Vineyard September 2023

VI N E YAR D

www.vineyardmagazine.co.uk

VINEYARD

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CONTENTS

Features

Full of surprises

Situated in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty it is surprising to be able to look out across the vines and see Felixstowe port in the distance.

Measure twice and cut once Pre-harvest analysis and precision viticulture.

New Essex venture

Itasca already runs a highly successful contract wine operation at Penn Croft Winery in Crondall, Hampshire, and it is that model that Malcolm Walker is planning to replicate in his new Essex venture.

Machinery in action

More than 100 enthusiastic visitors attended N P Seymour’s two machinery demonstration days where machines were put through their paces.

The leading Vineyard specialists

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• Vineyard site selection

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This month I have decided to stick to the advice given to Eliza Doolittle by Professor Higgins and talk about the weather

In the UK we are usually only too pleased to talk about the weather and at the moment the weather has given us much to talk about. In July it was impossible to venture outdoors without wellies and a rain coat and on some days a snorkel. This was in direct contrast to the weather patterns in the rest of Europe and also it was at the other end of the scale from 2022.

At a recent visit to a vineyard in Suffolk (see page 20) the weather for August 2022 was under discussion and the lack of rain in Suffolk contributed to difficult growing conditions for Shotley Vineyard. For many growers 2022 provided a tense season waiting with eyes on the sky to see if the much needed rain would arrive. For most it did.

Proving that everything can change in a season the Met Office figures for July 2023 suggest that you would have to time travel all the way back to 2009 to find a July as wet as the one we have just experienced. With lower than average temperatures in both England and Wales and also fewer sunshine hours than usual, many of those involved in viticulture will be facing a difficult set of circumstances. With disease pressure high and questions about veraison.

Having first given a negative forecast there is the good news that sunnier and certainly warmer weather may be here at last. Viticulture is a wonderful and rewarding industry to be involved with and the weather is one of those things we can comment on but not control.

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Already this season the vines have recovered from the bad weather of March and April showing us just how remarkable nature can be.

So although we will have to see what lies in store for the weeks before harvest we can take heart that both nature and the vines have an ever present ability to recover and produce outstanding results.

Depending on the weather of course… vineyards with early ripening varieties may already have started their harvest before the next edition of Vineyard is published. So as the grapes ripen in the vineyards of England and Wales may I take this opportunity to wish you the best possible harvest, which will definitely be to the benefit of everybody’s health!

“She’s to Stick to two subjects; the weather and everybody’s health.”

George Bernard Shaw, Pygmalion

Everflyht releases Rosé de Saignée 2020

English sparkling wine producer Everflyht has released its Rosé de Saignée 2020 onto the market.

Crafted with meticulous attention to detail, the wine is a blend of hand-picked Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes sourced from their single estate vineyard in Ditchling, East Sussex.

Both the Pinot Noir (66%) and Meunier (34%) grapes underwent a meticulous process, including destemming and a 20-hour co-maceration. The grapes were then divided between barrels and steel tanks for co-fermentation with 29% of the wine then aged for eight months in Old Burgundy barrels (sixth fill).

With an ABV of 12%, Everflyht Rosé de Saignée 2020 is distinguished by its delicate coral pink hue and boasts an enticingly fruit-forward profile. The palate reveals an abundance of ripe cherries and summer red fruits, balanced with subtle layers of patisserie and candied notes.

"We are delighted to present our Rosé de Saignée 2020" said Ben Ellis founder of

UPCOMING EVENT

NIAB opens its doors with a vine and wine tour

NIAB is hosting a ‘Vine and Wine Discovery Day’ at its East Malling site in Kent, exclusively for UK grape growers and winemakers.

The event on Thursday 14 September 2023 (9.30am-2.30pm) will brief visitors on NIAB’s current and future research for the vine and wine industry, reveal the new Wine Research Centre facilities, and introduce services to support both grape growers and wine producers. Free and open to all, booking is essential as places are limited and available at niab.com’s Event Hub and ‘Book Your Place’.

NIAB first established a research and demonstration vineyard at East Malling in 2015, currently supported by the NIAB Grape and Wine R&D Consortium. The addition of new research winery and laboratory facilities, believed to be the only dedicated research winery in the UK, allows NIAB to develop

research programmes to address the needs and challenges of the UK wine industry. The appointment of internationally renowned oenologist Dr Belinda Kemp earlier this year, ensures that NIAB has the knowledge and expertise to work collaboratively with grape growers and wine producers, ensuring that the organisation’s work meets the needs of the UK wine sector.

Commenting on this event, Dr Kemp explained: “Since my arrival at East Malling, I’ve been working hard both to set up our new facilities and to secure research funding to develop viticulture and oenology research projects for the UK industry. This event will allow me to share information with grape growers and wine makers and explain how we aim to develop the ‘NIAB Grape and Wine R&D Consortium’. This is open to all vineyard and wine producing businesses, through

Everflyht. "It’s a premium English sparkling wine, with plenty of fruit, flavour and individuality and blends both passion and expertise. Everflyht viticulturist, Luke Spalding summed up the vintage, “2020 was a rollercoaster season which ended on a high. We had a positive start with an early bud break and good consistent growth. However, the vineyard was hit with a late freak frost which led to the loss of around 15% of our Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. However, veraison was rapid due to a fantastic warm September that meant the fruit developed some beautiful complex ripe flavour profiles within the grapes as well as some fantastic deep red and black colour concentration in both the Pinot Noir and Meunier. These deep coloured skins and rich phenolic profile translated into our Rosé de Saignée 2020.”

Everflyht's Rosé de Saignée 2020 is now available for purchase through distributor Berkmann Wine Cellars and directly from the Everflyht Estate, consumers can also secure an allocation by joining the Everflyht wine club ‘Murmuration’.

three types of membership (Full, Associate and Patron), and offers a range of assistance, support services and access to research.”

Included in the programme will be the latest information on the progress of current research projects, plans for new research, and the installation of a winery tank system, a new rainwater capture system to reduce water usage in the winery. There will also be a chance to view NIAB’s underground Rhizolab. The only facility of its kind in the UK, it has been planted with a range of varieties and rootstocks to allow NIAB to investigate rootstock differences below ground, and carry out soil/rootstock interactions and microbiome studies. There will also be a tour of the new laboratory, winery and research vineyard.

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Landmark deal

The completion of a £100 million deal has been announced between fintech Ferovinum, NatWest and BCI Capital, which is set to transform the way banks and financial institutions deploy capital into the historically difficult-to-bank UK wine and spirits sector.

In the first deal of its kind, NatWest will lead portfolio funding arrangements for Ferovinum’s wine and spirits inventory finance platform, which leverages unique supply chain technology to enable more flexible and efficient funding for businesses within the sector. It also provides banks and financial institutions with a more risk-managed and costefficient way to support the industry.

The £100 million deal comprises an £80 million phased transaction provided by NatWest, with the remainder being contributed by Ferovinum equity investors and UK credit manager BCI Capital, Ferovinum’s primary portfolio funding partner since 2021.

The transaction structure also facilitates the addition of other banks and financial institutions to accommodate deployment beyond the initial £100 million via syndication. This will unlock larger-scale capital provision to wine and spirit businesses, as well as improving access to capital in a sector that has historically been hindered by its niche classification, fragmentation and long maturation times.

London based Ferovinum was founded in 2018 by investment banking and corporate finance experts Mitchel Fowler and Daniel Gibney, who share a passion for the wine and spirits world. The company’s proprietary technology is favoured by a growing list of over 30 businesses – distilleries, wineries, merchants, bottlers and brand owners – for the agility, speed and partnership model it offers. To date the platform has funded the equivalent of over five million bottles for a diverse range of clients: from market disruptors such as the sustainability-focused canned wine brand The Uncommon; to storied global whisky brands such as The Glenturret.

Ferovinum Founder and CEO Mitchel Fowler believes that this deal will pave the way for a new, technology-driven era of investment in the sector, whilst addressing the huge appetite amongst banks to seize opportunities and support dynamic wine and spirits business in the UK.

He commented: ‘We are thrilled to have NatWest on board as our first banking partner in a deal that marks a real step-change in how capital is deployed into the wine and spirits industry. Ferovinum’s technology has been custom built to overcome the barriers that have previously stopped institutional capital reaching this sector, giving banks the right tools to get involved. NatWest immediately recognised our platform’s potential, and we have been impressed by their ability to leverage industry expertise and a shared commitment to innovation and supporting small and medium sized companies as they grow.’

PIWI symposium

The International PIWI Symposium on fungus-resistant grapevine varieties will take place on 5-6 December 2023 in Freiburg im Breisgau.

The main topics will be plant protection and viticulture, enology, breeding and marketing.

More information will be provided in the following weeks through upcoming announcements.

Andrew Barraclough, Head of Asset Based Lending Origination, NatWest said: ‘Stable access to credit is crucial to the success and growth of SMEs and their positive impact on the economy. Our financing package for Ferovinum is another example of our commitment to removing barriers to enterprise, allowing them to grow. Ferovinum shares our commitment to serve SMEs in the UK, and we are looking forward to working together with our new customer in the future.’

Sam Kemp, CEO of BCI Capital, added: ‘BCI partners with innovators who, like Ferovinum, bring tech-enabled financing solutions to address underserviced areas of the market. Having worked with the Ferovinum team since 2021, it’s been great to witness first-hand the business broadening its reach into the market. We’re excited to continue to partner with Ferovinum – now alongside NatWest – as the business moves to its next phase of growth.’

Ferovinum confirmed that the £100 million will be deployed into a wide range of wine and spirits enterprises over the coming months. It will also support the ongoing evolution of their platform and an ambitious UK and global expansion plan.

Mitch Fowler (left) and Dan Gibney, Ferovinum (right)

New record high for Welsh food and drink exports

Welsh Food and Drink exports were worth £797 million in 2022, the highest recorded yearly value, Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths has announced.

As crowds enjoyed some of Wales’ best food and drink products at the Royal Welsh Show, the Minister revealed the industry’s exports increased by £157m between 2021 and 2022, representing a 24.5% rise. This is a larger percentage increase than the UK as a whole, which grew by 21.6%.

The highest value export categories for Welsh food and drink in 2022 were meat and meat products at £265m, a 42% increase from 2021, and cereal and cereal preparations which rose 16% to £160m.

The value of the sector’s exports to the EU reached £594m, a £130m increase from 2021. The industry’s export to non-EU countries were worth £203m in 2022, a large growth from £176m in 2021.

France is now the highest value destination for Welsh food and drink exports at £150m. Other top destinations include the Republic of Ireland (£145m), Belgium (£78m), Netherlands (£52m), and Germany (£51m).

Rural Affairs Minister, Lesley Griffiths said: "Welsh food and drink exports continue to go from strength to strength, ensuring people in many countries abroad can enjoy high-quality products from Wales.

"The sector’s skills, drive for innovation and passion to provide the best possible produce is clear from today’s results.

"I am pleased to be able to make this announcement at the Royal Welsh Show which provides companies from across Wales with the opportunity to showcase their brilliant food and drink, and I’m sure visitors from near and far are enjoying it."

The Minister has also announced a new scheme, the Strategic Innovation Scheme, to provide a comprehensive range of business support services to food and drink businesses across Wales.

As part of this, Project Helix, which offers technical and commercial support to the Welsh food and drink industry, will continue until March 2025.

Latest figures show Helix, which launched in 2016, has provided a £355 million economic boost to the industry, helped create 683 jobs and protected a further 3,647 jobs. More than 700 businesses have been supported through the scheme and almost 2,100 new food and drink products developed.

Thanks to today’s announcement, the project will now be able to support larger manufacturers in Wales alongside small and mediumsized enterprises and microbusinesses who have already benefitted.

Mike Woods, Chief Executive of Just Love Food Company said: "Since the affiliate joined the business through Project Helix our turnover has grown by over 65% and it wouldn’t have been possible without those more robust technical structures in place. Project Helix has helped the business grow and it's helped put a foundation down that will help continue growth.

The Minister added: "The Strategic Innovation Scheme will underpin the Welsh Government’s Vision for the Food and Drink Industry.

"As part of this, Project HELIX, which has had a hugely positive effect on Wales’ food and drink industry, helping companies to adopt a more efficient and strategic approach, will continue until March 2025."

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Increasing productivity and sustainability with cover crops

Fruit Focus held at NIAB EMR, East Malling, Kent gave visitors to the event a chance to have a look at the unique research vineyards on the site.

The vineyard tour conducted by Dr Belinda Kemp gave valuable insight into the research work being undertaken. The new wine innovation centre was due to be stocked with state of the art equipment by the end of July.

This new facility will allow NIAB EMR to undertake wine trials and research separately from the vineyard research work. For example, using the variety Divico trials will be undertaken to examine the different ways wine can be made from the variety focussing on areas such as tannin and colour management.

April 2023 as Group Leader for Viticulture and Oenology Research. She has many years experience within the wine industry including 10 years as the Principal Scientist at the Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute in Ontario, Canada.

Dr Kemp outlined some of the other unique aspects of this independent research site including the Rhizolab which allows observation of an apple orchard from below ground. This gives a unique perspective on the science of the soil microbiome and Dr Kemp expressed her belief in the importance of this research.

with Post-Doctoral students and does not have the same access to government funds as a traditional college. Therefore NIAB EMR viticultural research works in conjunction with a funding consortium currently including Chapel Down, Gusbourne, Nyetimber, Netafim, Hutchinsons and Yara.

Control

In the vineyard Dr Kemp explained that there are two types of control: negative control, basically this involves leaving an area alone and monitoring the outcome and positive control, which involves the use of specific treatments and techniques.

