers are selling only very small amounts through deliveries. With no prospect of re-opening anytime soon, there is a real threat that a number of these businesses will not survive.

Responses to our survey revealed huge concerns over cashflow and debt, which have already had

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95%

believe that the Government should suspend excise du‫﬚‬ for six months

an impact on decisions regarding staff retention.

Miles Beale, Chief Executive of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, added: “Another key concern highlighted by members was that taking up government-backed loans would take time, and would risk leaving businesses drowning

in debt at the end of the lockdown period. The impact will be even greater on cash-strapped SME’s with limited access to capital and restricted cashflows.”

Most of the businesses who responded to the survey sell at least some of their goods into the on-trade, and for some companies, this is 100% of their trade. The WSTA is therefore calling on government to look again – and urgently – at access to some of the support it is providing.

Exemption from business rates should be extended immediately to those companies servicing the on-trade, which are just as much a part of the embattled hospitality sector. It’s either that or risk having pubs and bars re-open with no one to supply them.

The survey also revealed that 84% of respondents stated that they also supported the WSTA recommendation to Government for a moratorium on all new legislation, including the proposed Deposit Return Schemes (DRS) and import certificates for wine from the EU.

BUDGET 2020

Industry bodies push the Government for support The 2020 Budget was applauded by the wine industry and its fans early in the month, but the news has been bittersweet as the Coronavirus crisis developed.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced that wine duty would be frozen, some much needed support among difficult times that campaigners had been calling for.

Chairman of WineGB Simon Robinson said: “We are very pleased that the Chancellor has

decided to hold wine duty unchanged this year, which is a fair and welcome support for our growing English and Welsh wine production industry. We will continue to make the case for more targeted relief for small producers and sales at the cellar door which will encourage growth in our industry and generate significant economic benefits (including additional tax revenues) for the UK.”

Miles Beale, Chief Executive of the Wine & Spirit Trade Association, added: “The freeze is a victory for the WSTA’s hard fought campaign which called on government to help cashstrapped consumers by keeping prices down, and to support British businesses entering a new trading landscape.

“We will all raise a glass to the Chancellor, who has recognised that everyone benefits from a freeze, including the Treasury.”

©Cubankite / Shutterstock.com

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Vine-Works Ltd:

Planting the Future of UK Viticulture Planting a new vineyard can be a daunting task! That’s why, from the very beginning, it is important to consult professionals who have a track record in vineyard establishment success. VineWorks Ltd has been at the forefront of vineyard establishment in the UK for over 12 years and has successfully planted over 150 vineyards and well in excess of 4 million vines! Our establishment team consists of degree-level educated viticulturalists and, in conjunction with our partner, planting contractor Ernst Weis, we bring over 50 years’ experience to any new UK project.

It’s important to understand that planting a vineyard is not as straight forward as it sounds. The first step is to conduct a visual site assessment with you. If everything looks positive, the next step would be to undertake a detailed site evaluation, determining soil type, aspect, climatic conditions and so on. From this a suitability report is generated, giving you all the information, you require to make the best decisions for your venture, whether you wish to specialise in still or sparkling wine, produce the wine yourself or become a contract grower. The survey allows us to recommend the right varietals to grow and ripen successfully in your field. We will guide you every step of the way – no question is too simple or silly to ask.

Vine-Works Ltd will guide you through all the necessary preparations required prior to planting, including analysing your soil and recommending any nutrient adjustments. We have over a decade of experience working with the different soil conditions in England. Whether your land is situated over chalk, limestone or sandstone, and is made up of clay, silt, or sand; Vine-Works Ltd

can recommend the appropriate root stock and varietal clones to best suit your site’s unique conditions. Modern viticultural techniques, and our close relationship with our nurseries, allow us to design the vine that will best perform for the duration on your site. Our teams are familiar with working across the country, establishing vineyards on the south coast, (Hampshire, Sussex, Kent…) and beyond – Yorkshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Devon, Wales…

Together, we will calculate your desired planting density and trellising system based on your end objectives. We project manage everything so you’ll always know what’s going on.

Machine planting occurs in April-May every year and we oversee every vine put in the ground, ensuring every vineyard meets our strict quality criteria. Ernst Weis and his team, (our longterm planting partner) has been planting vineyards throughout Germany, Belgium and England for the last 35 years and uses the latest technology available. Vine-Works Ltd are proud to have a dedicated trellising team who have extensive experience in installing cool climate vineyards.

Once your vineyard has been planted and trellised, our Vineyard Establishment department seamlessly hands you over to our Vineyard Management division, who are there to help you every step of the way with a variety of vineyard management options.

Most importantly Vine-Works Ltd will commit to the highest degree of quality and stand behind all its work and products.

Get in touch today! sales@vine-works.com • 01273 891777 • www.vine-works.com

VINES DIRECT LTD

MORE THAN JUST A VINE PLANTING SERVICE A FULL VINEYARD ESTABLISHMENT SERVICE, PROVIDED BY TWO EXPERIENCED VITICULTURISTS PROVEN EXPERTISE IN ALL AREAS OF VITICULTURE – NOT JUST MACHINERY OPERATIONS A new vineyard project is so much more than simply planting grapevines into the soil.

Vines Direct will personally guide you on: Site climatic suitability for viticulture, variety / clone / rootstock suitability, soil amendments & nutrient corrections, supply & installation of trellis system, organise grape supply contracts via our many winery contacts. All based on our own experience and knowledge of what works in cool climate UK growing conditions.

We also provide our own team of ‘in-house’ vineyard labourers – trained by us and fully supervised, for all works post planting.

OUR VINES: We do not simply pass you on to the nursery sales person.

All advice comes directly from Duncan and Volker, based on our years of experience in English viticulture. We have first hand experience in growing all of the vine varieties / clones / rootstocks supplied by our partner nursery, from the 14 different vineyards which are managed

by Duncan McNeill in east Anglia, and on Volker Scheu’s vineyards in Germany . Any advice we provide on clonal selection with regards to yield, disease resistance and fruit quality comes from our own experience and knowledge of what works in the UK climate. This is true viticultural understanding – not just tractor driving!

RESEARCH & OBSERVATION: In partnership with Nursery Volker Freytag, Vines Direct is in a constant loop of information feedback and performance analysis of the clone / rootstock combinations that we offer. Through this long term, ongoing exchange of information with our sole nursery partner, we are continually fine tuning to provide the varietal combinations that will work best for your specific vineyard project.

Vines Direct is not an “overseas contractor”. Since 2006 we have had a base in England and a base in Germany – and always have a planting machine at our Essex headquarters.

Duncan McNeill

Volker Scheu

• 20 years vineyard experience across New Zealand, Germany, England.

• Qualified from Eastern Institute Technology, Hawkes Bay, NZ. • Provides complete management service to 90Ha vineyards on 14 sites in Essex.

• Consultant to major English wine producers.

• Key trainer in the successful Wineskills programme, on topics such as Vineyard Establishment, Pruning, Canopy Management , Soil & Vine Nutrition.

• 35 years vineyard & winery experience.

• 10th Generation wine estate owner in Reinhessen, Germany.

• Qualified ‘Master Of Viticulture & Oenology’ after 7 years study from Weinbauschule Oppenheim, Germany.

• 22 years as vine planting contractor in Germany, UK, Poland, Moldova, Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, Chile, Tunisia.

• Experience of panting into every possible soil type.

• Employed by Wagner to train customers in the field on how to operate the planting machine.

Our history in the English vineyard sector:

NEW VINEYARD ESTABLISHMENT

We have planted close to 4 million vines for numerous clients, including:

The Royal Vineyard at Windsor Castle, Chapel Down, Rathfinny Estate, Greyfriars Estate, New Hall Vineyards, Squerryes Estate, Danbury Ridge, Martins Lane Estate, Crouch Valley, High House Weddings, Pretty Fields Vineyard, Flint Vineyard, Domaine Evremond, Denbies Wine Estate, Laithwaite, Camel Valley, Albury Organic, Lympstone Manor, Oxney Organic, Langham Estate, Saffron Grange Estate, Yotes Court, Burn Valley, Woodchester Valley and many more!

GPS Controlled Vineyard Planting Systems • SITE SELECTION & SITE ASSESSMENT: Correct choice of site is vital in the UK’s northerly winegrowing climate.

CONTACT NOW

• VINEYARD DESIGN: Design of your trellis system and density of plantation is offered as a standard part of our service.

• PRE-PLANTATION ADVICE: All advice and organisation of soil & site preparation works.

• GRAPEVINE SUPPLY: All vines sourced through one partner nursery, Proven vine establishment over many years.

• VARIETIES, CLONES, ROOTSTOCKS: All combinations created to suit your vineyard site and target wine styles.

• PLANTING: Planted by GPS guided machine, accurate to within 8mm.

• TRELLIS MATERIALS: We supply everything, sourced direct from the factory to ensure lowest possible prices!

YOUR VINEYARD WILL BE IN THE GROUND FOR 40 YEARS. GET IT RIGHT FIRST TIME, WITH DUNCAN MCNEILL AND ������NT VOLKER SCHEU OF VINES DIRECT LTD. GPS-Guided vineyard planting services

CONTACT

DUNCAN MCNEILL

CONTACT

ON

07972 668370 OR EMAIL

DUNCAN MCNEILL ON 07972 668370 OR EMAIL NADINE@VINES-DIRECT-LTD.COM DUNCAN@MVM.UK.COM

NEWS

Around the world French vineyards fight frost with fire French vineyard owners have been battling the cold weather with candles, helicopters and hot air blowers to prevent damage to their vines. It’s a concern after the 2017 crop suffered due to late frosts, but one vineyard in Burgundy has been using an interesting technique to proctect the new buds.