Dr Belinda Kemp joined NIAB EMR in

The stand alone research institute works

Dr Flora O’Brien talks about working on a project relating to ground cover management

Dr Kemp explained that in research work both these types of control are really useful. When highlighting the benefits of research it can be tempting to focus on the positive control.

Dr Kemp is currently working on a research project relating to Spur Pruning and Cane Pruning in Pinot Noir and Bacchus. The trial is being supported by Wine GB and the Worshipful Company of Vintners.

Cover management

Those on the tour were then introduced to the work of Dr Flora O’Brien who has been working on a project relating to ground cover management. The purpose is to closely monitor the impact on the vines and also measure the sustainability of ground cover management practices.

“Cover cropping has the ability to alleviate compaction, reduce run off and increase soil nitrogen,” explained Dr O’Brien. Fava beans are an example of vineyard cover crops that are being investigated at NIAB EMR.

The work undertaken at NIAB EMR has been done in three sowings to maximise the combination and the species diversity but the extremely dry weather in February followed by a wet March meant that the sowing dates had to be amended.

The project is designed to measure cover cropping and its subsequent effects on soil moisture and temperature, canopy density and foliar nutritional content. There are plans to make base wines from these rows and to investigate further if the resulting wine flavour profile is influenced by the choice of cover crops.

According to Dr O’Brien one of the biggest challenges for the project has been that of establishment but “the reasons why need investigating,” she cautioned. In an effort to aid establishment irrigation lines are being installed in the vineyards.

It was noted that there were a few unwanted plants species within the rows and Dr O’Brien explained that with cover cropping there is not really ever a clean crop.

The long term aim of the project will hopefully lead to insight regarding minimal intervention for the management of cover crops, will highlight which cover crops work best and the best methods of ground preparation for the establishment of a given cover crop.

There have now been two years of this project but Dr O’Brien explained that more funding was needed to extend the project further. “Soil Carbon Sequestration needs a decade of data,” she concluded.

Taking place at 3pm in the Astor Pavillion, Sam Doncaster will be conducting a tasting of six Piwi wines suitable for UK conditions

Sponsored and hosted by Rebschule Freytag from Germany who are experts in Piwi vines, the hour long session will take guests through an array of exciting new varieties that “will provide groundbreaking taste opportunities for the UK winemaker”.

Tickets are offered at £10 each, with the proceeds donated to charity.

Book early to avoid disappointment!

Fava beans used as a cover crop

In memory of Joyce Boulos-Hanna

It is with great sadness that we report the death of Joyce Boulos-Hanna of New Lodge Vineyard (Northamptonshire). Many readers, will have known Joyce for many years and cannot have failed to be touched by her passion and enthusiasm for all things vineyard and wine, and her keen support of the industry.

Joyce died at home, peacefully, with the view of the vineyard she created and loved.

She was at the centre of a large and happy family of children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

As Joyce's family so aptly put it: “She died contented, leaving the vineyard in tip top condition … but she still had so much more on her 'to do' list and so much more to give, having helped so many start their own vineyard journey. She was genuinely excited for the future.”

Her grandson, Alexander, put it very well: “Who dies in their prime at 90? She did!”

Ian Sargent, Chair of WineGB Midlands & North adds: “Joyce was a very lovely person, so kind and generous with us all in the region. Our hearts and thoughts go out to the whole family, and the team at the New Lodge Vineyard. The region will miss Joyce's wealth of knowledge, experience and her fantastic sense of humour.”

English wine venture

Jackson Family Wines, the family-owned wine company founded in 1982, has announced it will expand its premium wine portfolio into the United Kingdom with winemaker Charlie Holland at the production helm.

This represents Jackson Family Wines’ first foray into English wine and will complement its vineyard and winery holdings in coolclimate winegrowing regions around the world. The family seeks to grow and produce Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from the region, with a full range of vintage and non-vintage sparkling wines and vintage still wines. The family is also in the process of acquiring land to be planted to vines in Essex’s Crouch Valley.

“I’ve been impressed with the quality of sparkling wines from the UK for years, which influenced our decision to develop premium sparkling and still wines here in England,” says Barbara Banke, chairman and proprietor of Jackson Family Wines. “With my family’s growing involvement in the English horseracing business, and our love of the UK, this move is a natural progression for our company – expanding our ventures in wine regions globally.”

Holland, who has served as chief winemaker and CEO of Gusbourne Winery since 2013, will oversee all winemaking operations in England for Jackson Family Wines. Following international work in Australia, New Zealand, Germany, and the United States, Holland returned to his native England in 2009 to join the burgeoning English wine industry.

“After 10 productive and thoroughly

enjoyable years leading the amazing team at Gusbourne, I am thrilled to be joining Jackson Family Wines as they kickstart their new English wine venture, says Holland. “I believe England is the most exciting place in the world to be making wine right now and

The Jackson family’s collection of 40 wineries spans significant winegrowing regions, from California, Oregon, Washington, Canada, France, and Italy in the northern hemisphere, to Australia, Chile, and South Africa in the southern half of the globe. This announcement will add the Crouch Valley in Essex to this extensive list and James Dodson, CEO of VineWorks commented:

''This is a milestone for our industry and VineWorks is very excited to be leading the viticulture aspect working closely with Jackson Family Wines, Charlie Holland and Defined Wine on the project.''

the prospect of doing this for a company with a proven commitment and track record of producing world-class wines around the globe is an enticing prospect.”

Holland will officially begin working with Jackson Family Wines in September 2023.

Cloud accounting for vineyards

Technological developments in recent years have had a profound impact on businesses. It can be difficult to know what technology is out there to support your business. Cloud accounting has established itself as a fundamental pillar in the everyday running of a business and this article is designed to provide you with some key insights on cloud accounting to help maximise its benefit to your business.

What is cloud accounting?

Cloud accounting allows you to track the finances of your business. They are accessed through the internet and stored in a secure server which means that your data is accessible to you from any location, secured and backed up through an automatic process. Cloud accounting allows you to see your finances in real time, collaborate with colleagues and accountants within one space and stores your vital information in a central location. As cloud accounting continues to grow there are more sector specific add-ons becoming available that are tailored specifically to the needs of certain businesses.

App-stack

Most cloud-based accounting software has an open API, allowing you to connect various apps to provide more specialised functions. A collection of these apps is what is referred to as an ‘app-stack’. We have listed some common examples below:

◆ Dext Prepare for receipt capture, reducing the time taken to manually process purchase invoices and receipts.

◆ Stripe and other payment service providers can be added to invoices created on the accounting system allowing customers to pay through a link on the invoice.

◆ Point of Sales (POS) systems such as Square can be linked to your accounting system. This enables a streamlined connection between your POS system and accounting software allowing for daily summaries to be sent across.

◆ E-commerce capture software such as Dext Commerce can link to your online sales platforms such as Shopify, WooCommerce and Amazon. This fully MTD (Making Tax Digital) compliant software will bring in the sales to your accounting software with only a few clicks.

◆ Integrated payroll, taking care of your pension filings and sending the amounts automatically into your accounting software.

◆ Bank feeds are available from within your accounting system. The feeds will automatically bring your bank transactions into your software, allowing you to identify and categorise each transaction, without the need to log into your bank or having to have physical copies of your bank statements. This is all done with the equivalent security of the banks.

◆ You can integrate debt management apps which can automate your debtor tracking and chasing for any orders made on credit such as on and off trade sales. Chaser and Satago are two apps available which can integrate with many cloud accounting systems.

Above are a small selection of the many additional apps that can link

to your accounting system and are solutions that we work with quite frequently. They do not have to be vineyard specific to assist with the financial processes within your company. You can start off small and grow your App-stack as both you and your business continue to develop.

Apps for vineyards

As well as the core apps available, there are also sector specific apps. These can help businesses to maximise the potential of their cloud accounting solutions. Within the Vineyard sector, there are several software apps available to link. Vinetrace and Vinsight are just two examples which allow you to manage your production, costing and inventory.

Due to the specificity of these apps, they can be more complicated to implement due to the need for specialised planning, application, and training. If you are looking for a simple platform to track inventory then cloud accounting systems do offer their own inventory tracking, such as Xero Inventory. This will be useful if you require the system to track and maintain the stock levels of your bottled inventory only. For any more complex inventory tracking you will need to bring in a more specialised software such as those listed.

We hope that this article has provided you an insight into the world of cloud accounting and how it can enhance your experience through utilising digital systems.

We would recommend speaking to your accountant if you are interested in implementing any of the additional apps mentioned. For any specific queries then please do reach out to our dedicated vineyard team at Carpenter Box.

Achieving ripeness

How do you know to adjust crop load?

“It’s important to start by understanding your canopy and vine’s potential by monitoring charge counts and pruning weights and by canopy measurements such as leaf area to fruit ratio and leaf counts. These are the key metrics needed to assess how much crop the vine is capable of ripening,” explained Joel. “Also carry out general assessment of canopy health to check it is not compromised due to crowding, shading or disease. Collecting data and keeping records allows each season to be tracked and benchmarked to inform management decisions. There are several ways to manage your crop to balance yields, from post-flowering fruit thinning, to green harvesting and final adjustments at or just before harvest,” he added.

“As a rule of thumb, a bunch needs ten actively photosynthesising healthy ‘source’ leaves. Source leaves provide energy to the ‘sinks’- such as fruit and young leaves. In the first 30 days when the leaves are growing, they are essentially a sink as they require energy from the plant – more than they contribute. From 30 to 90 days the leaves are sources, providing energy for the rest of the vine. Older leaves are unproductive, and it is often these lower leaves that are removed to expose the fruit zone.”

Timing crop thinning

“There are three main times to make the decision to crop thin,” explained Joel. “The first is to carry out yield assessments around flowering, and, in line with the weather and the current season’s progress, it may be necessary to carry out some early season thinning. Doing this just post flowering decongests the bunch zone and helps to mitigate disease pressure – in particular Botrytis, powdery mildew and downy mildew. Thinning also serves to optimise sunlight interception, improve air flow and ensure each bunch has its space to grow and swell without being restricted or damaged. A damaged bunch is vulnerable to Botrytis infections, and this can then spread to healthy bunches,” he continued.

“Green harvesting is crop thinning that takes place during or after

A crop of 12 tonnes/hectare being reduced to 10 tonnes/hectare for premium sparkling production in 2023

veraison. Observing the fruit at this time, it is clear which bunches are ripening and changing colour and which are lagging behind. This less ripe fruit will lower the average sugar levels and raise acidity. If thinning takes place in July after flowering, but the weather continues to be poor, then some green harvesting may be necessary to reduce the crop load further by removing unripe fruit and increase the overall average ripeness.

“A final pass to adjust the crop can take place on the day of harvest –again to raise the average sugar levels and lower acids (or the opposite! But less likely). This may also be necessary to cut out diseased fruit as a quality control measure,” he added.

Wine style

“Crop load management decisions need to be made with the winemaking in mind as different wine styles require different phenolic parameters. For example, fruit for a premium red wine needs to achieve greater ripeness in terms of sugar levels, acids and phenolic maturity compared to rosé, or a sparkling wine.

“No one vineyard situation is the same, so crop load management decisions will depend on vine age, variety, site and the season. In a poor year it would be wise to aim for the lower end of the yield range,” advised Joel.

Carbohydrate considerations

“Another aim of crop thinning is to ensure that fruit ripeness is achieved at an early enough harvest date to allow the vine some time post-harvest, with hopefully some decent weather to promote leaf and root activity, to accumulate carbohydrates. This encourages a full ‘food store’, which will provide the vine with energy to start the next season,” concluded Joel.

A guide to desired yields for different styles would be:

◆ Premium still reds: 5-8 tonnes/hectare

◆ Premium still whites: 5-8 tonnes/hectare

◆ Premium still rosés: 7-10 tonnes/hectare

◆ Sparkling wines: 8-12 tonnes/hectare

The aim of crop thinning is to improve fruit maturity. It may feel heart-breaking to do, but timely removal is key to achieving desired fruit ripeness for quality wine. Jo Cowderoy speaks to Vinescapes’ Viticulture Director, Joel Jorgensen, to fi nd out how to assess and balance fruit yield with the vine’s ability to achieve ripeness appropriate for the wine style.

Before and after bunch positioning and de-congestion of the fruit zone

Photos: Vinescapes

VineWorks are pleased to announce that they have been shortlisted in the Contractor of the Year category for the British Farming Awards 2023.

The BFA is hosted by Agriconnect, the parent company of Farmers Guardian, Arable Farming, LAMMA and many other agricultural brands.

The awards recognise British farmers and agricultural businesses for their commitment, resilience and innovation to an industry that consistently serves the nation.

“This is the first time we have been shortlisted for an industry award. Our whole team is really chuffed to have our work recognised. We entered the British Farming Awards 2023 as recognition for our own achievements, but also to advocate for the UK’s growing viticulture industry. We want to generate awareness of viticulture amongst existing landowners as a viable way to diversify their crops and income stream,” explains Chris Buckley, Business Director of VineWorks.

James Dodson, CEO and Founder of VineWorks says, “As a business owner myself, I’ve worked hard to evolve our offer to respond to the rapidly emerging challenges that our clients face (e.g., labour services, mechanisation, climate, supply chain, fruit brokering). It’s our mission to help vineyard owners create and maintain businesses that are sustainable both environmentally and financially. I’m so proud our team has been singled out as a candidate for the Contractor of the Year award. It motivates us to continue to work hard to support the UK wine industry to grow, one vine at a time.”

London calling

Freedom and character are emerging.

Four years ago, I wrote my first piece on London wineries in Vineyard Magazine. I titled the piece ‘Urban Jungle’ – I felt this summed up the mood at the time. Four years ago, before the pandemic, it was a very different landscape with an emerging group of talented winemakers making names for themselves with edgier, perhaps more daring wines than those found in the Shires.

Fast forward to an age where more players in this sector are making more wines. Wines of every style, shape, grape and colour have popped up in our capital, and they are every bit as exciting as those found in leafier corners of the country. As a collective, these wines are a vast improvement on those made four years ago. Freedom and character are emerging for each of the four wineries mentioned in this article, and while they are all different, they all form part of the compelling London Calling jigsaw. These are wines with one eye on metropolitan chic and the other on arresting label design while respecting some of the more formal tenets concerning the manufacture of delicious fermented grape products.

Because I only have space for three wines on this spread, I will nod to my friend Sergio Verrillo in this introduction. His portfolio is crammed with individuality, flair and spontaneity, and every wine I tasted at the recent Urban Wineries United tasting was questioning, rewarding and delicious.

If I were forced to highlight one, then 2022 Black Book, Fragments of Time Sauvignac, South Bank Vineyard (£25.00, www.blackbookwinery.com) was insanely delicious, pushing my flavour boundaries into new and different corridors of delight. While I know Sergio’s portfolio reasonably well, it was the first time I had encountered Renegade’s portfolio –a wild maelstrom of flavours and ideas; all brought to life in the form of wine. I found a bottle that was truly arresting, so it is a joy to bring it to your attention.

Alex Hurley’s LDN Cru journey continues with a finessing of his range. These are subtle, honed, expressive wines; if you are new to London’s wine offerings, this is the place to start. Jose Quintana’s tenure at Vagabond is fast becoming a triumphant signing as he is managing to coax out more detail and subtle layers of flavour than I have previously encountered in his range, and his new vintage releases are all worthy of an ovation. If you haven’t already tasted these wines – get on with it.

If you haven’t visited these wineries – they are all dead easy to access, and they would love to see you. One thing is sure – London wineries are a vital hotbed of creativity and originality, and I cannot wait to see what they come up with next!

2022 LDN CRU, Pinot Noir

£25.00

www.Londoncru.co.uk

www.Robersonwine.com

Pink, pale, shimmering in the glass and, to all intents and purposes, looking slightly tremulous at the prospect of being devoured by anyone, let alone this wine writer; 2022 LDN CRU PN (surely some secret code!) looked like it might faint before I got a chance to savour its charms.

All at once, I was proved horribly wrong. Despite the tiptoe-light 11.5% alcohol and the quietest hue, this is an utterly spectacular wine. Winemaker Alex Hurley describes this wine as ‘pretty’, and he is not wrong. It is enchantingly attractive, with a perfect Pinot nose, a long, soothing, wild berry mid-palate and a bright, engaging finish. I could not ask for more. But I did.

I went back for a second taste to check that I hadn’t missed anything, and the perfume and flavour seemed even more expressive and attenuated. The final line of my scribbled tasting note read, ‘so unlikely and yet so beautiful’. You simply must taste this wine.

Photo: Simon John Owen

2021 Renegade, Sara

£26.00

www.renegadelondonwine.com

Renegade is a new winery to me. While driving home after the tasting, I admit I didn’t grasp how odd their collection was.

A Puglian red, a white from Blaye, was I dreaming? In the absence of a tasting booklet at this particular gathering, I hurried notes down on the back of some tech sheets, and the combination of my appalling scrawl and some rather odd commentary meant I had to jump on the Renegade website the second I walked in my door.

Tis true; these renegades source grapes from far and wide, so it was good fortune that my favourite wine was made from Chardonnay, harvested in Essex! Barrel fermented in older Burgundian and Hungarian barrels, along with some new French barrels and some stainless steel, judicious lees work has resulted in a white wine with terrific gravitas and complexity.

I noted, and this is no word of a lie, that it reminded me of ‘Art Series’. This refers to Leeuwin Estate’s top Chardonnay from Margaret River in Western Australia. Any synaptic synergy between an Essex Chardy and Australia’s most consistently epic version is high praise indeed. So congratulations to this mob. They clearly know what they are doing.

PS – regarding the label, Sara is a retired French teacher who lives in East Sheen.

2022 Vagabond, Ortega

£19.00

www.vagabondwines.co.uk

I feel it necessary to impart the bad news first. There were only 1,553 bottles of this wine made, and I demolished one of them, so this is a tiny production wine which is a travesty because it deserves to be featured on every decent restaurant wine list in the country – BY THE GLASS!

Made from 100% Ortega from the Yew Tree Vineyard in Oxfordshire, little trickery is employed here besides wild fermentation and half of the crop seeing old French oak. While this is a bone-dry wine, it possesses the most ravishing curves on the palate, featuring pineapple husk, jasmine and Canary melon tones, among others. This sleight of hand brings uncommon ripeness to the mid-palate before the generosity is ratcheted to a wincingly tight finish. Oh my goodness, this is an exciting wine. I have no idea if Tom Cruise likes a drink, but this stunning Ortega is bombastically showy and nerve-janglingly dramatic in equal measure, a little like Tom! In terms of value, this is a wickedly well-priced wine and short of one Roero Arneis, a couple of Jurançon Secs and a pair of Vermentinos, I cannot think of another wine with this flavour shape on earth!

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Full of surprises

Situated in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the county of Suffolk along a farm track it is surprising to be able to look out across the vines from such a beautiful rural location and see Felixstowe port in the distance. Felixstowe is the biggest shipping container port in Britain and one of the largest in Europe.

In contrast to the distant views of Felixstowe port, Shotley Vineyard is beautiful, peaceful, award winning and locally focussed. The outstanding beauty of the site first attracted Charlotte Davitt-Mills to the plot of vines that are now lovingly under her care. When Charlotte and her husband Craig Mills purchased it in 2017 the original four acre site of Shotley Vineyard was already planted with vines. “I used to walk in the field regularly and when it came up for sale I felt that I always wanted to be able to walk in this spot,” Charlotte explained and so the journey of Shotley Vineyard began.

“This is an older more mature vineyard and I am working with what I have taken on, I have not planted anything,” explained Charlotte. “When we bought the field back in 2017 it was just weeds and brambles you didn’t look at it and think about the vines,” she added. In 2018 Charlotte decided to leave her job in the insurance industry and take on

the task of reinvigorating the vineyard. Charlotte did not have an agricultural background but had returned to Suffolk after working in India. Of her experience there she said: “Living in this metropolis that was a little crazy and very populated, it really made me appreciate the English countryside.”

This passion for the countryside then became a passion for the English Wine industry. After the birth of her first child whilst taking maternity leave from her full time job in the insurance industry Charlotte explained: “There would be nights where I was up late feeding my baby and researching the English Wine industry and I started to feel that it was an exciting thing to be involved with.”

Charlotte is a busy mum to Henry five, and Edie two, and runs the vineyard with the help of a small team. It has been a steep learning curve though. For example, Charlotte explained that in the early days she had received a request from another grower for half a tonne of Bacchus. Having allocated the rows and made a yield estimate Charlotte sent the fruit to the grower but it ended up being nearly a tonne. What happened next highlights how the wine growing industry in England is a community that works together. The grower made 300 bottles with the additional fruit and returned it to Shotley Vineyard enabling Charlotte to have a limited edition release. <<

Charlotte Davitt-Mills

This passion for the countryside then became a passion for the English Wine industry

The small knit team also receive help from an unexpected source. “My son Henry and I were walking through the vineyard together pulling off some leaves to have a look at the bunches and he said ‘I am going to get rid of this one this looks dead’ and he knows that you have to get rid of the water shoots that are coming from the bottom of the vine,” said Charlotte with a proud smile. It seems Henry is literally walking in Charlotte’s footsteps.

Having lost her apprentice to the lure of a job in the USA (“I could not really compete with that,” Charlotte said smiling), the team now consists of three local people. For harvest Charlotte relies on local people for picking. “I actually went on Radio Suffolk and said I was looking for pickers. The people who responded, now come back year after year and harvest has a really nice feel here,” added Charlotte.

The vineyard grows Rondo grapes and Charlotte has found a long term buyer for these. Rondo is the first variety to ripen in this vineyard and are grown for another producer for a sparkling red wine. Just like daffodils are welcomed at the very beginning of spring so the first variety to ripen in a vineyard is always met with a sense of anticipation. “I don’t have to green harvest it and I don’t have to worry too much about disease,” she said.

The day Vineyard visited, Charlotte was due to spray the vines after leaf stripping had taken place. The site at Shotley is particularly windy which brings its own problems when undertaking any spray regime but this season the downy pressure has been quite high so Charlotte will spray every 7-10 days. “When we first took over the site there was no handover and the vineyard had been left and, because of that, mildew had got in so the next few years we really had to stay on top of it,” explained Charlotte. It became clear how well Charlotte knows her vines as she continued “there are houses around here and people have got trees which has created little hot spot areas that I have to keep a really close eye on.”

Many newly planted vineyards will not experience the quirkiness that is present at Shotley Vineyard. For example Charlotte explained: “Some rows will change from Ortega to Pinot Noir half way down a row. In one field there are two bays at the top that are each Bacchus and the rest of the rows are Rondo, you would not plant it like that now.”

The position of the site means that frost has not been a problem. On one side of the vines is the River Orwell and the River Stour is located on the other side, providing natural frost protection and giving Charlotte one less job to do.

Whilst frost may not affect Shotley Vineyard Charlotte stated wasps as her biggest problem. “The wasp traps are in the vineyard already,” she said. “There are also badgers in the vineyards but they tend not to damage the vines, if anything they dig up the wasps nests so that I know where they are,” Charlotte adding laughing.

Adjoining the initial four acre plot that Charlotte and Craig first bought is a ten acre plot that Charlotte rents. This was planted around

Photos: Martin Apps, Countrywide Photographic

2010 with Chardonnay vines. Two further acres are planted with Bacchus and Reichensteiner bringing the total area under vine that Charlotte manages to 16 acres. “I think that there is a little bit of pride locally that this peninsula has got a vineyard,” Charlotte said.

There are eight different varieties: Rondo, Bacchus, Reichensteiner, Pinot Noir, Ortega, Chardonnay, Auxerrois and Seyval Blanc. Charlotte sells roughly half the grapes on to others in order to maintain cashflow. “I am not a winemaker so I focus on growing the very best grapes that I can,” said Charlotte. When grapes are sold to a winemaker they determine the exact ripeness levels and flavour profiles they require depending on the wine style they want to make.

The soil is a free draining clay loam and the Chardonnay vines are planted on a sandy ridge. “When we took over the vineyard the Chardonnay part was the most in need of TLC,” said Charlotte. The Chardonnay vines were in need of such care that Charlotte enrolled on a Simonit and Sirch course at Plumpton college. Instead of grubbing the vines up Charlotte has nurtured them back to health, “for two years I applied what I had learnt and it did really help, everything you do with vines is not just about this year, it is about the architecture of the vines and looking ahead to the future,” she said.

The very first wines from Shotley Vineyard were produced in 2019 these were a still Bacchus and a Pinot Noir. Since these first wines Shotley Vineyard has extended the range of styles that are produced. The 2021 Bacchus was reviewed by Matthew Jukes in January 2023 edition of Vineyard where he describes this wine as having a “persistence of fruit and volume of flavour that trails on for minutes.”

Talking about the creation of a sparkling wine Charlotte said: “I like to keep things single vineyard and I was looking at the varieties. We took over 1,100 vines of Chardonnay and that was not going to yield high enough to go into tank on its own, so I thought about the other varieties that were in that field.” The first sparkling wine was made at the vineyard in 2020 and is made from Auxerrois, Reichensteiner, Seyval and Chardonnay.

When deciding what varieties to include in the Sparkling Charlotte included Reichensteiner for its aromatics and Auxerrois for its flavour profile that would complement the chardonnay. “They are not the traditional varieties for Sparkling Wine so I thought perhaps we should not do traditional method,” she said. Charlotte continued.

It is a field blend Charmat method and all the fruit is picked on the same day “so the Auxerrois and the Reichensteiner will be super ripe and the Chardonnay and Seyval Blanc will have the acidity,” Charlotte continued. On the morning Vineyard visited Charlotte had sold the last two bottles from the latest vintage which consisted of 3,500 bottles. The 2022 Sparkling wine was due to go into tank during the last week in July.

“I love the sparkling,” Charlotte said. “ I love the different varieties and that it is a mixture of the oldest and newest plantings here with some of those less familiar grape varieties.”

"I am not a winemaker so I focus on growing the very best grapes that I can"

Charlotte with Henry and Edie

For 2022 Shotley Vineyard released 1400 bottles of Pinot Noir Rosé. “This is my first rosé,” said Charlotte. The label reflects the beauty of the vineyard and its surrounding area and in keeping with the local feel at Shotley, this hand drawn design was a collaboration with a local artist.

Shotley Vineyard is now working with winemaking experts at Defined Wine. Charlotte explained: “ Defined visit me and the site and we talk about wine making styles and what I want to make.” This allowed Charlotte to discuss the production of the new rosé such as “the taste profile and when to pick it, what to pick, whether we do whole bunch pressing.” The rosé has been so popular that it is 50% sold after only a few months.

The weather conditions for 2022 caused the yield for the Pinot Noir to be down on the five tonnes that is typical for the well established vines on this site. “In August we had just 4ml of rain,” explained Charlotte, however the ripeness levels in the fruit were excellent. “I managed to get the ripeness to just over 90°Oe and we were able to put 25% in oak. It is the first time we have used oak. I think with the mature vines there is a translation into the wine.”