Philippe Drouhin, vineyard director of Joseph Drouhin (Côte d´Or) and Drouhin Vaudon (Chablis), explained on Facebook: “Few buds have yet reached a sufficiently sensitive stage. However, in some places (here our Chablis Grands Crus Bougros), protection was triggered by spraying the vines with water the night of 25 March. The picture shows the ice cocoon that protects the bud from negative temperatures.

“In anticipation of cold nights, we are positioning candles in the rows of vines. They are no longer petroleum-based, but based on 100% natural and renewable wax (stearin). Better for the environment, they allow us to improve our techniques to respond as respectfully as possible to the problems we face."

Australian vineyards won’t harvest in 2020

Italian village has its water turned into wine

The flames of the Australian bushfires might have gone out but the problems for vineyards rolls on. Some growers in the Adelaide Hills, Kangaroo Island and parts of New South Wales have had their crops completely destroyed, while many others have found their grapes have absorbed compounds from the bushfire smoke, which taints the wine during fermentation.

At least a dozen Australian winemakers won’t make a vintage in 2020, and Shaw Wines posted on its Instagram: “Our recent testing of our grapes have detected levels of smoke taint that would be obvious to the consumer, so we have made the difficult decision to not harvest our 2020 grape crop.

“Despite the loss of this vintage, we still have lots of amazing wines to share and we look forward to releasing our 2018 and 2019 reds in the near future. They are shaping up to be spectacular!”

Settecani – a village in the north of Italy – woke up to wine pouring from its taps instead of water one morning in March.

The red liquid was Lambrusca wine, a sparkling red produced in the local winery, Cantina Settecani. This is connected to the public water supply, however an unusual valve malfunction during maintenance work meant that the pressure of the wine was higher than the water in the pipes, causing it to be forced into the system.

It took an hour for staff to realise what was happening, enough time for around 1,000 litres of premium Lambrusco Grasparossa Castelvetro DOP to be piped into local homes.

Coronavirus hits South Africa at worst time for vineyards Industry bodies in South Africa have been working with the Government to have agricultural workers classed as “essential” under the country’s Covid-19 lockdown, saving vineyards from being forced to waste this year’s crop.

The amendment was published on 26 March – two days after South Africa went into lockdown – adding that “harvesting and storage activities” are “essential to prevent the wastage of primary agricultural goods”. The industry had warned that if it wasn’t alllowed to continue picking during this time it would result in its collapse However, vineyards are now being stunted by a restriction on the selling and transportation of alcohol during the lockdown, preventing the export of wine.

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A P R I L 2020 | V I N E YA R D

AWARDS

WINE TOURS OF KENT AWARDS

Two awards for wine tour operator Abi! Abi Ireland, owner of Wine Tours of Kent, has won two Kent Women in Business Awards one year after launching the company.

The owner operator and mum was overwhelmed to win both “Entrepreneur” and “Mumpreneur” of the year at the ceremony held on 6 March.

Abi said: "I cannot explain how overjoyed I am to have received these awards. I absolutely love meeting new people and creating memorable days out in the Kent vineyards for my wonderful customers.

“Here’s to the next year being as fun as the last. A huge well done to all the finalists, what a great evening it was!"

Wine Tours of Kent offer guided tours exploring the Kent countryside to discover some of England's award-winning Vineyards and wineries.

TEXSOM AWARDS

English wines praised

TEXSOM INTERNATIONAL WINE AWARDS The International Wine Awards 2020 from the Texas Sommelier Conference – TEXSOM – saw Ashford based winemaker Gusbourne take the top country award for the United Kingdom.

The TEXSOM IWA 2020 results were released early in March, with a range of prizes awarded to wines from England. Gusbourne’s 2015 Rosé took the top prize, but the company from Ashford, Kent, also placed Platinum Medal for its 2014 Blanc de Blancs.

Chapel Down received a Platinum Medal too, for its Rosé Brut NV, with two more wines receiving Silver in the list of only 16 English wines.

TEXSOM was founded in 2005 as the Texas Sommelier Conference by Master Sommeliers James Tidwell and Drew Hendricks to help promote professional wine service standards, outline paths for further beverage education and certification, and raise public awareness about professional standards and certifications for sommeliers.

Of the 16 wines to be awarded, four were awarded Gold from England, including Digby Fine English for its 2010 Brut, Ridgeview for its 2014 Blanc de Noirs, the Bolney Estate for its 2015 Blanc de Blancs, and Hattingly Valley for its Classic Reserve.

A P R I L 2020 | V I N E YA R D

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GRAPE GROWING

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In conversation...

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Michael Huskins owns and manages Dalwood Vineyard in Devon as part of a co-operative. He talks to Vineyard Magazine about learning on the job and working with your friends.

What’s the story of your vineyard?

How does sharing the work between your co-op go?

How did you go from drinking at the pub to actually growing grapes?

How did your first wine turn out?

We all play skittles at the same pub on a Friday night in our local league. We have about a dozen pints in the Tucker’s Arms, throw some balls, and someone chirped up at about 1am “did you know the Romans grew vines on Danes Hill?” and someone else said “oh we should do that”.

Of course, like all good ideas made at 1am tend to fall by the wayside. Except the following week someone brought up another fact and then before you knew it, five of us were planting a vineyard.

We have two who are retired, a builder, a market researcher – I am a cattle geneticist.

I do have a degree in agriculture but was the only one with any formal education when it comes to working anything to do with the soil or farming. We had an eclectic mix of folk. David was sent to Plumpton on a day release for a year. That was in 2008, in 2009 we planted about 11,000 Seyval, in 2010 we planted the Pinot Noir and the Solaris – and that was that. We were five guys who knew nothing about winemaking or vineyards.

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We’ve had some monumental fallouts. For pruning we each get 7,000 vines and away we go. We all rotate the jobs – I look after the vineyard management, all the sales, social media, but I also do all of the spraying and a lot of the actual vine management. Jon does all the trellis work and the mowing, and the other three tend to just float about. When jobs need doing, like winter pruning or bud rubbing, we always get a section each. Every year we stick to our bunch of vines and then the following year we swap round again. No one vine gets the same treatment each year.

Our first wine was made in 2013, which was 100% Seyval. Then we made our first commercial mistake in 2014. In 2013 we put it all into sparkling, and then in 2014 we decided to make all still because we already had 1,600 bottles of sparkling. Then in 2015 they all came on together, the '13 had done 18 months on the lees and I was itching to sell something. As a joke, one of us put it into Decanter and it won a bronze medal – of course we’d sold out in four months. We were all out of sparkling as we’d put all of 2014 into still and had to wait until the 2017 to have more to sell.

What do you think sets your wine apart?

I will be bias but our wines are slightly different to everyone else. Their sparkling tends to be the three nobles and we’re 70% Seyval and 30% Pinot Noir – but we’ve only got 4g Dosage on it so the texture is superb and it’s got a lovely grip to it. It’s more fruit driven than some of the really autolytic sparking wines. There aren’t a lot out there that are comparable.

Our still is 50% Solaris, 30% Madeleine Angevine and 20% Seyval Blanc. This is the first time we’ve used Seyval Blance because 2018 was so warm and the grapes got so much riper, I was afraid it was going to be a little bit flabby. We green harvested a little bit of Seyval and put that in with it to get a bit of acidity.

No one else is doing that blend so it’s totally different.

What’s been the best choice you made in the vineyard?

Not having a one trick pony. No matter what year, it’s very unlikely all four varieties will be a disaster. In 2018 what we did was completely different and we’ve not done it since, we decided to make a Rosé Brut because the Pinot Noir was great and we made more still. That really worked because we were flexible and open-minded enough.

GRAPE GROWING What’s your best lesson learnt?

Always make a still. Firstly, because it gives you turnover of cash and you can sell something at £12 - £15 to pay some bills to then make your flagship sparkling. We’re 10 years in, we haven’t had to subsidise the vineyard for three and we all had some money back last year, so it is standing on its own two feet.

What equipment couldn’t you live without?

Bearing in mind we’re in Devon, we get about 50cm of rain a year, our Lipco sprayer is fantastic. We have a little Gator that’s been an absolute Godsend, that we bought second hand from a golf course. We’re very limited in what we have but if I had to choose one thing it would have to be the sprayer.

How did you end up selling and managing?

Some of the others really don’t want to deal with the public, which is difficult if you’re trying to sell a product. Where my day job involves selling, even though I’m a geneticist it’s for a cattle breading company so requires selling all over the world.

Are you quite technical in your approach to winemaking?

I wouldn’t say we were maverick or technical, I think because we’ve got three varieties and the Pinot, there’s always going to be a year that one shines brighter than the others.

We planted the four varieties, some of them were mistakes. We wanted to be a little different from everybody else, and I think I would never drop Seyval out of our sparkling but we’ve had to learn to work with it. It is more acidic, fruit driven and needs longer on the lees than we first gave it. Once we put Pinot Noir with it, it was like putting laces on shoes. Because we’re small and we only make 6-7,000 bottles, we can mess about. It’s a lot of hard work but it’s not going to break us if it doesn’t work. It means we can be flexible and alter what we want to do.

Are your grapes actually planted on the Roman site?

There’s some ancedotal evidence. The Romans were in this part, the Fosse Way starts about five miles from us and there’s a Roman road about a mile from us, so we do know that this was one of the first parts they colonised. There is evidence – how accurate it actually happened on that site, I’m not sure, but I wouldn’t want the truth to get in the way of a good story. I do tell wine tours that it’s all anecdotal.

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SALES AND MARKETING

Drive through drinks and Pinot in the post When the usual sales channels aren’t available some vineyards have found new ways to keep customers spending at the virtual cellar door.

It’s been a month of learning and one that the UK certainly won’t forget anytime soon. Vineyards have been doing their best to keep revenues coming in during a lockdown and support their communities, with some creative ways to sell wine within social distancing rules.