The small vineyard is open for cellar door sales Friday to Sunday 10am to 2pm. Shotley Vineyard has been offering tourist experiences since 2021 with tours and tastings and offering afternoon tea in the bespoke building on site. “People love afternoon tea,” said Charlotte. The tours can accommodate 30 visitors and on these busy days Charlotte has the help of Suffolk based Graham Addison of ahead4wine. “We get on really well. Graham does the tour and then I join him for the tasting part and afterwards I do all the food,” explained Charlotte.

Being in an AONB has created its own problems though. For example, the size of the building was reduced before planning approval would be granted and the amount of car parking space was limited to 10, but this has not stopped Shotley collaborating with other companies to put on events. One of the popular events is ‘Pizza in the Vines’ taking place on several occasions throughout the summer. This fun evening allows guests to take in the beauty of the vineyard accompanied by the fantastic taste of wood fired pizza and of course a glass or two of excellent wine. There is also a collaboration with Que and Hollar a food truck that emulates authentic American Smokehouse cuisine. It is great to see such imagination in the tourism and hospitality offering at Shotley.

Shotley Vineyard is also available as a wedding venue. Charlotte explained that being responsible for such a special day brings a lot of pressure. Charlotte really wants the very best for every one of her visitors and is so passionate about her business that whether it is a bride and groom or a group booking for afternoon tea they will get the very best service and the experience will be nothing short of extraordinary.

Plans for the future include replanting some areas of the vineyard. “When I drive round there are little gaps here and there,” said Charlotte. Both Chardonnay and Ortega are varieties that Charlotte would like to increase in the future. However Charlotte has many plans for the future at Shotley Vineyard. “I would like to produce a traditional method that would

be ready for release in 2027,” she explained. This would be a fitting way to mark the 10th Anniversary of the purchase of the vineyard by Charlotte and Craig and will be a literal celebration of the continual development of this land and Shotley Vineyard.

In front of the café area is a glamping bell tent that is currently used for weekend camping trips by Craig and Henry. This really emphasises the family feel at Shotley Vineyard and sounds like an idyllic way to spend a weekend and it is great to hear that next year there will be four new tents available on site for guests to become fully immersed in the vineyard experience. “People that come out of London for the weekend are looking for something to do, so it will be nice for them to be able to stay and enjoy the local area for the weekend,” said Charlotte.

A vineyard is enthralling even in the rain; the life cycle of the vines, the grapes and the end product captivates the imagination so a glamping experience amongst the vines here in this corner of Suffolk would be nothing short of inspiring.

Shotley Vineyard will make a lasting and warm impression on all those that visit. The setting and the view are a source of deep contemplation but Charlotte Davitt-Mills and her family are working incredibly hard to ensure that all those that call in and spend any time here leave with a love not just of the English countryside but of the English Wine industry and its unique story. A story that like Shotley Vineyard itself continues to improve with time.

The rosé has been so popular that it is 50% sold after only a few months

land

What is Common Land?

If you own a vineyard or are in the process of buying one, you may have been told that part of your property is ‘common land’. There are around 8,000 parcels of common land dotted all over England according to the Government database. If your land is ‘common land’ it means that other people can enter your land or can take or use something that naturally occurs on that piece of land. What can be used or taken depends on the nature of that specific piece of land. The most common right is being able to graze animals on the pasture, or a ‘right to roam’ which means you can walk over the property without sticking to footpaths. However, other examples can be the right to take timber or to fish if a pond or stream crosses through.

As with many things property law related in England, common land has historic roots spanning back hundreds of years when poorer people (or the ‘commoners’) relied on these natural resources to cook and live. However common land does not mean that any member of the public has the right to use the land. Historically, it was only available to defined groups of people that likely lived close by such as a village or parish district. In modern times it is not so easy now to find out who has the benefit of these rights, but the land remains ‘common land’ all the same.

What can I do with Common Land?

This is the big question. As mentioned above, even if you cannot tell who has the benefits to use these rights over your common land, it

nonetheless remains common land which means you have restrictions on what you can do with it. To start with you cannot do anything which will obstruct or make it harder for people to exercise their rights. For example, if there is a grazing right over your land, you cannot build a winery or plant vines on that land as it would reduce the amount of area you can graze animals on. It is also unlawful to drive over common land without proper authority.

If you want to erect fences, put up buildings or resurface common land then you will need consent from the Planning Inspector on behalf of the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (in addition to any planning consent). However, you would not need consent for developments which do not infringe on rights such as adding gates to existing boundaries, putting up information boards or putting in feeding and watering troughs.

How do I know if my property is Common Land?

If you already own the property or are in the process of buying or leasing a property, your solicitor will have to undertake legal investigations that will reveal if your land is common land. If you are otherwise interested in finding out, you can google ‘common land government database’ and check the database for your address.

As a final thought, it is useful to note that common land will be considered by the valuer in their property valuation.

This article does not constitute legal advice.

German nursery tour

This year Rebschule Freytag GmbH & Co.KG will be offering an "English Speaking Day" in addition to their popular Grape Variety Days. The event will take place on Tuesday 12 September 2023 at 1.30pm.

The field tour of the vineyards will give

you the opportunity to see both the clonal diversity of traditional varieties like Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir alongside a range of new Piwi grape varieties. Afterwards, there will be an open tasting from these varieties, so that you can taste

the varieties that you are interested in. An open debate between colleagues will certainly not be neglected, there will be much to discuss.

Please register for the event by email: Marina.Pohl@rebschule-freytag.de

This year Rebschule Freytag GmbH & Co.KG will be o ering an “English Speaking Day” in addition to their popular Grape Variety Days. The event will take place on Tuesday 12 September 2023 at 1.30pm

Please register for the event by email: Marina.Pohl@rebschule-freytag.de

Rebschule Freytag GmbH & Co. KG

Theodor-Heuss-Strasse 78

67435 Neustadt a. d. Weinstr. Germany

Phone: 0049-6327-2143

www.rebschule-freytag.de

Planning insight

A landmark planning appeal case for the UK wine industry was dismissed on 24 July. The appeal was against the decision of Medway Council to grant planning permission for a new winery complex.

The Kentish Wine Vault could have been built near Cuxton by Vineyard Farms and produced five million bottles of wine a year in a £30 million investment from an experienced wine producer.

The proposals had the gravitas of a high quality design, undertaken by the globally renowned architects, Foster + Partners.

In March 2022, planning officers had recommended approval to councillors on the Planning Committee of Medway Council but, the Council had received 600 objection letters and a petition of objection, signed by 1,100 people. Five councillors supported approval of the scheme, but eight were swayed by the objectors and carried a refusal.

A subsequent appeal was directed to a government inspector.

The site is in the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), designated as Green Belt and adjacent to a Conservation Area. These are a challenging set of combined constraints. The inspector’s decision is a multi-faceted consideration of local and national planning policies set against assessment of the environmental impacts and benefits arising from the proposals.

The inspector concluded that the scheme was not an inappropriate development in the Green Belt on the basis that wine production amounts to agricultural use. He attributed limited weight to heritage impacts. He found that significant harm to the AONB landscape would result. Critically, the scheme was accepted as being major development in the AONB. This was a determinative issue as it triggered the application of rigorous national policy tests. Exceptional circumstances apply to major development in the AONB. Economic benefits must outweigh identified harm.

High level figures derived from the appellant’s growth plans showed that the economic benefits of the appeal scheme equated to £21.3 million direct benefits and £42.6 million indirect benefits. A contribution of around £112 million by 2030, with an estimated 1,000 jobs for the Medway economy. Unfortunately for the appellant, the inspector decided that the estimated benefits weren’t sufficiently detailed to enable a thorough assessment.

He found that the need for the scheme was not established and there

was no evidence provided by the appellants that options outside of the AONB were not examined and discounted.

Overall, the inspector opined that the “public interest” case was not sufficiently illustrated.

What are the implications?

The refused scheme was an incredibly ambitious proposal starring global architectural quality. Major proposals don’t always mean more risk. Big investment brings with it major benefits but in the case of the appeal, they were not regarded by the Government’s Inspector as having been sufficiently set out because of the high bar set by AONB national policy. It is a major blow for big investor confidence in the emergent wine-making industry but will have the unintended consequence of supporting smaller producers. Having achieved an officer recommendation of approval, the appellants learned that the planning system is a quasi-democratic process, ultimately deferential to, and reliant on, strong political leadership which is supportive of investment.

An objective policy-led approach towards business planning is recommended. The scale of the development proposed in this higher value landscape was too much to meet the policy tests. Insufficient detail on the business plan and testing of alternative scenarios outside the AONB were determinative factors. Might production on the scale envisaged be deliverable in increments? The old adage, “fly low, fly far” resonates. The industry will bounce back.

For a copy of the decision and related documents visit: www.medway.gov.uk/info/200133/planning/1698/cuxton_winery_public_planning_inquiry

Brian Mullin is a planning policy specialist and Head of Marrons, a national multi-disciplinary planning and design consultancy. Marrons is a sister company of Mayo Wynne Baxter solicitors, a law firm providing a wide range of legal services to wineries, vineyards and the businesses that support and supply them. Contact Brian for planning, heritage, economic, land-use, architectural, biodiversity net gain, and rural diversification services relating to the UK wine industry. Contact James O'Connell for other legal queries.

Nyetimber opened its doors to students

In May, Nyetimber opened its doors to 40 Plumpton College students. This was a chance for students to learn about a premium winemaking business from its personnel across many aspects of the business from grape growing and winemaking through to sales and hospitality.

First, a morning tour of the home estate Manor Vineyard and the pressing centre. Fascinating to see the purpose-built site, with precision to detail to ensure quality throughout the process, as an example the custom-made crate line for filling the presses.

Then Zoe Dearsley, Senior Brand Ambassador, gave a tutored tasting of the Nyetimber core range; the structured and generous Classic Cuvee MV, a textured and bright rosé (MV), the Blanc de Blanc 2015 with five years of lees aging was delicate and complex, and the Cuvee Chérie demi-sec, beautifully balanced and aromatic.

The students were treated to a generous lunch, and with top ups of each wine, were able to explore the four wines paired across vegetable

and chicken dishes, and a lemon posset dessert.

In the afternoon there were presentations by Barnaby Richardson, Head of Sales – UK, on sales and export and Ben Kastler, Head of Viticulture, on their sustainable and technical approach to grape growing and land management.

Brad Greatrix, Senior Winemaker, led a technical tasting of their Classic Cuvee bottled under two different conditions; a control wine and wine bottled under nitrogen. These two wines were identically lees-aged, but showed very differently. The bottle-sparged wine showed slower aging characteristics, with fewer tertiary characteristics both on the nose and the palette, akin to being aged in a larger format bottle.

Brad explained the concept of bottling this way, from the original proposal, the technicalities at bottling as well as the chemical and sensory impacts. A very enlightening afternoon. Thank you to Nyetimber for an extremely generous and educational day.

Five steps to an effective grape harvest

With

picking of early varieties due to begin in the next few weeks, Hutchinsons agronomists Rob Saunders and Chris Cooper offer five tips to help harvest run smoothly and make the most of this season’s crop potential.

1. Organise labour and logistics

Harvest is dependent on many variables coming together at just the right time, from the weather and grape readiness, to the availability of transport, pickers and winery capacity. Juggling so many moving parts is not easy, so the importance of good planning cannot be overestimated.

Book labour early, and plan individual responsibilities, while also considering how best to organise containers, bins, transport, tools, staff well-being (toilets, food, etc), and other practicalities.

The aim is to minimise downtime and ‘keep pickers picking’. Simple things like ensuring pickers don’t have to walk too far to collect fresh containers, or waste time waiting for bins or transport, can make all the difference.

Labour availability remains a big issue, especially when grape harvests compete with apple, pear and soft fruit demands. It is why many larger vineyards are now looking at machine harvesting as an alternative, although this brings other logistical considerations, not least how to transport and process crops that come off vineyards far quicker than those picked by hand. Machine harvesting is not as gentle as hand picking, so speed is of the essence once juice starts to run in harvested crops.

2. Monitor grape readiness

Deciding when to start harvest is perhaps the biggest single decision any grower can make in terms of wine quality. With grapes being such a perishable commodity, there is little room for delay once crops hit the quality ‘sweet-spot’ for Brix and acidity levels.

In unsettled autumns, Botrytis is an inherent risk when holding out for rising Brix and falling acidity, so it is important to maintain disease control right up to harvest, although always adhere to harvest intervals on any products used.

Good communication with your winery is essential for hitting the optimum harvest timing and ensuring the daily pressing capacity is there when you need it. Be realistic about the volume of grapes expected and when they will be ready, and keep the winemaker informed if things change.

3. Pre-picking quality control

To help speed-up picking work rates, it may be worth going through the vineyard before harvest to remove underripe bunches, or those that have succumbed to Botrytis or mildew, and carry out some leaf stripping to

expose healthy bunches.

Doing so can benefit juice quality by reducing the risk of diseased grapes tainting the wine, while also allowing pickers to focus on the single task of picking healthy bunches, without having to worry about grading or quality control. It is of course, reliant on having the labour available before the main harvest period begins.

Trimming vegetative cover in alleyways and removing tall weeds, such as thistles, can also make life easier for picking teams and improve work rates.

Wasps are a perennial problem as grapes ripen, especially in early maturing varieties like Solaris and Siegerrebe, and very hard to control. Locating and destroying nests is theoretically the best approach, but it is usually much easier said than done. Precision monitoring with multiple traps may help.