The length of the lockdown and changes to people’s spending and social

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Simon White runs Ovens Farm Vineyard in Louth, Lincolnshire, with his wife Bridget and has seen a huge spike in demand for his wine – that he happily delivers locally himself – in March.

“We set up the web sales about six months ago in response to requests from customers,” he tells us. “Our main commercial outlet is through Winteringham Fields, a Michelin starred restaurant just north of us. We were getting an awful lot of sales from people who would generally try it on a Saturday night and call us on Sunday morning to buy a case.

“It worked really well for us and a lot of people were asking if they could just buy online to have it delivered. It ticks along as we were doing about a case a week but the majority of our sales were still from the cellar door. When this kicked off, we closed the cellar door for obvious reasons but carried on with online sales and deliveries.

“The only thing we have added locally is personal deliveries. I’ve just dropped a case of wine off with a lady this morning. We delivered locally about nine cases this week, where people have emailed to ask if they can just pick up a case and we’ve said it’s not a problem, we’ll deliver it to you and leave it on the doorstep with an invoice and you can pay us by BACS. “That’s working really well for us because people are talking locally and saying ‘Simon will drop some wine through.’ While people are homeschooling it seems to be quite popular!”

Although sales from the Ovens Farm Vineyard are typically modest, the number of orders had increased dramatically when we spoke just days into the UK-wide lockdown.

“We’re not big sellers, we’re a very small vineyard. We’ve probably gone from an average of one a week to selling six cases,” White said.

“For us that’s a big increase, we have put one or

A P R I L 2020 | V I N E YA R D

habits mean the future is unclear, but Brits have certainly put their money where their mouth is when it comes to stocking their homes with wine.

Vineyard Magazine has been speaking to growers about the changes they have seen when retailing their own cases. Here three vineyards tell their stories – both the good and the bad – of new opportunities since panic buying and the lockdown hit.

Ovens Farm Vineyard, Lincolnshire two posts out on Instagram and Facebook to say we’re doing that. Whether this is short term or continues, I’m not sure.”

However, the closure of restaurants will likely have a knock-on affect for the Whites, with a large portion of their wine being sold to Winteringham Fields in North Lincolnshire.

“Winteringham Fields would normally take eight cases a month from us because it’s one of the wines on its pairing menu and I believe we’re the only white wine you can have by the glass in the restaurant.

“What they do for us is fantastic and we, up until this point, have gained a huge amount of exposure having our wine on their wine list.

People try it blind and then buy it from us by the case, and I think that’s going to start to hurt soon.

We’ve got a lot of stock in store, it is going to be interesting to see how it goes. Personally, we’re in a lucky position that we farm as well and the vineyard is a large hobby on the side of the main

business. What is a concern is the amount of stock, we’re going to start bottling 2019 soon and have a large amount of 2018 still.”

White’s next challenge will be picking, if lockdown continues later into the year.

He explains: “Most of the season I’m fairly happy with because I do most of the work myself. We have a lady who helps with the tucking up and the tying down, which we are hoping can continue as we’re pretty isolated in the vineyard.

“My biggest concern if this continues is the picking. Our pickers are all local volunteers, we don’t pay anyone for picking. We basically put on a nice lunch for everyone and they take home a couple of bottles of wine each at the end of the day. We generally pick for about eight days in total over a six-week period, but we need about 15 people a day for each of those days. I think without the enticement of a good lunch and a social occasion, people might not want to.”

Flint Vineyard, Norfolk Hannah Witchell, owner of Flint Vineyard in Norfolk, took advantage of a quirk of their farm to offer a drive through option for contact free wine collections when the country entered the early stages of movement restrictions and social distancing.

“We’d already decided we were going to sell some wine out of the tasting room window, and we thought we could do a drive through instead of letting people in the shop,” she said. “It’s just the setup of our farm that perfectly allows for a vehicle to drive in through one gate, pass the tasting room window, pick up what they want and then drive a loop. I think it was Juliette who runs our tasting room who came up with the idea as a bit of a joke!

“It was a bit of a different angle on it, and instead of saying we’re selling out of the tasting room window we could call it a drive through. Then we had the idea of offering a 15-mile meal deal, which is sort of what we offer for our lunch – local produce, meats, cheeses and artisan bread. We thought we would offer that paired with one of our wines, and that was the most popular thing – most people wanted that when they arrived.”

Unfortunately, changes to rules about travelling have meant the drive through at Flint Vineyard has closed – for now. It’s proved a popular draw and Hannah thinks it could well return in the future.

“Things have changed a bit since we first did that, we’ve decided it’s probably not ethical to encourage people out of their house. It was incredibly popular though, a lot of people were buying the meal deals as Mothers’ Day presents so they could leave them outside their mums’ doors.

We hadn’t even thought of that but everyone else did!” she said.

“We think that will have to be a bit of a one-off for now, but I think we’ll definitely do it in the future because people loved it. Everyone who drove up said “this is hilarious!” and we had fun doing it. It was nice to do something fun, particularly at the moment.

“We had about 40 cars over the Friday night and Saturday morning.

We’re in a really quiet, rural location so we were really pleased with that.

A lot more people know about our wine now, too, we just put it on social media – in fact it was our most popular post ever on Facebook.”

The wine is still going out though, Witchell continued: “We’re still doing deliveries but I think that’s it for the drive through. I don’t usually take my lead from McDonald’s but as they’ve closed their drive through I don’t think we can really carry on.

“We’ve had our online shop from the beginning but, to be honest, it’s never been a massive part of our business. However, last week we sold a lot of wine!

“We did put out a post saying that we had a Comfort Case where we were selling four bottles of Bacchus and two Charmat in a mixed case. We don’t usually do mixed cases, it’s usually individual bottles, but we sold absolutely loads of them. I’m not sure if it was the fact it was a mixed case or the name, but we had our best ever online sales week last week – better than Christmas.”

Does this mean that Flint Vineyard will be putting more focus on its online sales in future?

“It’s something we might focus on a bit more in the future! We tend to focus a lot on the tasting room and the tours, selling to people who are in front of us, but I think we’ll give the online sales more attention.

“Everything helps at the moment but this is going to have a huge impact on our business. Usually we do very well on a Saturday, we tend to have about 50 people coming on tours. We do one in the morning with lunch and one in the afternoon for six months and we've just expanded our tasting room to double our capacity to put on more midweek tours. It is going to make a massive impact, but I think anything we can do to offset that with online sales will help. There are a lot of businesses in much worse positions though so we’re grateful we’ve got something. It’s strange times but not all bad.”

> Hannah Witchell

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Flint Vineyard @flintvineyard

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You amazing people! We continue to be in awe of the orders coming in and are so thankful to you all. We are 100% with you all in that we're reaching for a glass of wine a little more often at the moment, but the fact that you're choosing to drink our wine at this time is just wonderful and means so much to us. (Ben also used to work in a packing department and is secretly loving getting the orders packed up!)

Exciting new case specials coming this week. Until then, cheers to you all for your amazing support.

Dunleavy Vineyards

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LOCAL WINE AT A DIFFICULT TIME...

If you’re going to buy wine to get you through this horrible time please make sure it’s local and good. Here’s the first viewing of our new Pinot noir rosé 2019 which is now ready to purchase

Nyetimber @Nyetimber

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Our warmest thanks to those who joined the very first #Nyetimber Masterclass this evening with @julesvino. We look forward to welcoming you all next Wednesday 8th April at 7pm for ‘The Three Grapes of Nyetimber’ with @ DearsleyZoe!

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Beacon Down, East Sussex Alice and Paul from Beacon Down Vineyard chose to sell up in London and buy a plot in East Sussex five years ago. Beacon Downs is a family-focussed operation, especially with the kids now home too. The owners still work other jobs outside the vineyard, which has been a bit of a lifeline for them during the lockdown.

They too have seen wine drinkers heading to their website to keep their racks topped up, and a push on their social media accounts has had a positive effect. In response to the lockdown they added a special offer of free delivery for local orders or nationwide for those over £40.

“I’m not sure how unusual it is but both Paul and I have other jobs, we’re not at the stage where we can go full time with the vineyard quite yet,” Alice tells us. “The site is 18 acres, we’ve got three fields, and then about 11 of it is under vine, not including headlands. We’ve got 9,500 vines. On a good year at full production we’re at 10-12,000 bottles. Enough with tours and food to be commercial but we’re not quite there yet.

“Generally, we’ve got two still whites, our sparkling and a medium sweet Reisling, as well.

I think we’re the only people doing a still Reisling in the country.

“Our first ever sparkling wine only came online just before Christmas, so in terms of the volume and building up activity in the vineyard we’re not at full production yet. We only planted in 2015, so to still pay the mortgage and look after our children – that sort of thing – we both have other jobs. From the perspective of we’ll get through it and still pay our bills, we’ll be fine. If we were completely reliant on the vineyard, I think we would be more worried.”

Unfortunately, like many vineyards, the lockdown means that Beacon Down's summer

events have all been cancelled and the vineyard can’t be opened for tours.

“We make a lot of our money at summer events in and around Sussex every weekend.

At all those events we’ll sell a shedload of wine and we really rely on it. It’s a really great way of meeting people we wouldn’t normally engage with. Obviously every single one of those has been cancelled.

“In terms of the online sales, our social media has definitely helped. The online sales have been really good in the last couple of weeks, so I can’t complain about that! It’s just sustaining it in the absence of other income streams over the summer. I feel like in these times there’s a bit of a movement around supporting local shops as well as stocking up in Tescos. We’re definitely seeing the benefit of that.”

Alice is positive about the future and hopes that the restrictions will be lifted enough to allow them to open the vineyard later in the summer.

“The other thing that’s sort of dropped off is we were starting to line-up a couple of export deals. Although we’re not saying these won’t happen, they’ve gone a bit quiet for the time being,” she explains.