4. Plan health and safety

One aspect not to be overlooked in the planning process is health and safety. Accidents can, and do occasionally, happen, so whether you are using hired gangs, in-house employees, or inexperienced volunteers, risk assessments must be done and adequate training provided.

In many cases this can be a simple printed information sheet that staff read before beginning work, and retain a copy of. If foreign staff are used, make sure there are versions available in their native language if unable to read English.

5. Motivate staff

Motivating staff, whether paid or volunteers, is crucial to get the most out of them and help everyone feel a valued part of the team. It may sound like ‘HR babble’, but if people are genuinely enthusiastic and motivated to work, productivity will benefit. Rather than just turning up and serving their allotted time, enthusiastic staff give back ‘discretionary effort’ over and above doing the bare minimum, so think carefully about how best to motivate everyone.

Picking is a skilled job, and if a worker is struggling to achieve reasonable output, consider whether their skills are better put to use in other roles, that may then increase the productivity of the whole picking team.

Finally, as picking progresses, it is useful to note any spatial variation in yields across the vineyard, as this may help identify underperforming areas to target for closer inspection once harvest is over.

Measure twice and cut once

Pre-harvest analysis and precision viticulture.

Measure twice and cut once.

This principle is well applied to the grape harvest. The vineyard manager's most critical decision is when to make those all-important cuts. Getting the timing right is a matter of careful monitoring and accurate measuring of grape ripening.

While most will focus on walking the rows daily to monitor the harvest, some vineyards are employing cutting-edge technology as well – to assess sugar levels, vine health, canopy vigour and stress levels effectively. Advancements in remote sensing and drone technologies have made this easier than ever before, although there is an initial cost to adopting these methods.

All vineyards are not created equal. Uneven canopy growth, changing soil types, micro-climates and other factors can all result in heterogeneous growth and ripening times for the crop. Advances in geolocation and georeferencing mean that this variability can be mapped with a precision not seen before. This allows for targeted management practices aimed at encouraging a more homogenous rate of ripening across the entire crop, variety by variety.

The expert view of pre-harvest analysis

Graham Fisher, Vinescapes Senior Viticulturist, cast his expert eye over the tricky business of pre-harvest analysis.

“Harvest is the highlight of the year, as well as one of the busiest

and most costly. Monitoring ripeness starts after veraison as the berry develops and matures. It is critical for planning harvest logistics and winemaking. The winemaker will be expecting the best quality fruit appropriate for the style of wine being made and so accurate monitoring and record keeping is key to providing this. The most important metrics to measure are sugars, pH and total acidity, and some wineries also analyse for YAN (yeast available nitrogen) tannins and malic acid.

“Grape berry ripening is influenced by many factors including weather, but also variety and location. It is not necessarily linear or predictable! Bunches or berries are collected and generally sent to the wineries or other labs for analysis, but sugars are also done in-field with refractometers. The berries and/or juice should be tasted – as the vineyard manager and winemaker’s palates are a useful tool for assessing the development of flavour, tannins and other ripeness indicators.

Find out more

Vinescapes is delivering a workshop ‘Harvest Preparations in the Vineyard’, on 23 August in Surrey. It will cover sampling techniques and tools for monitoring grape ripeness and forecast harvest date as well as managing pests and diseases and planning for harvest.

Photo: Mat Price

“Good data collection and record-keeping enable baselines to be established in order to provide more accurate predictions and inform management decisions – for example, if the vineyard is lagging well behind in the current season, compared to others, it may be necessary to consider crop thinning to ensure the vine is able to ripen the crop.”

What is Precision Viticulture?

Precision Viticulture is an umbrella term that covers a range of practices and technologies that help vineyard managers to make evidence-based decisions about how to manage their estates to meet their goals. These goals could pertain to when to harvest, the size of the yield or perhaps even the final price point of the wine.

Precision Viticulture (PV) differs from Precision Agriculture more generally because of the orientation and geometrics of the canopy. The vineyard canopy is quite unique in form and complexity. This presented significant problems when PV was a young science, but gradually the technology has grown to meet the challenges of this unique environment.

The first exercises examined the spatial variability of vine growth and berry growth in order to capture information that could be used to make management decisions. This was tied into making vineyards more profitable by maximising yield, but also to mitigate the effect of factors like disease and variation in soil moisture.

What are the benefits of PV?

The collected data is used to identify patterns, but also to highlight variability so that it can be managed in a better way. By understanding the vineyard better, and the variability it experiences, management practices can be more targeted and therefore cheaper. Fertilisers can be applied to spot treat rather than globally, for example.

I spoke to David Green, a Professor in the Geography Department at the University of Aberdeen, about the application of PV. David specialises in geospatial technologies and has spent many years working with research vineyards and commercial vineyards in the course of his research.

“Before PV, there were years and years of common sense,“ said David. “People adapted vines to a certain area, noticing that vines grow better on south-facing slopes, for example. There’s an awful lot that has gone before that’s valuable still, but when you plug the two together [learned experience and PV] you’ve got this tremendous record of information and knowledge captured which can be used to help us grow grapes more efficiently and adapt to a changing climate.”

These technologies and methodologies debuted in a research context. Spatial analysis tools attempted to understand differences in crop growth across different areas of a vineyard. This research pulled together lots of different data sets, including terrain, drainage, and soil type. Remote sensing like satellite imaging and aerial photography was to capture the data as a starting point.

Precision Viticulture is an umbrella term that covers a range of practices and technologies that help vineyard managers to make evidence-based decisions about how to manage their estates

Initially, the technology didn’t always work as well as hoped, because the resolution was not high enough. So PV found itself reaching a peak in past decades but failing to make a real impact.

Now, it is beginning to evolve again. Technologies like drones, for higher resolution imagery, and the use of artificial intelligence and deep learning used in combination with image capture, are producing high-quality information with a practical application, which can get right down to the vine level.

“That’s translating now into drones doing some of the spraying and that is quite a revolution,” David told me. “The old PV was focused on capturing data with instruments, you’d go around and check the sugar content of the grapes. One of the limitations in big vineyards was finding the time to do all of this sampling. Now geographical information systems provide the means to take point samples with different types of electronic equipment and wifi signals. You can interpolate the data to get a map of the vineyard with a plus or minus in terms of something like soil moisture across the whole vineyard. The spatialisation of that data can be pieced together with other data sets to start to understand why a vine in a particular row is not performing in the same way as others.”

This technology has evolved very rapidly in recent years, particularly in regard to artificial intelligence and automation. There are already automated robots out there that can complete tasks like spraying or pruning. Some are now being programmed to take sample data whilst they traverse the vineyard completing their main duties.

In many countries, the cost of PV has been prohibitive, leading to slow rates of adoption. But in some areas like California, where the vineyards are very large and the values of wine (and by extension, each individual vine) are high, the cost of the technology required is just a drop in the ocean and worth the initial outlay. They provide a commercial imperative to drive the research forward.

Change is coming as the technology becomes more accessible. Almost everyone has a mobile phone, and phones now come equipped with GPS and sound monitoring. Apps to map vineyards or identify diseases from a simple photograph are widely available.

Drones are more affordable and easier to use, so vineyards are able to capture their own data. Data management software is online, so it is easier to upload images to the cloud and get standardised information back quickly. This could include the normalised difference

vegetation index (NDVI) which gives some idea of yield, canopy mass and biomass.

Vineyard management soft ware

More digital agricultural solutions companies are springing up to provide vineyards with software solutions aimed at making viticulture more sustainable, using technology to optimize their practices.

One example is ELMIBIT d.o.o., who have created a vineyard management software package called eVineyard. It provides a set of tools for work management and tracking, reporting and compliance, advanced data analytics and more, all of which can help winegrowing organisations to lower costs and improve grape quality in a sustainable way. This software can be used on a computer or via an app on a mobile phone. It allows all of the data about vineyards, teams, assets and results to be recorded, analysed and visualised. In terms of pre-harvest analysis, samples can be recorded and analysed across the vineyard, over time. It is possible to combine information about the season’s temperatures recorded by a weather station with grape sugar and acidity levels recorded via grape sampling. This would inform the harvest date, as well as which areas to pick, for a selective harvest.

Regardless of the provider, when used over a number of years, well-ordered and systematic records make it easier to compare seasons and make informed predictions. This might include patterns in weather related to when certain grape growth stages were reached, or what the grapes’ composition was on the days leading up to a previous harvest. It can also help to manage workflows – tracking machine work with GPS for example, and thereby understanding more about how much different activities cost in time and materials.

Several English vineyards have adopted software of this kind, including JoJo’s Vineyard in Henley-on-Thames who are digitising much of their operation. They are working with the FIWARE Foundation on a solution for wine traceability and vineyard data sharing for different wine value chain stakeholders called eVine2Wine.

JoJo’s Vineyard recently held an Agri-Epi Open Day to showcase their use of technology and future plans. An S-Rex Cover Crop drill was presented which has been developed with Harrow & Hope. Outfield Technologies showcased drones that work with a crop data system and Antobot exhibited their autonomous robot platform.

Challenging the old order

Jobs that were previously very laborious are now fast and simple because the extraction of information has been digitised. Where measurements are taken manually, there are natural limitations to the methodology. You might only have a certain number of physical soil tensiometers per row, for instance. Now it is easier to do more sampling and, using AI, interpolate between the point samples to build a continuous surface. It’s not the real data as if it had all physically been measured, but it gives a plus or minus. This is a big jump in the capacity to understand how variable soil

moisture is across the vineyard and how that impacts plant growth across different varieties.

LIDAR technology (using laser to measure variable distances) can scan vine rows and build a very detailed high-resolution computer model of the vine plant. It is possible to model grape clusters, leaf angles and elevations. This information can be used to work out the Leaf Area Index, which helps to calculate the biomass of the plant and the projected yield.

Phenotyping can be based on these models now, for example, and all of the information is generated from non-destructive, remote sensing methods.

By having the right information to describe that canopy and the state it is in at a certain time, evidence-based decisions are easier to make. The anticipated window for harvest can be adjusted, which is particularly important as climate change impacts the growing season.

This new learning is challenging old assumptions. In the steep vineyards of Germany, for example, remote sensing has shown that terracing isn’t always effective. While the system is good for access and growing grapes on steep slopes, some of the terraces have been shown to act as cold air traps. In extreme weather, some varieties are killed because the cold air didn’t drain away.

Other applications

Many will be sceptical that investment in Precision Viticulture will bring about a tangible return. It is perhaps useful to consider the ‘fringe benefits’ of technologies that map and measure the vines. Most significantly, there are numerous applications for the promotion of wine tourism – an area of considerable growth in the UK.

WineGB has stated that wine tourism now makes up 24% of vineyard income and that visitor numbers are up by 17% on 2021. Repackaging vineyard data into virtual tours or mapping the buildings could generate

new revenue streams quickly since tourists are increasingly interested in vineyard management.

The future

PV is not without its problems and limitations. As the data becomes higher in resolution, the processing time increases exponentially. Waiting eight hours for the numbers to be crunched and a model to be generated isn’t always going to be possible, so making improvements to data processing is a pressing concern for researchers.

Vineyard managers need to be able to ‘plug and play’ – to generate the data themselves. Applications and hardware need to be quick to understand and use without significant amounts of training. The apps that process data need to provide answers rapidly. The industry is already moving in this direction.

On the other hand, having this incredible wealth of data available allows for more effective planning. In-depth tracking of vine performance doesn’t just drive data-led decisions about harvest dates for this season. It aids in formulating a detailed understanding of how the estate is performing over time. As more data is added, season by season, that model improves in accuracy. It learns.

We are expecting change over time. A 2022 study examining the implication of climate change projections for UK viticulture, for example, talks about the “greater potential for Pinot Noir for sparkling wines and shifting suitability to still red wine production” in the relatively near term. The researchers warn against the dangers of sector entrenchment around sparkling wine as opportunities for the same levels of quality in still wine are likely to present themselves over the coming years. PV may well give us the tools to plan for that time as it approaches.

READ MORE ABOUT SENSOR-BASED PHENOTYPING OF PHYSICAL BARRIERS OF GRAPES TO IMPROVE RESILIENCE TO BOTRYTIS:

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New Essex venture

Itasca already runs a highly successful contract wine operation at Penn Croft Winery in Crondall, Hampshire, and it is that model that Malcolm Walker is planning to replicate in his new Essex venture.

With the quantity of grapes being grown in the Crouch Valley “increasing hour by hour” in the words of one grower, it was only a matter of time before someone decided to locate a contract winery in the area.

The good news for growers in this particularly grape-friendly part of the Essex countryside, to the south east of Chelmsford, is that the ‘someone’ in this case is Itasca’s Malcolm Walker, whose track record in the industry is second to none.

Itasca already runs a highly successful contract wine operation at Penn Croft Winery in Crondall, Hampshire, and it is that model that Malcolm is planning to replicate in his new Essex venture, being delivered in partnership with Nick Speakman’s Missing Gate Vineyard. And the extra slice of good news is that Itasca’s head winemaker Ben Smith, whose reputation for making top quality wines continues to grow, will also take charge of the winemaking team at the Essex location.

It’s also worth noting that the Missing Gate Winery will be kitted out specifically to make ultra-premium still wines, with the equipment and layout all focused on this ambition and, in winemaker Ben’s own words, “no compromises” allowed.

In the spirit of cooperation and teamwork that surrounds the Crouch Valley plans, the Itasca and Missing Gate partnership will also be working with top local viticulturists whose experience of growing grapes in Essex’s heavy clay soils will make a significant contribution to the venture.