“Unfortunately, we’re not eligible for any of the small business grants that are happening because we’re so small we’re not even in the

Ashling Park @ashlingparksparklingwine A glass of Rosé and homemade pizza in the garden, one of the reasons I married him. #stayathome

business rates system. In order to qualify for these grants people are getting of £10,000 or £25,000 you have to be at least eligible for small business rates relief or rural business rates relief.

“The activity we have at the vineyard, a lot of it is off site, and our buildings are agricultural buildings rather than a shop or something like that, so we don’t qualify for those grants that would see us through the summer.”

It might seem fairly gloomy, however, it would be fair to add that our conversation with Beacon Down was in the third week of lockdown compared to the previous vineyards just days in.

The extra demand through its online shop has been a welcome addition, though.

Alice adds: “We planted May 2015, the first harvest was October 2017, so we had our first still wines sort of early summer 2018, a Bacchus and a Pinot Gris, and that’s all we had to sell during 2018. It was around this time that we also added our website and online shop.

“Christmas is obviously really, really busy, we were really keen to get our sparkling online for that, then no one is drinking in January so it’s just awful. We didn’t really do any promotion around Valentine’s Day on social media and we’d expect at this time of year sales to ramp up, but it’s been particularly strong.”

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Ovens Farm Vineyard @ovens_farm_vineyard We will be offering free delivery on all #wine orders for the next month please see our website for further detail

Bolney Estate @bolneyestate DalwoodVineyard @dalwoodwine

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The supermarket shelves maybe empty of good wine, we however are still offering free postage and package all over the UK. We will do a deal on a case of 6 (still, Brut or a mixed case).

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Nationwide free delivery packed up and ready for collection by our couriers Thank you to everyone who has ordered our wines over the last few days – your support means so much to us. We hope you enjoy your wine!

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We’re so pleased that so many of you have been enjoying our fresh produce boxes and we’ve loved reading all your comments.

Following this, we’ve listened to your feedback too and we are now offering free delivery on our produce boxes to all customers within a 10 mile radius of Bolney.

Albury Vineyard @alburyvineyard

Hencote Vineyard

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What a week... at a time when the world seems upside down, we’re trying to find the positives! We’ve been overwhelmed by your support for small local businesses, and it’s great to see everyone coming together. This weekend we launched ‘Wine and Dine In’ with @mandiras_kitchen – delicious Indian freezer meals and a bottle of Albury wine for click and collect or home delivery, and you guys love it! So much so that vineyard owner Nick now has a new role as Surrey delivery boy... Having said that, our hearts go out to the restaurant owners and staff who have had to close their doors... tough times for everyone. If you’re now offering a takeaway service, let us know so we can spread the word.

Stay safe everyone x

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As we welcome in the British Summer, why not treat yourself to one of our special offers. Support local produce - “Think Local, DrinkLocal” To take advantage of these very special offers, go online now. #thinklocaldrinklocal.

Rathfinny Estate @RathfinnyEstate

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Our Winery team unloaded and stacked 10 lorry loads of bottles this week - equivalent to 7 full-sized tennis courts if stood together!

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Spring is officially here and you’ve been sharing your pictures on social media!

Bluestone Vineyards @bluestonevineyards Pruning complete and tying down in full swing!

Wiston Estate @wistonestate

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Extraordinary to think it was this wet only a couple of weeks ago (not to mention what else was different). Here’s Jack – Head of Rural Maintenance – digging a drainage ditch and being greeted by a friendly Gloucester Old Spot on the farm

Whitecastle Vinyard @welshwines The last pruning cut 2020 it has been a long time coming due to the new knee. Mrs M has 500 vines left to clean out and then we will start the big tie down.

Chapel Down @ChapelDownWines

Work still goes on in the #vineyard preparing for this years #vintage2020

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Shotley Vineyard We have a roof #barnbuild

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We love that Spring has arrived. It means we get to appreciate warmer, longer and sunnier evenings. It’s times like this we can learn to take a moment for the small things, and we don’t think we’ll ever tire over a beautiful British sunset overlooking our newest vineyard.

Hencote Vineyard West Street Vineyard

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PROPERTY

Historic land seeks a vineyard partner LEWES

| EAST SUSSEX

A 22.3 hectare plot in the heart of an English wine region has become available for rent, joint venture or profit share agreement.

The owners, Glyndebourne Estate, are looking for expressions of interest through Strutt &

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Parker specialist estate agents. The land has been identified as a suitable plot for a vineyard, located not far from Lewes, in East Sussex.

Glyndebourne Estate offers a fantastic story for someone looking for a new viticulture opportunity.

The historic grounds are home to the Elizabethan manor house and the Glyndebourne Opera House.

However, the owner is not looking to sell, and has stressed this fact, but would be open to a long-term rental, joint venture or similar.

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A rare and exciting opportunity to establish a vineyard at the heart of the English wine region. The Glyndebourne Estate is seeking expressions of interest for approximately 22.3ha of land suitable for viticulture near Lewes. We would be interested to hear from parties who might consider a long term rental, joint venture, profit share arrangement, or similar. The land is not available for sale.

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09/03/2020 16:19

Mat h e

WINE REVIEWS

w es Juk

Define a generation One contract winemaker has impressed with not one but three brand new wines this month.  www.matthewjukes.com paper-plane, admin@vineyardmagazine.co.uk

Henry Sugden asks his clients to inform him and his winemakers what style of wine they would like them to make. This informed style defines the wine that Rob Merrick and Poppy Seeley aim for in the winery and it also helps Henry to back up their vinous alchemy with rafts of business acumen, brand building skills, sales and business management experience and also his invaluable list of contacts. This symbiotic system of collaboration and communication gave rise, in 2018, to Defined Wine Ltd, a contract winemaking business with a difference.

I first met Henry in February this year when he heckled me during a charity wine tasting event I was hosting at Vintners’ Hall in London. I attributed a wine we were all tasting to a pal of mine who is the chief winemaker for a famous Aussie brand and Henry shouted out that, in fact, a chap called Rob Merrick actually ‘made’ the wine. Of course, he was right, because Rob now works for Defined Wine and Henry was extremely familiar with his back catalogue!

I hurried over to Henry between wines to find out who he was. After 25 years in the army and a three-year stint in the City, Henry recognised that there was a shortage of bespoke contract winemaking facilities in the UK and so he summoned up his university wine society skills (he is genuinely a wine lover), moved to Kent and got on with building Defined Wine. He recruited Poppy Seeley MSc from Plumpton, who has worked all over the wine world as assistant winemaker, and superstar chief winemaker Rob Merrick from Australia. The Gandalf of the English wine scene, Owen Elias, consults for this business, popping in each week either to answer tricky questions or simply to nod sagely. Rob has an immense amount of experience in the wine world and yet he had never worked with Bacchus before so Owen was invaluable

from the off. Henry is at pains to point out that his is a super-modern outfit, taking a New World approach to everything from the high level of equipment in the lab to the bespoke winery software systems he employs. Nimble, fast to react and with the ability to make small parcels as well as sizable labels, this is an exciting time for this well organised company. While they have put expansion plans on hold thanks to Covid-19, and its inevitable deep impact on on-trade sales, Henry points out that grape prices might fall this year and so it would be a cunning time to start a new brand if anyone wanted to take the plunge. Ever the prospector, he is right and I think that people might take him up on this challenge. While many of Defined Wine brand owners are doctors, lawyers, bankers and the like, they are all kept up to speed with Zoom-tutorials on all aspects of viticulture and winemaking, which Henry hosts, drawing on expertise from around the world, and so communication with his informed clients is inevitably smooth and rewarding. It means that these clients are inextricably involved in the design of their own bespoke wines.

With this impressive setup it was no surprise that word of mouth referrals resulted in an avalanche of phone calls and there are no less than 23 clients signed up in their very first year of trading. My brief this month was to write up newcomer wines and so I have followed this instruction to the letter with a debut winery and three debut wine labels! The wines overleaf are all first time wines and I tasted all three of them unfinished and unbottled on 2 April so that I could give my readers three genuine ‘scoops’ this month.

Considering that these are all the first release wines/vintages for each of their estates this is a simply stunning trio and I must take my hat off to Henry Sugden, Rob Merrick and Poppy Seeley for their extremely impressive work. Put these brands in your memory banks – these are all wines to watch!

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MATTHEW JUKES Author’s note There are no prices for these wines yet, but do keep your eyes peeled because they are all due on the market in the next few months and I anticipate that they will each be pitched between the £15 and £20-mark.

The vineyard from which these grapes were harvested was only planted four years ago, but these vines are clearly happy and thriving because this wine is drop dead gorgeous.

Wayfarer has set out to only make still wines – a philosophy I applaud in this fizz-filled landscape. Based near Hollingbourne, east of Maidstone, the idea here is to make a serious red wine in due course, but with these youthful vines a rosé was the natural choice in this vintage and it is simply stunning.

The equilibrium between the component elements is exquisite. There is the merest touch of colour and the nose boasts discreet rosehip and blackcurrant sorbet notes. There is a cleansing grapefruit acidity on the finish and I feel that if a rosé of this standard can be made in year one of this vineyard’s life great red wines will inevitably follow. Wayfarer has planted a second vineyard with Ortega, Bacchus and more Pinot Noir and I cannot wait to taste these beauties in the future.

2019 Wayfarer Wines, Pinot Noir Rosé

www.wayfarerwines.com

2019 Heppington Vineyard, Pinot Gris

www.heppingtonvineyard.co.uk The Heppington story starts in the early 19th Century when an ancestor moved to Australia, made wine and brought it back to England whereupon it won an award in 1822!

Clearly, these guys have wine in their blood and so it is great that they have decided to make their still wines at Defined Wine.

The vineyard management at Heppington is something which really impressed the Defined posse and even though Pinot Gris is not destined to be a big production for this estate, I can see it garnering much interest if this wine is anything to go by! With a lovely nose of white pepper spice and ginger lily, which flows into a controlled, mellifluous mid-palate, this is a layered, Alto Adige-style wine as opposed to a skinny, mean Grigio or a chubby Alsatian Gris.

Attractive, zesty and superbly modern this is a vital style of wine for the UK and this debut vintage has nailed it.

Helping your business to grow

2019 Dillions Vineyard, Bacchus

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

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Dillions planted a vineyard in Staplefield last year, so they do not expect to harvest their own grapes until this year, if all goes to plan.

In order to set the scene, they have bought a great parcel of grapes from New Hall so that they can start spreading the word. Rob and Poppy decided to make this wine along the lines of a fine, dry Riesling and this is perhaps why I noted that it has a peculiarly kaleidoscopic flavour. Tasting unlike any Bacchus I have seen before in the UK, Dillions Bacchus proves that new eyes are such a valuable asset in our business. I venture that this wine will convert Bacchus atheists with its unpredictable flavour trail of rhubarb stalks and violets and when I spoke to Rob he referenced his Margaret River upbringing when we spoke about this wine and how he was reminded of some of the Sauvignons from this great region when he tasted this wine.

Fascinating and also memorable, this is another debut from this winery which will have us all on the edge of our seats.

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EDITOR'S VISIT lin or Ed it

A slice of South Africa in Sussex

ecca Ch ap Reb

Mannings Heath is a vineyard with high ambitions of creating the UK’s first golf and wine estate, while sister site Leonardslee Lake & Gardens hopes to produce the first Pinotage in the region.

Rebecca Chaplin finds out about plans to tackle these challenges.

The Mannings Heath Estate is a little patch of South Africa amid the West Sussex countryside – a winning combination for wine, surely?

That’s what Barry Anderson, managing director of Mannings Heath, is hoping. He’s moved his family from South Africa to run the latest string in businesswoman Penny Streeter’s wine making bow. As we talk it’s a year to the day since he joined the company, moving his whole family to live on the estate with a plan to make exceptional English sparkling wine and hopes of the UK’s first Pinotage.

It would be fair to say if this business was a wine, it would be a complex one. It’s both new

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A P R I L 2020 | V I N E YA R D

and old, grounded in two different continents with an absolutely fascinating story. Penny Streeter OBE owns the Benguela Cove Hospitality Group, which runs Benguela Cove Wine Estate in South Africa, Mannings Heath and neighbouring Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens. Her story alone is an astounding one, from being homeless with three children in the early 90s to running a multi-million pound recruitment company and earning an OBE in the New Year’s honours list 2006.

Her relationship with the wine industry began in 2013 though, when she bought Benguela Cove Wine

Estate, explains Barry : “Benguela Cove wine estate was a big residential estate right on the ocean with around 170 acres of vineyard, producing about 500,000 bottles of wine. She bought that and it was her introduction into the wine industry. She fell in love with the industry.

At the same time there was this boom in English sparkling wine.

“She then bought Mannings Heath, the first vines were planted in 2017, with an estimated production of 72,000 bottles of English sparkling wine. The plan was to create the UK’s first golf and wine estate at >> Mannings Heath.

"The first vines were planted in 2017, with an estimated production of 72,000 bottles"

> Penny Streeter OBE plants the first vines at Mannings Heath in 2017 with son Adam (right) and winemaker Johann Fourie (left)

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EDITOR'S VISIT > Adam Streeter, who runs Leonardslee, which is sister site to Mannings Heath

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A P R I L 2020 | V I N E YA R D

<< “Her core business is here in the UK anyway, so she started to look for the ideal property for a vineyard here. That happened to be Mannings Heath, which was two 18-hole golf courses, and they turned one 18-hole into ninehole and a vineyard. She chose the best locations on the property and that happened to be the nine holes where we are now.”

The challenge of two wine estates in different parts of the world would be enough for most people, but that's not the end of the story.

The wine produced at Mannings Heath will be named Leonardslee, after the sister site where another 3.1 acre vineyard is planted.

Leonardslee Lakes & Garden is run by Adam Streeter, Penny’s son. It’s an estate with more than 200 years of history, which had fallen into disrepair.

“In 2018, Penny was looking for a property for her son Adam to buy. She drove past Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens, which had been on the market for years. She jumped over the fence and found these beautiful gardens and old buildings and decided to put an offer in,” said Barry. “She became the proud new owner but it took two years to get it back to its former glory, as it had been left to rack and ruin for about eight years.

“The first vines were planted in 2018 but they officially opened the doors to the public last year.

It’s 3.1 acres and, if all goes well, they will be producing the first Pinotage commercially in the UK. Saying that is a bit tongue in cheek because we don’t know if it will work in the climate.

“We believe it will work because the grape has quite a nice thick skin so it’s not prone to rot, it buds later so hopefully we can get past the bud before it starts to frost, and it’s harvested at quite a low sugar. We’re trying that out in Leonardslee and if it doesn’t work we’ll use that in our sparkling wine production.”

Barry brings with him some fantastic experience of making wine in South Africa, and taking new businesses to success. He’s now moved his family over to live at the Leonardslee estate – a perfect place to be stuck under lockdown, he tells me, surrounded by the historic gardens.

“Penny approached me, what feels like a lifetime ago, but it is really only a year. I was brought on board to look after Mannings Heath as managing director. I decided to make the big move from South Africa to the UK with my family. It’s a huge thing when you’ve been living in a country for 50 years and to lift everything up and move to a new place. My wife is on a British passport and my grandparents were born here so it’s sort of coming home in a way and we absolutely love living here.

“I’ve been involved in two wine companies >> in South Africa, the last one being

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EDITOR'S VISIT << Gabriëlskloof wine estate where I was a director and shareholder. Both wine farms were also start-ups, I worked with them in total for 25 years and, hopefully, this will be my last move to establish the Leonardslee brand.

“I’m very wine focused and that was Penny’s aim, to build a wine brand as well as marketing the Benguela Cove label. That was my brief and I’ve taken on running a golf course alongside that as well! That was the challenge.”

Mannings Heath's first vintage will be 2020, with the wine produced at Wiston, also in West Sussex. Its plan is to build a winery on site – with all the planning permission expected to

34

go through soon – and Barry has ripped up the initial plans to create a building that is in harmony with the stunning surrounding West Sussex countryside.

“I think if you make the commitment to planting vines in the UK, you really need to believe in it because it’s super challenging. We believe in that, and every winemaker will tell you their property is the best property or at least their little bit of terroir, but we believe in West Sussex as a wine growing area – as one of the best areas in the UK. “I think that it’s important to state that Sussex will produce some of the best sparkling wines in the UK. We’ve been following Wiston quite closely because of our connection, and looking at the amazing wines that they’ve produced.

I think on the back of that we were led to West Sussex. That was the area in which Penny was looking to buy for wine production.”

They now have a total of around 40 acres in the UK, with 37 planted at Mannings Heath. Barry says they have the option to grow, but for

now this feels right.

“We’ve got Chardonnay, Pinot noir and Pinot meunier. We know they do well here but we’re learning that certain grapes do better in different areas. We still don’t know exactly but we’ve spread our variations of clones and we have different sites that we will learn from.

“We’re giving the winemaker all of the best tools to be able to make little single batches and learn what works well in the ground. Our winemaker at Benguela Cove, (when it’s quiet

EDITOR'S VISIT

there it’s our season in the UK) will be coming across to assist us during the harvest. As we grow that may change and we’ll get our own full-time winemaker on this side of the globe but that’s the idea at this stage.”

Mannings Heath and Leonardslee will get the benefit of experienced and award-winning wine maker Johann Fourie from Benguela Cove. The South African vineyard gets its name from the Benguela Current flowing up from Antarctica, to cool the grapes at night after warm summer days, irrigated by

above-average rainfall, for slow ripening and perfect viticulture. Mannings Heath shares some of these cool climate traits.

Where some of the differences occur between the Western Cape and West Sussex, Agrii has been able to offer a UK perspective on crop protection - helping to keep their vines disease and pest free.

“Penny wants to have the wine story across all of her properties, and we’d like to be able

to take people from Leonardslee to Mannings Heath on tours. The two sister properties need to work together. The whole property is a 500-acre estate and we offer golf buggy tours, which are very popular. Visitors are taken by buggy to the vineyard and we do wine tastings in the clubhouse. The plan is to start building the winery this year once we can get planning in place. We’d like to start at the back end of this year in time for harvest in 2021.

The first big project for Mannings Heath >> however is its first vintage this year –

A P R I L 2020 | V I N E YA R D

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EDITOR'S VISIT << made more challenging by recent global

developments. “It’s a small vintage that we’ll be producing at Wiston,” Barry said. “We’ll bring it home to age and do all of the other bits. The winery is currently on Mannings Heath – and it’ll remain there, obviously – but we’ll be calling the wine brand Leonardslee. We’re hoping to have the branding ready to show people in the next couple of months. I love that part, it’s the fun part. The hard part is trying to sell it.

“The two sites are separated by three miles but they sit on the same soil types and they’re both south facing. There’s not a huge difference in altitude between the two, however the Leondarslee site is slightly more exposed than Mannings Heath. As well as the Pinotage we’ve got Pinot noir here, so it will be interesting to compare them at the two sites.

“I’m pleased to say the vines on Leonardslee are doing fantastically. If it works and we can make great UK red wine – that will be fabulous.”

The hospitality side of both Mannings Heath and Leonardslee are important for sustaining the business, and with the Covid-19 pandemic they have been forced to close the golf course, tours and tastings – as well as postpone weddings and other events that were supposed to take place.

“Luckily we finished our pruning literally hours before Boris Johnson announced the lockdown.