The new development is part of an ongoing success story for Itasca Wines which began when filmmaker Malcolm planted vines at Penn Croft Farm in partnership with farmer and landowner Simon Porter so that he could film the venture as a follow up to his Cellar Rats TV series.

After planting the vines in 2018/19 Malcolm realised that the boom in vineyards in the South East was quickly outpacing the number

of facilities able to turn the grapes into wine. Spotting a gap in the market, he built Penn Croft Winery and quickly made Itasca the go-to contract winemaker for the area around West Sussex and Hampshire.

“That imbalance between the number of grapes being planted and the number of wineries able to handle them is just as apparent today, and the interest being shown in the Crouch Valley area means there is a real opportunity for a quality winemaker to fill the gap,” said Malcolm.

Never one to miss an opportunity, Malcolm has now leased land at Missing Gate and plans to start work at the turn of the year on a £3m investment in a facility that will initially be able to cope with a throughput of 1,000 tonnes of grapes but will be built on a modular system to allow increased capacity in future.

The ambition is for the winery to be ready to receive its first grape harvest in September 2024 – and customers are already signing on the dotted line.

It was after fitting out the Penn Croft Winery that Malcolm spotted the need for a distribution and installation company serving the industry and set up Itasca Technical Services, now a thriving business that can supply and install the whole range of wine-making equipment, from tanks and presses to bottling lines and additives.

Meanwhile the winery at Penn Croft is at full capacity, having achieved its 2024 target of handling 600 tonnes in the current year, a full 12 months ahead of schedule.

Expansion is planned at the Hampshire site, too, with a new warehouse about to be built. “The existing 10,000 sq m warehouse is close to capacity and by the time we have bottled another couple of hundred thousand bottles it will be full by Christmas,” Malcolm explained.

Itasca is also making the most of the potential for wine tourism and has just opened Penn Croft Cellar Door, a project Malcolm has spent the past six months

working on. The result is a comfortable new dining and wine tasting area that will be at the heart of the tastings and tours that are proving increasingly popular at Penn Croft.

The facility will offer charcuterie, cheeses and other light snacks alongside wines to taste and buy. “We are becoming increasingly busy, with two tours a day catering for six to eight people and that number increasing all the time,” Malcolm said. “We had been operating out of the barrel store or, more recently, a marquee. The cellar door will have a more relaxed and comfortable feel.”

Malcolm, who has a background in TV and music as well as film-making, has also partnered with a company called 8Ray and will be staging concerts and other musical events at and around the winery.

Penn Croft Cellar Door

It adds up to an exciting and multidimensional company, and the expansion into the increasingly popular Crouch Valley will further enhance Itasca’s reputation in the industry.

The expansion is being carried out in partnership with U4EA, a winery investor that said in a statement that it was “looking forward to supporting its growth in this major new development”.

The statement went on: “It is likely that such a partnership, among others, will lead to an eventual flotation for U4EA PLC in 2024 to aid its expansion. U4EA has been delighted with its growing involvement with Itasca Wines and sees a bright future as the English wine industry continues in its growth.”

Itasca is also making the most of the potential for wine tourism and has just opened

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The Crouch Valley is proving increasingly popular with growers, a trend highlighted by the recent announcement that Jackson Family Wines is planning to become the first US grower to invest in the area, a first for the UK and an exciting development for English wine.

Gusborne CEO Charlie Holland, who has been appointed by Jackson Family Wines to take the project forward, has been quoted as saying that the purchase of a 26-hectare plot in Crouch Valley, Essex should be

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completed by this September.

“It became obvious that a winery on the Itasca model in Hampshire could do very well and it’s something we have been discussing with Nick over the past year,” said Malcolm. “I’m delighted that we are now able to go ahead and that we will be building on our already strong partnership.”

Winemaker Ben revealed that the link with Missing Gate began when Nick Speakman put out an email looking for someone to make a still wine from his Pinot Blanc. Ben and Itasca were happy to help and Missing Gate Pinot Blanc 2020 was named as white wine of the year in the England 2022 special report by Tom Hewson. “It ’s own Matthew Jukes as the best Pinot Blanc ever made in England,” Ben added.

Nick was full of praise for the winemaking skills of Ben Smith, pointing out: “He has made us some spectacular award-winning wines from our grapes. Itasca have been our only winemakers since we started the vineyard in 2018 and we are delighted to be working with Malcolm and the team on this project.”

Missing Gate is currently planted with Bacchus, Pinot Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc, with the vineyard’s first Chardonnay and Pinot Noir expected to be planted later this year or at the beginning of 2024. Nick said that the aim was to double the amount of land under vines from 100 acres to 200 acres over the next three years.

“The winery will be an amazing facility for us but, more importantly, it will serve the Crouch Valley as a whole. As a contract facility it will be available for all the growers in the area, and with the number of vines seemingly increasing hour by hour it can’t come too soon,” he went on.

Nick, who owns a US-based food technology company called Food Physics Ltd which specialises in pulsed electric field (PEF) applications, which could be used to extract more colour and flavour from grapes and help the fermentation process, planted his first grapes in 2018, referring to the experience as “a bit of a gamble” – but one that clearly paid off.

Alongside the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir to be planted in the next phase, he also plans to grow more grapes for “larger volume, good value wines to give Missing Gate a broad product base”. He added that he was “delighted to be working with someone as professional as Itasca”.

Crouch Valley’s popularity with growers, he commented: “We have always called this area ‘the hot hills’ because we enjoy long hot summers, with the weather often staying dry until October. It’s ideal for ripening fruit.”

Ben, who will remain in charge of the teams at both the Hampshire and Essex facilities, said that while the Hampshire winery would focus on sparkling varieties, Missing Gate would aim to set new standards in still wine making.

“The good thing is that we have full lab, bottling and packaging facilities in Hampshire which will act as a bridge between the two venues and unify the teams,” he said. New staff will be appointed to the Missing Gate site in good time for them to be trained in ‘The

Itasca Way’ so that they can “hit the ground running,” he added.

Missing Gate wine will be made in the new winery but will still be bottled at Penn Croft.

The focus on “ultra-premium still wine production” at Missing Gate will mean nothing but the best equipment to cater for hand sorting, including a basket press and sorting table. Ben expects to focus his skills on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay but may include Pinot Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc varieties.

“We will have the right equipment for still wine making from day one, with no compromises,” he pledged. “It will set us apart from most English wineries, but we have the advantage of being able to use Penn Croft if we want to make sparkling wine.”

Both Ben and Malcolm are aware that machine picking will become increasingly important over the next few years, particularly given the Brexit-fallout labour shortage, and a separate work stream will allow machinepicked fruit to be dealt with alongside the high-end vintages. “The aim is to produce both ultra-premium and high quality volume wines,” Ben explained.

“I’m really excited about the prospect. I’ve been making wines from Essex fruit for the past three years and they have been highly acclaimed so I can see the potential. Having a specialist facility in the region that is focused on making the best of the quality of grapes grown in the Crouch Valley will be an amazing step forward for English wine.”

S

LOOKING FOR A UK BASED INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT WINEMAKER?

This month, I’m following up on the topic from the July edition, questioning if wine is made on the vine or if the winemaker is the one who actually makes it. On this basis, I’d like to add a further perspective about the decision of which kind of wine to make and who decides.

Let’s start by asking: On an established vineyard, how much can we change to make what we want? Has the vineyard already decided a few options for us?

In my opinion the answer is that we can make very few changes and influence only some aspects, while the vineyard already has solid plans about the possibilities of wine-making.

Decide what to make before planting

If we want to decide which wine to make and which style, we have more chances to do so if we start from the very beginning: the terroir. This translates to where to plant, what to plant and the criteria to apply. We know what terroir is, however we’re still very far away from understanding it. For this reason, I often like to start planning from the end and work backwards.

A practical approach can be to taste the wines of the area objectively studied across several vintages, get the data from existing vineyards (if any) and cross reference everything with the meteorological figures of the specific location.

Then to simplify, if we want to make some profit, we need to know the history of the yield according to the variety, how consistently we can make the wines we’re thinking of, their amount, the production cost and the market compared to our strategy.

It’s a multidisciplinary teamwork that needs to be assessed carefully. Nothing is certain, but we have the chance to control more of those uncertainties, enjoying the process and expressing our passion on what we wish to achieve.

Listening to the vineyard and learning from it

Listening and observing the vineyard with a winemaking approach has to do with the interpretation and the style of the wines we can

make. It takes some years and it’s a beautiful never ending learning process that gives a lot of satisfaction.

Every vineyard block is different as well as the vines are. If we look and taste carefully, the grapes first and the wine next, we can gain invaluable experience across the years. If we only make wine without tasting the grapes throughout the whole winemaking process, every year and in each step, we won’t be able to make some crucial decisions and we’d be playing mostly with luck.

Tasting the grapes means forgetting about sugar and sometimes acidity too while focusing on aspects that we can’t change.

We need to focus on tannins, bitterness, colour, flavours, acidity balance, skins, pips and pulp separately… while thinking on the techniques to apply to get to the target.

Tannins and especially flavours are the most difficult.

The amount of sugar and the acidity influences our perception of tannins and the acidity itself. If we think about how to press the grapes and the juice fraction separation or, again on a skin contact wine, (not just a red), understanding how those tannins will change over time becomes a crucial knowledge that only comes with experience.

On the flavour side, when tasting grapes or juice, we can only perceive some of the primary aromas. Some others, come from the interaction of the yeast metabolism with some juice compounds (secondary aromas); while the tertiary aromas are the result of the different reactions happening over time between the primary and the secondary versus the ageing conditions and the “genetics of the wine/terroir”.

Some parameters are only relevant for certain wines, so we need to pay attention to them and learn to see them in the perspective of how they can evolve in the future wine.

It’s a fascinating journey, however, at the end of it, we’re just students of our vineyards trying to make the right decisions to make the best wine in a very specific context.

DESKTOP www.enologie.wine phone-alt +39 3349 769 839 ENVELOPE salvatore@enologie.wine EXPRESS YOUR TERROIR SEPTEMBER 2023 | VINEYARD

Supplier focus: Gripple

Having established over 300 vineyards across the UK, VineWorks know that using high quality, reliable products is the secret to creating durable trellising systems. That’s why we’ve used Gripple products to support our vineyard installations for over 15 years.

A brief history of Gripple

Founded in 1988 in Sheffield, the company's breakthrough came with the invention of the Gripple fastener – a unique wire tensioning device that streamlined the installation process and significantly improved the efficiency of fencing systems in agriculture, viticulture, construction and other industries worldwide.

Today, Gripple remains a pioneering force in the market, known for its commitment to sustainable design and environmentally-friendly practices.

Quality first

Gripple products provide significant time and labour savings during installation and maintenance processes. By using Gripple products, users can achieve higher efficiency and accuracy, leading to reduced project timelines and overall costs. The products are also designed with sustainability in mind, utilising minimal materials and reducing waste.

Gripple's state-of-the-art technology ensures consistent and reliable performance, enhancing the safety and durability of installations. Versatility, cost-effectiveness and an impressive adaptability to different soil types, make Gripple products a preferred choice. Whether the soil is rocky, sandy, clay or loam, Gripple's wire joining and tensioning solutions can easily accommodate the specific characteristics of each soil type.

Commitment to innovation

The strong relationship between Gripple and VineWorks stems from their complementary expertise in the agricultural industry. Together, they have revolutionised the way vineyards are established and maintained in the UK, providing cutting-edge products and services that enhance productivity and sustainability in grape-growing operations.

Gripple's advanced trellising systems offer superior support for grapevines, while VineWorks' expertise in vineyard establishment and management optimises vine health and yields.

This collaboration has not only resulted in significant improvements in grape cultivation, but has fostered a direct partnership between the two companies, leading to continued success in the ever-evolving world of viticulture.

Insider’s view

We asked Jake Hallatt, Agricultural Sales Manager, to provide some insight on Gripple’s product range for vineyards.

Most popular vineyard product:

“The Gripple Plus Medium, the most versatile product in our range. It is often used for cordon wires and foliage wires as well as end post bracing.”

In May 2023, Gripple announced they reached an incredible milestonethe production of the one billionth fastener!

What new vineyard

products are in development?

“We consulted with VineWorks to design a new end post hanger that allows vineyards to benefit from the speed of using the VIT-S, regardless of what type of post they are using. The hanger will be delivered flat and is designed to easily wrap around different sized end posts - metal, wood or concrete.

Gripple APEX Anchors have been in production since 2014 creating a secure, fixed anchoring point below the ground. No pre-digging or ground preparation is required, dramatically reducing installation time. The streamlined profile is designed to provide exceptional holding power and stability in a wide range of soil types whilst providing minimal soil disturbance during the installation.

Contractors use Gripple APEX Anchors because of their ease of installation, reduced environmental impact and superior performance compared to traditional anchoring methods.

We are developing a more comprehensive range of corrosion resistant fibre anchors that will match the performance of the current wire rope anchors.”

What new products should vineyard owners and managers consider?

GP Fix is the latest vineyard trellising innovation from Gripple, designed to provide a quick, simple and professional solution when repairing broken trellis wires.

Key benefits:

◆ Speed and ease of use – The two piece design allows the repairer to add secure gripping points at either side of the broken wire; the pieces are simply pulled together and the snap fit mechanism provides a quick and easy join.

◆ Tidier repair –A long, smooth profile with no protruding wires, means it’s less likely to be caught by people or machinery in the future, delivering a professional finish in the vineyard.

◆ Compatibility – Accepts wire diameters from 1.8 – 3.2mm with a maximum load rating of 400kg meaning it’s suitable for use with Gripple Plus Medium and GP1 when re-tensioning wires at end posts

◆ Market leading technology – corrosion resistant zinc alloy and ceramic rollers deliver trusted, long lasting repairs.

VineWorks look forward to continuously developing and expanding Gripple’s range of vineyard products; working together to secure the future of UK vineyards, one vine at a time.

Preferred partner:

Yeast nutrition

Nutrition:

yeast happy and

kinetics

taste profile of your wine – An interview with Dr Maryam Ehsani PhD.

Yeast and bacteria are living organisms, like us they need food to survive and a balanced diet ensures a healthier, longer life; one cannot live on sugar alone. If the yeast do not have sufficient nutrition they can struggle – leading to stuck or sluggish fermentation as a result of hydrogen sulphides (H2S) production. Typical H2S aromas range from struck match through cabbage to sauerkraut all the way to rotten eggs – a small amount of reduction can be tolerated in some wine styles but too much is most definitely not desired in sparkling base wines where the inevitably reductive secondary fermentation can compound the problem.

I was invited to attend a Fermentis Academy Seminar that was to be held at Plumpton College in early July – for various reasons the in-person event was postponed but I had the chance to interview Dr Maryam Ehsani PhD to hear about the latest research in the world of yeast and nutrition, in particular the products being developed by Fermentis. A relative newcomer to the UK market, Fermentis is a fermented-beverages dedicated business unit of Lesaffre, one of the largest yeast producers for bread (arguably as important a topic as wine in France). Their oenological products are represented in the UK by Vigo Ltd.

Maryam’s presentation is too detailed to be fully summarised in this short article, but I have picked out the pertinent points I feel are most important for the UK industry, inevitably weighted towards sparkling base wines as that is my speciality but with the increasing number of red, white and rosé wines being made, consideration for proper yeast nutrition adapted to wine style becomes more relevant.

Winemakers have long been supplementing yeast’s diet with nitrogen. Measuring the Yeast Available Nitrogen (YAN) in the grape juice at pressing allows the winemaker to fine tune any additions needed or make the decision that perhaps no addition is required. Testing for YAN is relatively cheap when considering the problem one might get from reduction as a result of a sticky fermentation but it does

require specialist lab equipment and a skilled operator in order to get accurate results. Sending off samples for testing in an outside lab adds time and another layer of admin during the busy harvest period, so it is tempting for winemakers to simply add a nutrient addition to the work order for inoculation as a ‘belt and braces’ approach. Most commercially available nutrient additions are diammonium phosphate (DAP) or mineral nitrogen (NH4+). DAP could be described as the Big Mac of yeast food, whereas the naturally occurring nitrogen in the grapes is made up of about two thirds organic nitrogen (amino acids). Once fermentation is underway the yeasts are not fussy about whether their food is organic or not but the type of nitrogen they are fed may have an effect on the resulting flavour profile. The addition of amino acids (organic) has been shown to increase thiols whilst DAP (mineral), in excess and higher amounts than organic nitrogen at the beginning of AF, has the opposite effect and represses them. In making base wines you may wish to avoid such an increase whilst making aromatic whites it may well be highly desirable to increase the production of thiols.

The amount of YAN that the yeast requires to successfully complete fermentation depends on the alcohol level to which they are expected to ferment as well as the type of yeast being used. The commonly used ‘champagne’ strains such as Fermentis SafŒno SPK 05, IOC 18-2007 and Lalvin EC-1118 have lower requirements than other yeasts identified more typically for still wine ferments. Sparkling base wines are normally only expected to ferment to 11% maximum so YAN requirements will be lower than a still wine at 12% or more. As a guide, a juice with a potential alcohol of 12% will require around 200mg/L of YAN.

In addition to the formation of hydrogen sulphides a lack of YAN can cause the struggling yeast to produce higher levels of volatile acidity (VA). With there being legal limits on VA in a finished wine, if you needed another reason to check your YAN at juice stage, this should also help you decide how important nutrition is – see graph on page 46.

EMMA RICE, CONSULTANT WINEMAKER

One the UK’s most respected winemakers, Emma Rice now runs her own winemaking consultancy, offering advice on winery design, equipment sourcing, sensory evaluation and troubleshooting, wine style strategy and general winemaking.

An early graduate of Plumpton College, Emma has been at the forefront of the English winemaking industry as the immediate past Chair of the WineGB Winemaking Technical Working Group.

She was a Director and Head Winemaker at Hattingley Valley for 14 years whilst also running her wine analysis laboratory, Custom Crush UK Ltd. Overseeing the growth of Hattingley to become one of the largest wineries in the UK, Emma not only made awardwinning wine for the brand but also for her clients. She was responsible for producing 30-40 different cuvées each year from between 200 and 700 tonnes of fruit each harvest.

DESKTOP www.emmarice.com

phone-alt 07530 999592

keeping

healthy to optimise fermentation

and the subsequent

Fermentis Academy, the right arm of the R&D team of Fermentis, part of the Lesaffre Group in France.

As a winemaker operating in England, mainly making sparkling wine from the classic varieties of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier I have been guilty of testing one or two juice samples for YAN at the beginning of harvest and then applying the same nutrient protocol to all subsequent batches, even adding when the figures tell me it is not strictly necessary – just in case… In my experience, it is rare to see YANs below 200mg/L in the classic varieties but the aromatic whites and other varieties may be more susceptible to the soil and microclimate where they are grown. Bacchus from one vineyard may be happily sufficient whilst the crop from another site will be woefully low and need significant adjustment to avoid problems.

Maryam’s presentation highlighted one thing I had not previously really considered; excess nitrogen causing the very problem the addition is trying to avoid. A must or juice can have a sufficiently high YAN but without some other crucial ingredients in the mix the yeast can still struggle and produce unsavoury levels of H2S. Vitamin B5 (pantothenate) is one key element that is found naturally in yeast-derived nutrients and maximises the effectiveness of the nitrogen.

Too much nitrogen added at the beginning of a fermentation can cause the yeast to reproduce excessively, lead to reduction or die too rapidly, particularly in musts depleted of lipids (fatty acids and sterols). Highly clarified musts may remain high in YAN but low in lipids. Hence the conundrum a winemaker may face with a stuck or reductive ferment even though YANs showed to be at a good level in the juice. In the case of a must with initially high YAN, no addition should be made at the beginning, with a timely addition of YAN at one third of the fermentation/at the beginning of the stationary phase to ensure the biomass of yeast will have enough food to carry through to the end.

Another factor, which most winemakers work out for themselves pretty quickly, is the timing of the addition of any nutrient. Fermentis advise adding enough nitrogen at the end of the lag phase, just before the acceleration stage to give a YAN of around 150mg/L with a second addition at the beginning of the stationary phase to feed the increased biomass.

Fermentis has a catalogue of products that are designed to work with must and yeast in order to improve the kinetics of your fermentation. Each product will have a slightly different goal. Highly clarified musts may benefit from SpringCellTM, deactivated yeast hulls that will provide support to the yeast but not add to the initial YAN where unnecessary.

SpringFermTM Equilibre, derived from autolyzed

Nitrogen management and volatile acidity production are closely related

Effects of assimilable nitrogen (natural) concentration (N) in must on volatile acidity production (VA) in laboratory conditions at 23°C. VA=0.351 Ln(N)+2.6 (correlation coefficient=0.68)

© Sablayrolles et al., 1990

Fermentis range of nutritional products: complete nutritional range of products for an optimal nutritional management

yeasts will provide YAN in both organic and mineral forms along with amino acids, sterols, B vitamins and lipids to fully support deficient musts. SpringFermTM on the other hand, is a partial yeast autolysate-based nutrient, preserving a good balance between organic and mineral nitrogen.

SpringFermTM Xtrem is a stronger version of SpringFermTM devised for very ripe grapes with low YAN and high potential alcohol –

SpringFermTM

Equilibre/Complete is the only fermentation aid containing a source of mineral nitrogen (DAP) and an exogenous vitamin (B1) in addition to yeast derivatives It was designed to meet specific needs, in particular for restarting stuck ferments

maybe a product that will come into its own as we see increasingly ripe grapes arrive in the winery. See the table above.

All of these products have legal limits on their use so do ensure you read the guidelines for addition rates. Most importantly check your YANs this harvest – if 2023 really is going to be another 2018 getting the nutrition optimised for successful fermentation will be vital.

ENERGY EFFICIENT

CHILLING & TEMPERATURE CONTROL

WTG Quantor-KREYER’s technological design features include reversible chillers with heat recovery features, high-efficiency refrigerants, low-noise and smart system controls. This, in addition to a site-specific thermal site calculation, will provide proportional energy-saving to help save on power consumption and reduce your carbon footprint.

Willmes & enoveneta grape processing equipment

A modular range of grape reception, presses, destemmers & grape/must pumps

Willmes, established in 1918, invented the modern pneumatic press. Enoveneta have been manufacturing oenological equipment for over 50 years. Whether you’re processing less than a tonne or anything up to 65 tonnes, please call us to discuss our modular range of grape processing equipment.

We supply full chilling / temperature control systems, including bespoke ringmains installed & maintained by our Engineering Team. See the case study below for an example.

even greater support from the vigo engineering team

Full temperature control system (product & cellar level), tanks & disgorging equipment

We were delighted to supply, configure and install the above equipment at awardwinning Sandridge Barton, members of the Sustainable Wines of Great Britain. See Case Studies on our website for our interview with Sandridge Barton’s CEO and Head Winemaker. Call us about your temperature control needs.

case study: Sandridge Barton, the home of sharpham wine creative packaging from rawlings Rawlings offer a bespoke container design service as well as a range of standard wine bottles. Call 0117 960 4141, email hello@rawlingsbristol.co.uk or visit www.rawlingsbristol.co.uk

We wouldn’t be where we are today without the high level of support we offer customers

Our highly respected engineering team now includes 9 engineers. We install complete lines, we provide bespoke applications, we give technical advice, we service/ repair equipment supplied by us, and we manufacture and UKCA mark. We also now offer Vigo Service Contracts for CIMEC lines.

www.vigoltd.com

Machinery in action

With input costs continuing to soar, labour difficult to source and top fruit prices under pressure, efficiency and cost-saving are increasingly important when sourcing machinery for the orchard or vineyard. That theme was well in evidence at fruit and vineyard specialist N P Seymour’s two machinery demonstration days held at Amsbury farm, Hunton, near Maidstone, towards the end of July.

At both the orchard day and the vineyard event the following day, the Cranbrook, Kent-based team was keen to highlight costsaving equipment that could, in many cases, carry out more than one task.

More than 100 enthusiastic visitors attended the two events, held by kind permission of grower Clive Baxter, who allowed the demonstration team to put the machines through their paces on his trees and vines.

The impressive response from growers across the South East reflected the fact that this was very much a ‘demonstration day’ as opposed to the more usual open day event at which machinery is on display but rarely seen in action.

Sales and marketing director Claire Seymour explained that customers increasingly wanted to see machinery

working, particularly given the complexities of modern equipment and the difficulty of explaining exactly how a new machine did what the brochure said it did.

“Fifty years ago, before the internet, farmers would go to a show, talk to dealers, do as much research as they could and then make their purchasing decision,” she explained. “These days they can sit in their tractor cab during a break and use their smartphone to look at videos of anything they are interested in. They are looking for something extra when they come to a show – and seeing the machine in action is that extra something. >>

“Even at an event like the National Fruit Show these days it’s not enough just to have a new machine on your stand. You have to have a video of it being put through its paces. We decided to go one step further and invite growers to see a range of new equipment put to work on a real farm. We are delighted that so many people took advantage of that opportunity and made it a really worthwhile two days.”

The orchard machinery day highlighted the latest Gen3 Fendt tractors alongside mechanical weeding solutions from Clemens, Braun and Perfect, Fruit-Tec’s REDpulse Duo, trimmers from BMV, sprayers from OCLL, weather stations from Pessl iMetos and the Munckhof Pluk-O-Trak picking platform.

The focus shifted to the vineyard the following day, with demonstrators showing off Braun and Clemens under-vine weeding solutions, defoliators and trimmers from ERO, sprayers from Berthoud and OCLL, mowers from Braun, weather stations from Pessl iMetos and handheld

Weather Stations & Field Monitoring

METOS® weather stations have the complete solution to provide real time weather monitoring and modelling. They range from simple rain and temperature monitoring right through to full weather station solutions.

METOS® weather stations are watching your fields when you can’t. With all METOS® stations having capability to monitor above ground and below ground conditions.

METOS® weather stations can handle more than 400 sensor combinations and collect not only weather information, but also soil moisture and temperature, crop canopy measurements, weather forecasting and disease modelling.

METOS® weather stations provide precise information for your business.

tools from Felco and ARS.

Fruit-Tec’s REDpulse Duo is a pneumatic orchard defoliator and a good example of the kind of high-tech kit that needs to be demonstrated rather than talked about. “It works by emitting a highfrequency pulsating air stream to remove leaves from the middle to lower half of the tree, allowing more light to get through and producing a redder apple,” Claire said. “It’s pioneering technology that isn’t easy to explain – but growers who see it in action can immediately see its value.”

Munckhof’s Pluk-O-Trak self-propelled harvester, introduced a remarkable 54 years ago, was just one of the multiple-use pieces of equipment on display at the orchard demonstration day.

The Pluk-O-Trak is renowned for significantly reducing the amount of labour required to harvest top fruit and for its gentle handling of the produce. Pickers stand on the platform or walk alongside the machine, placing the fruit onto one of four picking belts.