Unfortunately, we have had to close the gardens at Leonardslee and the golf on the Mannings Heath site. We’re able to continue with the vineyard and the green keeping on the golf course at this stage, albeit with a rather small skeleton staff.

“We currently have our vineyard manager Austin working on his own, and we’re still at the early stages of building our team.

“Our big challenge now will be when it comes to bud rubbing. All our contract staff are from Romania and they’ve all gone back home to be with their families over this period. I actually spoke to them to get an update, they’re very keen to get back but it’s not as easy as that.”

There are some big asks in this business, but Barry sounds confident the grapes can deliver.

He has plans to keep the vineyard running as smoothly as possible, even if the rest of the world is in chaos.

“We’ll use our green keeping and gardening staff from Leonardslee to do all the vineyard work,” he said calmly. “Doing close to 40 acres of vineyard with inexperienced staff is going to be interesting, but at least the vines are two metres apart and perfect for social distancing.”

"It’s a small vintage that we’ll be producing at Wiston"

36

> Benguela Cove winemaker Johann Fourie will join the UK team in the South African low season

A P R I L 2020 | V I N E YA R D

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EDITOR'S VISIT Vineyard facts

◆ Benguela Cove is on the Western Cape of South Africa, about one-hour from Cape Town, its owner has purchased Mannings Heath and neighbouring Leonardslee Lake & Gardens. ◆ Across the two UK sites, there are now 40 acres of vineyard, growing Chardonnay, Pinot noir and Pinot meunier at Mannings Heath and Pinotage at Leonardslee. ◆ Mannings Heath was previously a golf club with two 18-hole courses – now the 500 acre site has converted one to a ninehole, making space for vines. ◆ Leonardslee Lakes & Garden is a 400ha estate with Grade II listing, and now a 3.1 acre vineyard, where they plan to grow Pinotage for the first time in England. ◆ A winery has been designed for the Mannings Heath estate, which they plan to have running for late 2021. ◆ It’s first vintage will be 2020, a sparkling wine made at Wiston. ◆ South African winemaker Johann Fourie will also work on the wines in West Sussex, as well as the Benguela Cove. ◆ Mannings Heath is expected to produce 72,000 bottles when it’s at full production with the wine branded Leonardslee. ◆ Managing director Barry Anderson and owner Penny Streeter OBE chose the best locations, with advice from expert suppliers such as Agrii.

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> Johann and Penny at their established South African vineyard

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PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

The coronavirus outbreak has thrown many vineyards into crisis, but visitor-based revenues will still underpin incomes for many in the longterm, making site-selection ever-more crucial, says Matthew Berryman.

A lot of viticulturists can’t think further ahead than the next week – or even the next day – at present, as they fight to keep businesses afloat in these unprecedented times.

The sector, like the whole country, closed their doors as the nation went into lockdown, with seismic consequences for those relying heavily on visitors and events, such as tourism, tastings, restaurants and weddings.

The Covid-19 crisis is likely to spark some restructuring in the sector, with some business, sadly, unable to survive. Those that do, however, will need visitors more than ever once the country is fully mobile again. This means being in the right location – particularly with regard to national and local planning policies – will be more vital than ever.

Those investing in land suitable for grape-growing have traditionally been forensic in their research when it comes to the agronomic aspects. They’ll seek out south-facing ground, less than 300 feet above sea level, with a low frost risk and free draining soils. They’ll avoid coastal areas and those exposed to strong winds, focusing on high average temperatures and long sunshine hours.

What they’re sometimes less preoccupied with, however, is the local and national planning situation – the minutia of laws, guidance, precedent, politics and even personalities that can determine whether a building proposal gets the thumbs-up or is refused. This is crucial because, when it comes to the commercial success of many enterprises, the potential to utilise and expand existing buildings and indeed erect new ones is almost as important as the quality of the land itself.

Trying to look further ahead to when the land market is fully functioning and active again, one legacy of the coronavirus pandemic – which will impact revenues at even the best-run businesses – will be to make would-be investors even more mindful of the high establishment/launch costs of a foray into the endeavour.

Land suitable for grape-growing was changing hands for between £12,000 and £25,000/acre in 2019, which equates to between two and three-times the value of agricultural land. If you’re spending that sort of money, you need to future-proof yourself by getting the right land in terms of its buildings and infrastructure potential.

This is vital because many of those looking to develop large, resilient businesses and world-beating brands will still be targeting wine processing

and tourism, potentially involving everything from corporate entertainment and weddings to restaurants, tours and tasting facilities.

Such activities – though seemingly diverse – all have one factor in common: they can take the would-be wine entrepreneur directly into planning territory.

And in the beautiful south east of England where I’m based and where many would-be land buyers have been focusing their searches, planning regulations can potentially thwart many an otherwise viable business plan.

The list of designations which might ring alarm bells is long – Green Belts, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Conservation Areas, for starters.

While some building work is allowed under ‘permitted development rights’ (which allow simplified planning applications), much depends on the attitude of the local authority, as well as the scale of the proposed work.

Such permitted development rights are fine if you’re intending to put up a ‘pure’ agriculture building such as an equipment store or a machinery barn, but if it’s intended for a wine-related activity such as tasting, tour-hosting, sales, storage or production, most councils will decree this as non-agricultural, rendering the rights unusable.

There is scope to make what’s known as a ‘Class R’ change, allowing existing agricultural buildings to be put to a ‘flexible commercial use’ which can allow a shop, a restaurant/café or storage, but in many instances a full planning application will be needed.

Many planning officials want, certainly in principle, to support the wine sector – tourism, after all, is great for an area and vineyards are often big employers and a key part of the local produce movement, with all the associated cultural benefits. One would hope that as the sector works hard to get back on its feet following the coronavirus pandemic, planning authorities will be particularly sympathetic and supportive to their proposals.

I’ve argued for many years that permitted development rights should be made more user-friendly for wine producers, but in the meantime, identifying and acquiring sites that tick all the planning boxes will become ever-more essential and ever-more challenging.

For those wishing to enter the sector or expand (and there will be many keen to do so, despite the turmoil caused by Covid-19) becoming familiar with the planning system will become as necessary as understanding the intricacies of agronomy, the art of winemaking or the business of retail.

VINEYARD CONSULTANTS • • • • •

Planning Applications Site Finding Site aquisition Leases Grants

Call Matthew Berryman on 07710 765323 or email matthew@c-l-m.co.uk www.c-l-m.co.uk 40

A P R I L 2020 | V I N E YA R D

Ber r y ma ew n tth

Vineyard-planning and coronavirus

Ma

GRAPE GROWING

The vine post

Pier re D e ni s

Interview with Pierre Denis.

At Vine-Works we choose our suppliers with extreme caution, ensuring the products are of the highest quality and the company matches our own values and ethos. This is exactly the case with the nurseries where we source our vines from. We caught up with our good friend and long-standing colleague, Pierre Denis, whose family run Tourette nursery in France.

Tell us about your family’s history in the vine industry

They have always been involved in nurseries and propagating vines. I am the 4th generation of the family to run the business. When Phylloxera struck the French wine industry in the 1860s and American rootstock was identified as resistant, several nurserymen were approached in the region to cultivate these rootstocks and graft onto varieties. Amongst these pioneers was my Great Grandfather!

How did you become involved in the UK wine industry?

My cousin was working in London in 2008 and I had read positive articles about the emerging English wine industry. I arranged a trip for one week to see her and also spend time visiting prospective vineyards in the UK to see if they would be interested in a supply of vines. I managed to sell some that year to Nyetimber as one of my first customers here and I’ve been busy selling vines in the UK ever since.

What are the most common varieties bought for the UK market?

We supply predominantly clones of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier for traditional method sparkling. We also supply small quantities of Pinot Noir Precoce for still winemaking as well as recently approved in France disease resistant varietals, such as

Floreal, Artaban, Vidoc, Souvignier Gris etc.

Not are all suitable for the UK but it is a very interesting area!

What are the challenges you face?

Weather, weather and weather!

How has the UK wine industry changed from your perspective?

Aside from the growth in the number of hectares, the major difference is the increase in knowledge of growers and producers.

There is a better understanding of ground preparation, site selection, soil and rootstock compatibility. Contrary to France the UK is not afraid to employ and import this knowledge from other wine growing regions around the world in the form of experienced vineyard managers.

What is your favourite/least favourite part of the process?

Least favourite: Dealing with the impact of bad weather.

Favourite: After planting the nursery each year when the fields quickly all turn a sea of green! You know that all your hard work was worth it!

How has technology helped in graſting vines/determining rootstocks?

The use of machines has helped in several aspects of the process to improve productivity and consistency, things like tractors, forklifts and telehandlers. But for the most part the process has remained unchanged over the decades and is still heavily reliant on hand labour. For example, all our planting is done by hand, there is still no planting machine that can plant as densely as we require!

How do you manage to predict demand 1-2 years in advance?

It’s difficult! But we graft mainly based upon our previous sales as an indicator. As long as we produce excellent quality each year and keep our customers happy, we will always sell our vines. As long as there is good demand for wines in France there will be demand for vines. What is difficult to predict is large ad-hoc orders from large, emerging wine regions such as the UK!

What do you think of English wines?

I think the quality of the sparkling wines is excellent and this has been achieved in a short period of time which makes it more remarkable.

I do however think that sometimes it can be a bit expensive, which can be prohibitive to new customers. I also look forward to the UK finding its still red varietal, I’ve tried many red wines from the UK over the years but still think you need to find the correct variety.

Where do you see the UK wine industry in 10 years’ time?

Like the Ardéche wine region, where we are based, 8,000ha!