An onboard computer system automatically records key harvest data that allows growers to track and trace fruit from the tree to the cold store, while the trailer that follows the harvester can tow up to 16 bins, doing away with the need to pre-position them. Full bins are lowered gently to the ground while a new one is loaded on to the harvester’s turntable, which rotates as fruit is fed in via the belts.

Critically, the harvester’s versatile platform arrangement means it can be used in all seasons, not just during harvest. The platforms can be quickly re-configured to support pruning, hand-thinning, trellis maintenance and netting installation, with some growers noting savings of up to 35% on ancillary costs by using the Pluk-O-Trak.

Also designed with efficiency in mind, whether tackling a vineyard or an orchard, the Braun Alpha mower adapts to a variety of row widths and can tackle a range of slopes. A sensor switch allows the variable width mower to adjust continuously to its surroundings, while the cutting height is also continuously variable. >>

Smart

Smart Viticulture made in Germany

www.braun-maschinenbau.info/en/

V Perfekt

Rotary

Vine trunk cleaner

Cultivator frame Vario

Rotary star tiller

Disc plough

LUV Perfekt

Mower Alpha

Cultivator frame Vario

Vine trunk cleaner

Ideal for mowing grassed vineyards and orchards and mulching vine and orchard prunings, the Alpha has brackets that allow accessories such as the Braun Vine Trunk Cleaner to be mounted. “It means the grower can mow, pulverise prunings, tackle weed growth and remove buds from the trunks all in one pass,” pointed out Claire. Running additional equipment puts demands on the oil flow from the tractor providing the motive power, which is why many manufacturers design their equipment first and foremost with a Fendt in mind. Impressive oil flow is just one of the benefits of the latest Gen3 Fendt tractors that attracted considerable attention at the demonstration days.

With a fuel-efficient 3.3 litre turbo-charged engine, the fruit and vine (F/V) models range from 70 to 110hp, with a vario transmission that

allows for a truly flat floor within a comfortable, driver-friendly cab. Built in Germany in the same factory as its bigger brothers, the Fendt offers the usual impressive build quality.

The ease of fitting attachments to a Fendt is another plus factor, with most specialist equipment manufacturers designing their equipment to fit the marque without costly adaptation.

Decent hydraulic capacity is essential for growers looking at hightech equipment such as ERO’s impressive new VITIpulse Combi defoliator, which needs a throughput of 80 litres per minute.

As its name suggests, the Combi brings the ‘suck and pluck’ roller defoliation method and the pneumatic air blast method together into one machine, allowing the grower to choose the method that best suits the time of year or the result they are seeking to achieve.

>>

“Used together, more targeted results can be achieved as the roller removes the external leaves, allowing the air blast to penetrate through to the inner part of the canopy,” explained Claire. “But at times of year when the air blast system can’t be used because it might damage the fruit, the operator can just use the rollers.”

Another multi-purpose machine that allows users to spread the cost by performing more than one task is BMV’s FL800 mechanical pruner and orchard trimmer. Designed with economical orchard management in mind, its winter-focused saw blades can be replaced by knives for orchard trimming and

cutting green wood in the summer. The flexibility of the P and PC models, which feature different numbers of blades in a variety of combinations, means the FL800 can be used for cutting hedges and windbreaks up to 4.5 metres around the orchard as well as topping trees in the autumn.

Amongst a range of vineyard and orchard sprayers on display, Carrarospray’s OCLL Q Wector 3 trailed model turned heads at the demonstration days because of its ingenious layout that places the air intake fan in front of the anti-drift tower to avoid debris or spray being sucked into the machine.

<< >>

<< Also creating considerable interest was the same manufacturer’s NPA mounted sprayer, said by Claire to be the most popular model amongst N P Seymour’s customers. The NPA has eight flexible, directional spray heads and allows growers to choose from 400, 500 or 600 litre tank models. It is ideal for top fruit orchards and vineyards as well as other fruits, including raspberries.

Again with multi-tasking in mind, the demonstration days featured the Clemens range of cultivation equipment which offers

a choice of frames plus a wide range of implements that enable growers to tackle a number of jobs in just one pass. The frontor rear-mounted SB Compact frame is ideal for narrow alleys, while the SB2 is designed to accommodate undervine care systems such as the Radius SL, Radius SL Plus and Multiclean.

The Multiclean is popular with growers because of its ability to reduce the cost of bud rubbing while also helping take weeds back to ground level, without interfering with soil structure, by acting like

a strimmer. For those less concerned with soil disturbance, the Braun Rollhacke finger weeder was also being demonstrated.

Growers were also able to see demonstrations of the Perfect Van Wamel TerraRanger, the first mechanical weeder to offer effective control in the orchard at high driving speeds, and the impressive ERO Elite vine trimmer.

On display but not put through its paces because of limited headland space at the demonstration site was the Berthoud Win’ Air sprayer.

years of experience in manufacturing vineyard machinery

Defoliator Defoliator VITIpulse Combi ERO Trimmer ELITE

Representing you

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

WineGB is the national trade body representing the vine growers and winemakers of Great Britain from the largest producers to small hobbyists. Our members work together with the organisation to develop strategy, expertise and marketing opportunities for long-term, sustainable success.

WineGB Trade & Press Tasting

Join us on 5 September for our annual Trade & Press Tasting, the key event for the English and Welsh wine industry, bringing together producers from across the country. This year, the new look tasting is being held at the stunning Battersea Arts Centre in London. Interest in wines from England and Wales has never been higher so we are expecting a bumper crop of trade and press visitors, including top trade buyers, influencers, and key decision makers.

The day will start with an industry briefing for key wine writers before we open the doors to all. There are three free-pour categories at this years’ Trade & Press Tasting – Pét-Nat/natural wines, 2022 still wines, and 2018 Classic Method sparkling wine – along with a dedicated table

for our WineGB Awards trophy winners. We will also have a series of masterclass events in the bar area that will enhance and promote the tasting event on the main floor.

Tables will be grouped geographically where possible, encouraging a natural experiential journey through our regions and all that they offer. There will also be a focus on wines accredited with our Sustainable Wines of Great Britain Scheme. As well as individual exhibitor stands, smaller commercial producers will also be represented on regional tables.

Registrations are now open for bonafide members of the wine trade and press.

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Nicola Bates as our new CEO. Nicola joins us from her position as Director of Strategy and External Affairs at the Portman Group, the public body responsible for social responsibility and marketing of the UK alcohol industry. Her appointment commences on 30 October. During her time at the Portman Group, Nicola helped futureproof the organisation through:

◆ Enhanced membership value and support through crafted materials and a workable and effective structure

◆ Demonstrated ability to work and influence government at ministerial level, through overseeing the industry's COVID-19 response and the acknowledgement it received

◆ Creating workable industry wine solutions across a range of issues, notably labelling, alcohol alternatives, and the recent Scottish Government Marketing Consultation

◆ Supporting the development of YouGov consumer surveys to help understand the future of novel product sectors, such as low / no alcohol products

◆ Creating a new brand to enhance and reflect the Portman Group's corporate role and responsibilities within the industry and beyond.

During the course of her career, Nicola has developed substantial commercial experience across the disciplines of people, reputation, and organisational strategy. We look forward to welcoming Nicola to WineGB in October.

To read the full press release, please visit the press centre on the WineGB website.

Supplying industry leaders

For decades growers have come to us for their new and used Fendt 200 V/F/P tractors, plus parts, service, repairs and general after-sales care, knowing that we have unparalleled experience with this specialist make and model.

Next year we’ll be proudly celebrating our 50th anniversary and with it, 40 years since we started supplying UK fruit and vine growers with the specialist range of Fendt 200 V/F/P tractors.

Dad, Nick, was originally introduced to the Fendt range by Bob Chapman at a blackcurrant conference in Herefordshire in 1984.

Although he had no interest in becoming a tractor dealership at the time, he was quickly won over by Fendt’s superior quality and was impressed with the impeccable design of the 200 V/F/Ps, which were created especially for specialist crops, rather than being a shrunkdown version of the manufacturer’s larger models.

Since then we have proudly supplied growers nationwide with Fendt’s fruit and vine tractors and provided ongoing after-sales care, parts, servicing and repairs.

Our engineering and parts teams have unparalleled experience with the 200 Vario V/F/P range and being able to help vineyard owners and managers tailor their tractors and choose the right specifications for their individual needs is something we pride ourselves on.

The latest version, the Fendt 200 Vario V/F/P Gen3, delivers our customers unmatched operator comfort and greater compatibility with specialist tractor-mounted machinery for vineyards.

Divided into the Power, Profi, and Profi+ tiers,

this series offers five horsepower models, in three widths including a narrow 1.07m ‘V’, all equipped with the AGCOPower 3-cylinder, 3.3-litre turbocharged engine, and a 68-litre fuel tank with AdBlue for reduced emissions.

All models feature an ergonomically designed comfort cab with a large screen, one-piece door glass for excellent all-around visibility, and a totally flat floor giving more leg room and space to shuffle around in.

Growers can choose to upgrade to a climate-controlled cab with Cat4 filtration for safe spraying in accordance with EU standard EN15695.

A central 10″ main digital dashboard display screen comes as standard, and growers can also opt for the more advanced 12″ overhead terminal for easier and improved tractor and implement control.

The Tractor Management System ensures the engine and transmission are at maximum efficiency, while the continuously variable Vario transmission ensures the tractor runs smoothly from speeds of 20 metres per hour to 40 km/h.

The 200 Vario Gen3 series are all fitted with a dual hydraulic pump delivering up to 76 l/ min. There is also the option to upgrade to a load-sensing hydraulic system with a flow rate of up to 119 l/min, and up to 8 valves, depending on your needs.

Growers can also choose between a classic cross-shift lever, which controls two spool valves and the third and fourth electric circuits, or the 3L joystick, which controls four valves,

has a freely assignable button and allows for easier control of machines such as frontmounted trimmers.

The exhaust system can be configured either downswept or upright with a Fendt implement bracket for those who want to mid-mount machines, such as the Braun Rollhacke. Front linkage and PTO (540E) can also be added for those looking to front-mount machines.

Another option that has become increasingly popular with our customers in recent years is front suspension which gives increased ride comfort, safety and stability, ensuring operators can work at their full potential for the maximum amount of time.

Finally, those looking for the most technologically advanced tractor can opt to include FendtONE, which is Fendt’s futuristic smart farming technology. This includes a lane guidance and headland management system that helps operators to navigate precisely along the rows, always maintaining an ideal distance between the implements and the crop.

It can also be used for recording position data, documenting plant protection and preventing unwanted doubles as there is a constant overview of the rows already covered.

The Fendt 200 V/F/P Vario Gen3 range might be one of the most premium tractors on the market, but for vineyard owners nationwide it's an investment that consistently offers longterm value.

For more information on the Fendt range of tractors NP Seymour offers, please phone the office on 01580 712200 or email sales@npseymour.co.uk

Healthy soil and healthy vines go hand in hand so keeping the soil aerated and decompacted is a good thing to do as it allows the vine roots to access more nutrients and the valuable soil organisms to flourish.

The heavy pressure on the soil from many tractor passes with sprayers, mowers etc through the season compacts the ground and subsoiling becomes necessary. Compaction is particularly marked where the tractor tyres pass, but it's underground that most harm is done. The ideal tool to break up the compaction without causing damage to the surface is a tool with a disc at the front to cut a neat

Revitalising compacted soil Compact electric loader

slot in the grass so the main leg can pass without bringing up lumps of soil, then the legs which do the lifting (and preferably legs with the paraplow slant which lifts a wider band of soil) and then a rear cage roller which controls the depth of the legs but also flattens down the soil surface. The legs can be shifted sideways so as to position them over the tyre tracks according to their width and also inverted left to right according to whether the soil near the vines is to be lifted or the soil in the middle of the row.

The tool is available for hire as part of Vitifruit Equipment's hire fleet where training and set up in the field is part of the service.

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

JCB is introducing its first full electric wheeled loader, delivering best-inclass performance and full working day use, with low noise and zero-emission operation.

The machine boasts the largest standard battery pack in its class, with 20kWh capacity, providing productivity that matches the popular 403 diesel model. Features include:

◆ 20kWh lithium-ion battery pack is largest capacity in the class

◆ 33.4kW drive motor (peak power) with three driving modes

◆ 20kW hydraulic pump motor (peak power) with shovel and fork modes

◆ ZF axles with an integrated drop-box for permanent four-wheel drive

◆ Digital dashboard and rotary controller for precision operation

JCB is expanding its full electric equipment line-up, with the launch of the 403E wheeled loader, helping businesses meet the challenge of carbon reduction. The machine is powered by a 20kWh lithium-ion battery pack, assembled from proven JCB modules, as pioneered in the company’s existing range of electric equipment. These batteries, coupled with high efficiency electric motors and optimised traction and hydraulic systems, deliver class-leading performance, with the loader capable of completing a full working day, or 4-5 hours of continuous use in a mixed duty cycle.

In common with the JCB E-Tech range, the 403E has a built-in charger that allows connection to a range of on-site power sources. A 110V socket will fully charge the batteries in 12 hours, while a 230V industrial or domestic plug will charge the battery

pack in just eight hours. JCB’s off-board rapid charger delivers a full charge from a threephase supply in just two hours.

Carried over from the 403 diesel model, the loader arms are available in standard and high-lift configurations. The standard lift arms deliver a pin height of 2.9m, while the high-lift model achieves a 3.1m pin height. Both loader arm set-ups come with a hydraulic quick hitch as standard and the loader arms provide true parallel lift.