Vine-Works would like to say a huge ongoing thank you to Pierre Denis and his family. We look forward to continuing to work together and exploring the options for different varieties being planted in the UK!

 www.vine-works.com paper-plane, sales@vine-works.com  01273 891777 A P R I L 2020 | V I N E YA R D

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AGRONOMY

Rob S

ders un

Agronomy diary

Ch

Nutrient levels are inherently variable, but after a wet winter, soil testing is particularly worthwhile to determine the extent of any leaching losses. Nitrate losses are expected, but soil available nitrogen is not the easiest to test for and quantify.

Phosphate and potash are key to root development in new vines, so ensure soils are at Index 3.

Nutrients have to be readily available to plants when needed, so remember some applied fertilisers take time to be converted into an available form (e.g. urea is converted to ammonia then nitrate - only nitrate can be taken into roots). Nutrients also take time to move through the soil profile and become available for root uptake.

Foliar magnesium applied as soon as enough leaf area has emerged is a routine requirement, as magnesium is key to chlorophyll production, and some rootstocks – notably SO4 - seem poor at accessing magnesium in the soil. Remember, mancozeb applied for early Phomopsis control will also contribute manganese to the leaf.

Tissue testing is a proven way of identifying nutrient deficiencies before symptoms are seen and petiole analysis should be done at early flowering to determine future foliar nutrient applications. Results typically take less than five working days and will highlight any sub-clinical

42

per Coo

Nutrition

nutrient deficiency before becoming apparent in the leaf, allowing extra time for remedial treatment.

Soil structure

Vines are susceptible to waterlogging, so good drainage is essential, as is removing compaction which inhibits water infiltration and restricts root growth. Land being planted with new vines should be subsoiled where necessary and cultivated to 25cm depth to produce a clod-free fine tilth.

Adding PAS100 compost or other organic manures before planting can improve structure and build fertility on more “hungry” soils, while sowing a low-vigour mix (e.g. Hutchinsons’ Low Maintenance Red Fescue, or Hard Wearing grass blends) down alleyways after planting vines protects soil structure, adds organic matter, aids drainage and reduces mowing passes.

Hutchinsons also has access to faster-growing mixes, and if you have access to ‘cut-and-throw’ machinery, mowings can be thrown onto the bare strip under vines to break down, adding nutrients and structure.

Bare surfaces are prone to capping, erosion, nutrient leaching and ingress by competitive weeds.

Weed and disease control New vines don’t like weed competition for light and nutrients, which slows establishment and delays production.

Weeds under established vines must also be managed, as they allow damp microclimates to establish below vines, increasing mildew and botrytis risk.

Controlling perennial weeds like thistles, nettles, docks and couch grass is therefore vital.

For those spraying ground before planting, remember residues from herbicides based on sulfonylureas, and to a lesser extent 2,4 D, can affect establishment, so allow sufficient time between spraying and planting for actives to be broken down. If unsure consult your advisor.

Glyphosate and carfentrazone can be used closer to planting and around established vines.

Applying a biodegradable mulch based on potato/maize starch for ground cover around the base of vines offers effective non-chemical weed suppression. Unlike plastic grow tubes which can trap air, increasing frost or heat damage, vines remain open to the elements making spraying and pruning straightforward. We are seeing good results from the product, although the mulch is lasting beyond its two-year life expectancy.

Early disease control focusses on controlling Phomopsis, the mildews and trunk diseases.

Phomopsis & Downy Mildew risk can be managed with an effective dose of mancozeb, while several fungicides offer Powdery Mildew activity.

Trunk diseases are a particular risk where large cuts were made over winter, and vines should be treated with early sprays containing tebuconazole in co-formulation with sulphur or trifloxystrobin.

 www.hlhltd.co.uk paper-plane information@hlhltd.co.uk  01945 461177 A P R I L 2020 | V I N E YA R D

r

is

Prepare vineyards properly for best results.

Whether planting new vines or managing a well-established vineyard, good site preparation makes all the difference for the season ahead, as Hutchinsons’ Rob Saunders and Chris Cooper explain.

The French phrase “Terroir” describes the uniqueness the landscape brings to wine flavour, and many factors influence this, including site selection, topography and soil.

Correct soil management, nutrition and weed control are important in all vineyards to bring out site characteristic flavours in the grapes.

Understanding your soil’s health, biodiversity, nutrient status and structure, plus issues like compaction, acid patches or poor drainage is fundamental when making rootstock choices and future management decisions, so it is worth getting a detailed assessment done.

Hutchinsons offers two services; Healthy Soils assessment and Terramap digital mapping.

a

Equipment for Vineyards

SWD monitoring in vineyards

more than advice

For a pest such as Drosophila, ongoing monitoring is essential to ensure that control measures can be put in place as soon as they are found Pheromone traps provide estimates of pest distribution, indicate changes in population dynamics and behaviour

■ ■ ■ ■

Cultivators Vine Trimmers Soil Aerators Hedge Cutters

They require minimal maintenance, can detect insects 24 hours a day and be used effectively by minimally trained persons Trap is robust, easy to maintain in the orchard and can be reused for several seasons Further to independent trials, Suzukii Trap lure attracts the most SWD and lasts longer 5L container will fill approx. 25 traps (200ml per trap) For more information please contact our main office on t: 01795 533225 e: sales@fastllp.com

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A P R I L 2020 | V I N E YA R D

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ns t io ra Ma nager

Representing you

Cowderoy Op o e J

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.

If you are interested in wine production in the UK find out more about WineGB and join us. Visit our website www.winegb.co.uk

Message to the UK wine industry from WineGB In these challenging times we will be doing our best to identify issues which we think are relevant to UK wine producers and provide guidance; we are also monitoring members queries on the forum and reviewing the regular information posted by Government and other official bodies in order that we can respond fully.

Look out also for notifications via the email forum and also on the WineGB website. The website Covid-19 page is available on the public area for all growers and producers and not just WineGB members, these are exceptional times and we think it is the right thing to do. Please let WineGB know of any issues or difficulties, whether this is accessing some of the Government’s assistance schemes, or issues with essential travel to work. You can email WineGB: office@winegb.co.uk. Please also note that we expect government guidance to change over time so it is important that you keep up to date with the current situation via the forum and website.

I want to assure members that business at WineGB is continuing as normal

The Grape Press Magazine May 2020

44

This year the Grape Press Magazine will be an annual review and is due to be published in May. It will serve as a reference document, with industry reports, a summary of WineGB projects and achievements, a wide range of technical articles for winemakers, viticulturalists as well for business and marketing. Useful information will include the commercial directory, contacts and forthcoming events.

This year the Grape Press will be available electronically to the whole industry and not just WineGB members. In the circumstances, due to the coronavirus, WineGB feels that information should be shared widely, and members of our industry should support each other wherever possible.

The regular WineGB bulletins will continue to provide news, updates and notification to members, with the Covid-19 area available to all In the future the WineGB website will increase online resources and articles, and these will be accessible via a search facility and library directory to supplement the information published in the Grape Press magazine.

A P R I L 2020 | V I N E YA R D

as far as possible although obviously many of our events have had to be postponed or cancelled. Our 'Project Portfolio' is available and regularly updated on the website – given the ever-changing circumstances in which we live, there will be changes. Nonetheless, there are a wide range of projects, campaigns and initiatives underway and a great deal of work is being undertaken by both the executive team and the Management Advisory Committee (MAC) Working groups. Sadly, however, this crisis has arisen just as we were gearing up a number of our campaigns – for example on cellar door relief – and I am sure you will understand if I say the advice we have received is that we should suspend our campaign again as Government will not be listening for a while, which is frustrating but inevitable.

With best wishes to all, Simon Robinson Chairman

The Green Book 2020: Plant Protection Products Compiled by the WineGB technical advisor, with the support of the WineGB Viticulture working group, The Green Book is an essential handbook for anyone with a vineyard.

All On and Off Label Approvals for grapevines in the UK are listed, with detailed usage notes for Off Label. Guidelines on safe and effective usage, additional notes on avoiding resistance build up and a suggested spray programme are all part of this publication. There is a new section on Organic and Biodynamic viticulture.

The Green Book is available electronically (as a PDF) to all producer members from the WineGB website. This will only be available electronically and not as a hard copy until further notice due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Please note that The Green Book is for the benefit of WineGB producer members only.

WineGB website The website is being updated regularly as information that is relevant to wine producers becomes available during the coronavirus outbreak. There are sections dedicated to Health & Safety, Financial Support, Marketing Support as well as the Latest News and Industry Support. This is on the public area and accessible from the home page

#ENGLISHWINENIGHT

The biggest ever collective English and Welsh wine tasting took place on Friday 10 April. #theBIGenglishgoodfriday was masterminded by Jacob Leadley of Black Chalk Wine and attracted a large and enthusiastic following.

We are continuing this English wine focus each Friday until the end of May with shared photos as well as a competition. One of the Fridays will be a #Welshwinenight.

WineGB marketing plan

media we have noticed a marked increase in engagement.

The full marketing plan is now available on the website. A revised marketing plan has been launched to support producers and help to sustain and encourage sales over the coming months. Given the current temporary closure of many cellar door operations, we are turning to more digital platforms to communicate and promote the industry and its wines. With availability to wines still operating efficiently through online sales and via retailers, we have been looking at inspiring and informative ways to promote the industry and its wines and include a combination of social media campaigns and other online resources.

Look out for the following initiatives:

Shop Local: This initiative is to highlight the availability of English and Welsh wines online that can be delivered to customers’ doors and will feature a listing of all members selling online and highlighting any special delivery options being offered at this time. Since its launch on social

Talking Wines of Great Britain From next month we will be sharing videos of producers, growers, wine ambassadors and retailers who will be communicating about the industry, its wines and themselves to connect people with this industry. We will be posting a different video each week on social media and they will be available on our YouTube channel and our website.

English Wine Week 2020: This year there will be a change of dates for our popular annual campaign. In view of the current situation for this year only we are moving the dates of English Wine Week and Welsh Wine Week to Saturday 20 – Sunday 28 June.

Focus on Sustainable Wines of Great Britain: We will be creating more focus on our exciting industry sustainability initiative, now called Sustainable Wines of Great Britain (SWGB) in the coming weeks. We will announce the first

accredited vineyards and wineries towards the end of summer. This is a very positive message from the industry which has already attracted over 30 founder members who between them represent some 40% of total hectarage under vine.

Webinars and online resources for members: In place of seminars and conferences we will be linking up with experts in various areas of marketing, sales, winemaking and viticulture to create a series of online workshops and webinars for members. More details will be shared in due course.

Office closure and keeping in contact with WineGB Under the current measures, the WineGB office has been closed and the executive team are all working from home. However you can still contact WineGB via office@winegb.co.uk or the online message board on the website, and we will respond to any queries as swiftly as possible.

WINEGB MEETING AND EVENTS STATUS UPDATE Many of the WineGB meetings and events are either cancelled or postponed.

Please regularly check the online calendar of events.

Follow us on:

instagram facebook-square

@winegb

twitter-square

@wine_gb

#Englishwinenight #theBIGenglishgoodfriday #Welshwinenight

JOIN WINEGB

 01858 467792 paper-plane, office@winegb.co.uk  www. WineGB.co.uk A P R I L 2020 | V I N E YA R D

45

WINEMAKING

M a rk C

m

Optimise wine post-bottling development

ru

n pto

Part 2: Total package oxygen (TPO) and the importance of headspace oxygen.

There are Implications of TPO for wine postbottling development. It appears clear that, from a quantitative point of view, TPO is a major component of the pool. The question arises therefore as to whether above average TPO levels can significantly affect wine shelf-life.

The influence of HSO management was investigated in a series of studies carried out by the Geisenheim Research Institute in partnership with Nomacorc. The experimental design adopted is shown in Figure 3. Wines were bottled with different HSO values by different degree of CO2 flushing of the headspace.

The Headspace volume of 6mL represents typical industry settings for cylindrical closures. However, as 375 mL bottles were used in this study, the levels of oxygen

contained in these headspaces (expressed in mg/L wine) would be 50% lower if 750 mL bottles were used. When HSO values are calculated for 750mL bottles, final values of 0.2, 1.45, and 2.9 mg/L wine are obtained for the three inerting levels. It can be concluded that the range of HS oxygen concentrations in this study is similar to that found in other studies. Therefore, although obtained in an experimental setup, the observations of this study provide meaningful indications regarding bottling management in large-scale winemaking.

Free SO2 evolution was followed over time during bottle aging (375 mL bottles were used for this study). Results for the three HSO levels studied are shown in Figure 1.

Initial HSO (and therefore TPO) had a great influence on the decline of SO2 in the first fpur

> Figure 1: Evolution of free SO2 in samples of Riesling wine bottled with different HSO. Initial DO was 1.1 mg/L in all wines

60 Free S02 (mg/L)

months. HSO values of 5.7 mg/L resulted in a loss of free SO2 of 32 mg/L (> 50% of the initial value) in this timeframe, while in the case 0.4 mg/L HSO only 15 mg/L were lost.

Interestingly, free SO2 loss between four and fourteen months of bottle storage was comprised between 6 mg/L and 8 mg/L, corresponding to about ¼ of the free SO2 lost in the first four months under conditions of high HSO at bottling. This indicates that TPO at bottling plays a primary role in the evolution of free SO2 in the first months after bottling, highlighting the importance of TPO components, such as HSO in this case, in wines for rapid consumption. The direct connection between initial HSO and loss of SO2 suggest that TPO management could be of primary importance to increase the shelflife of low-SO2 wines which are highly sought

50 40 30 20 10 0

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Months in bottle HSO 5.7 mg 02/L

46

HSO 2.9 mg 02/L

HSO 0.4 mg 02/L

 www.BruniErben.co.uk  07805 081677 paper-plane, Mark.Crumpton@BruniErben.co.uk A P R I L 2020 | V I N E YA R D

16

WINEMAKING by today’s consumers, including organic and biodynamic wines.

Long term variations

However, the importance of TPO is not restricted to short term scenarios, as variations in TPO can result in changes in wine aroma profiles that will manifest after longer bottling periods. Sensory analysis carried out on the wines after 24 months of bottle storage at 14°C is shown in Figure 2. Wines with the lowest and highest HSO levels were found to be different in the intensity of the ‘developed’ character, with wines bottled with lower HSO having lower developed notes and higher overall impression. Differences in the ‘reduction’ attribute were negligible

HSO=0.4 mg/L; TPO=1.5 mg/L Riesling wine

Bottle filling DO 1.1 mg/L Headspace volume 6 mL

HSO=2.9 mg/L; TPO=4 mg/L HSO=5.7 mg/L; TPO=6.8 mg/L

> Figure 3: Experimental design used for the study of the influence of HSO on bottle aging of Riesling wine. 375 mL bottles were used

Conclusion

When it comes to wine post-bottling development, closure oxygen permeability (OTR) is not the only factor affecting the evolution of wine in the bottle. TPO (total package oxygen), namely the sum of dissolved (DO) and headspace (HSO) oxygen present at bottling can play a major role. Too high TPO, often resulting from excessive oxygen pickup during bottling operations, is associated with premature loss of SO2, and uncontrolled TPO variations can determine significant bottle to bottle variation. Monitoring of TPO is crucial to reduce unpredictable variations during bottle storage, and could provide a powerful means to reduce SO2 doses at bottling.

5

0.5 mg/L HSO 5.7 mg/L HSO

Intensity

4 3 2 1 0

Developed

Reduction

Overall impression

> Figure 2: Sensory attributes of Riesling wines after 24 months of bottle storage (375 mL bottles)

A P R I L 2020 | V I N E YA R D

47

VITIFRUIT EQUIPMENT Secateurs

Tying Tools

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Safe Spraying

Lipco Recirculating Sprayer

MACHINERY SALES AND HIRE

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Frost Protection

vitifruitequipment@sky.com

Mowers

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MACHINERY

Advanced sprayer for vineyard operations Kuhn has launched an advanced version of its top-of-the-range orchard sprayer, offering fruit growers improved coverage and penetration when applying crop protection products.

The Antis 2 trailed mist sprayer, specifically designed for applying crop protection chemicals in orchards and vineyards, is available in three tank sizes; 1,000, 1,500 and 2,000 litres.

Each version can be used with either a round or v-shaped mist blower, which both use an inverted suction turbine to provide accurate and comprehensive mist coverage.

Fitted with the v-shaped stack blower, the Antis has been tested on apple and plum trees on farms in Kent and Herefordshire. At both locations, the trials proved that the mist sprayer can apply an accurate and consistent coverage

of chemicals to a height of up to 25 feet on trees with and without leaves.

With the latest Antis 2 model, greater flexibility in nozzle placement is possible through vertical adjustment, with a maximum of 26 jets possible.

Other improvements on earlier models include the addition of a chemical induction hopper and improved visibility of tank level and pressure gauges from the tractor cab.

On the latest model, the inverted air intake is positioned at the front of the machine to minimise the recirculation of sprayed products.

Its location towards the front of the sprayer also prevents the pick-up of debris and foreign objects such as vegetation which could obstruct air intake and reduce the machineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s operational efficiency.

Spraying functions are controlled via an in-cab

control panel, with an optional DPAE Bravo regulator enabling operators to continuously adjust the flowrate according to forward speed, and to operate left/right section control functions.

The Antis has a galvanised steel, corrosion resistant chassis which features all the necessary design elements to comply with the latest spraying standards and traffic regulations (DREAL 40km/hr approval).

An optional Cat I and Cat II articulated/ pivoting drawbar, which is fitted as standard with a wide-angle driveshaft for improved reliability, enables easier turning on the shortest headlands. Other options include a stainless steel mixing sieve, stainless steel bottle rinser and low pressure wheels and tyres.

> Kuhnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Charlie Lane with the latest version of the Antis orchard mist sprayer

A P R I L 2020 | V I N E YA R D

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New growth means spring is here Despite the recent unusually cold weather for this time of year, blowing in freezing winds from the Arctic and some early morning frosts, we’re finally seeing some sunny spring days and buds on vines.

The drying soil and new shoot growth are bringing new activity in the vineyards this April, and ground preparation for planting, bud rubbing, weed strip spraying are well under way. A wide range of equipment is available for these operations, with most items also available for hire from Vitifruit Equipment, including the bud rubber, herbicide sprayer and pruning sweep pictured.

Looking back there have been a few machines that have performed exceptionally well during the winter period, the Zanon tying down tool and the Sauerburger Lima fine chop prunings mulcher.

The lightweight Zanon tying tool has proved itself as easy and fast to use, able to tie more than 60 bindings a minute, five times faster than working manually. Both tools have significantly cut time on these tasks compared to standard procedures and been a great help where the usual labour supply has been difficult to source.

The Boisselet Prunings Sweeper has also performed well and is normally used in conjunction with a rear mounted flail mower. It’s fast and effective clearance of prunings has made it a popular choice.

There is plenty to consider in the vineyard at the moment and we can supply fertiliser spreader, prunings mulcher, strip sprayer, bud rubber, subsoiler, rotavator, power harrow, seed drill and roller, under vine cultivators for hire.

“5G Series speciality tractors, tailored to fit and perform”

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07796 305209 sales@farol.co.uk

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

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

M A R C H 2020 | V I N E YA R D

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VINEYARD for viticulturists in Great Britain ™

Stay safe and keep well!

during these uncertain times We’r e S TAY ING We’ll continue to w i t h y o u! bring you Vineyard magazine direct to your door.

We wish all readers, growers and traders a safe return to normal in coming months.

www.vineyardmagazine.co.uk