Vineyard October 2020

VINEYARD for viticulturists in Great Britain ™

OCTOBER 2020

EDITOR’S VISIT Start of a love affair at Oastbrook Estate

MATTHEW JUKES WINE REVIEW Communication is key

WHITEHALL New challenge leads to medal-winning wines

TOP HAT Trophies and medals awarded to the UK's top wines

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VINEYARD for viticulturists in Great Britain

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www.vineyardmagazine.co.uk VINEYARD Kelsey Media, The Granary, Downs Court Yalding Hill, Yalding, Maidstone, Kent, ME18 6AL 01959 541444 EDITORIAL Editor: Malcolm Triggs vineyard.ed@kelsey.co.uk Studio Manager: Jo Legg jo.legg@kelsey.co.uk Graphic Designer: James Pitchford james.pitchford@kelsey.co.uk ADVERTISEMENT SALES Simon Hyland Talk Media Sales Ltd 01732 445327 Simon.Hyland@talkmediasales.co.uk PHOTOGRAPHER Martin Apps www.countrywidephotographic.co.uk MANAGEMENT CHIEF EXECUTIVE: Steve Wright CHIEF OPERATING Officer: Phil Weeden MANAGING DIRECTOR: Kevin McCormick PUBLISHER: Jamie McGrorty RETAIL DIRECTOR: Steve Brown RENEWALS AND PROJECTS MANAGER: Andy Cotton SENIOR SUBSCRIPTION MARKETING MANAGER: Nick McIntosh SUBSCRIPTION MARKETING DIRECTOR: Gill Lambert SUBSCRIPTION MARKETING MANAGER: Kate Chamberlain SENIOR PRINT PRINT PRODUCTION MANAGER: Georgina Harris PRINT PRODUCTION CONTROLLER: Kelly Orriss DISTRIBUTION Distribution in Great Britain: Marketforce (UK) 3rd Floor, 161 Marsh Wall, London, E14 9AP Tel: 020 3148 5000 PRINTING Precision Colour Print Kelsey Media 2020 © all rights reserved. Kelsey Media is a trading name of Kelsey Publishing Ltd. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden except with permission in writing from the publishers. Note to contributors: articles submitted for consideration by the editor must be the original work of the author and not previously published.

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

NEWS 8

Show will celebrate UK wine

9

Adapting your business during lockdown

10

Youngest Master of Wine in the world

12 24

New urban winery

REGULARS 28

Matthew Jukes

36

Pectinases and glucanases

Communication is key for Covid-19 hit wineries.

Enzyme formulation.

42

Representing you

44

The agronomy diary

47

The vine post

49

Machinery

Updates from the industry’s membership organisation.

Massive variability in 2020 grape harvest.

First things to look for in a site and considerations for future expansion.

Harvest 2020 is now in gear.

Front cover image: Hattingley Valley Wines Kings Cuvée 2014 WineGB Awards 2020

Kelsey Media takes your personal data very seriously. For more information of our privacy policy, please visit Kelsey Media takes your personal data very seriously. For more information of our privacy policy, please visit https://www.kelsey.co.uk/privacy-policy/ . If at any point you have any queries regarding Kelsey’s data policy you can email our Data Protection Officer at dpo@kelsey.co.uk.

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Vineyard welcomes new editor



vineyard.ed@kelsey.co.uk @VineyardMagGB VineyardMagGB

CONTENTS Features

20 26 30 38

2020 WineGB Awards Hats off to Hattingley Valley, Supreme Champion 2020

In conversation Barry Phillips started what became The Four Walls Wine Company half a century ago when he got together with a group of friends to share a love of wine.

Editor’s Visit As well as planting 16,000 vines, a Sussex couple have created a stunning wedding and events venue and a unique holiday destination. But, as they tell us, at the end of the day it's all about the grapes.

Whitehall Vineyard While running a successful chain of garden centres was rewarding enough, a former dairy farmer realised that he was missing the challenge of handson farming.

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With good news in such short supply this year, it might be tempting to get a bit too excited about the fact that the UK has just completed its first trade deal since leaping over the Brexit cliff edge and looking around hopefully for the parachute ripcord.

Japan is, after all, not especially renowned for buying British, and experts tell us that the free trade agreement recently signed with that country will make a relatively tiny difference to the nation’s balance sheet as we move forward into the broad sunlit uplands of a post-Brexit, blue passport world.

What is more cheering, though, is the fact that in announcing the done and dusted deal, International Trade Secretary Liz Truss, usually better known for flying the flag for UK cheese, listed English sparkling wine in her rundown of the sort of “properly identified flagship UK products” that our friends in Japan would be encouraged to buy.

It must be good news that Government ministers, presumably not unused to quaffing Champers, are beginning to realise just how good the UK’s wines are and how many of them can now hold their own against competition from more traditional producers.

The French, of course, realised a few years ago that the UK climate and topography was increasingly suitable for sparkling wine, and news that Taittinger has been given planning permission for its winery and visitor centre in Kent is suitable reward for the Champagne house’s faith in the soil and sunshine in that part of the country.

And if the opportunity to export a few cases of your finest fizz to Japan isn’t enough to counter this year’s generally downbeat mood, this edition of Vineyard contains plenty of other news that might just inspire you to crack open a bottle of bubbly.

Alongside the normal range of news, views and tasting notes from UK vineyards and overseas, this month’s magazine contains two home-grown stories that we are delighted to share.

The first is that this seat – currently being kept warm on a temporary basis – will, from the December issue onwards, be occupied by none other than Jo Cowderoy, who will need very little introduction. Currently operations manager for WineGB, Jo has a huge amount of experience in the world of wine and we look forward to her taking charge of the magazine.

The second is that Jo and the team will be working hard on plans for The Vineyard Show, an exciting new event that will showcase UK winemaking and is planned for November next year at the Kent County Showground.

With the highly experienced Sarah Calcutt joining the team as Event Director, this is set to be an unmissable event. Cheers!

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NEWS

All-new show celebrating UK winemaking

A celebration of UK wine, a showcase of all that’s best in the industry and a premier trade show is being planned for next year.

The Vineyard Show, planned for 24 November 2021 at the Kent County Showground, will be an unmissable event for anyone working in viticulture.

Launched by Vineyard magazine, this all-new show will take place after harvest, allowing growers and winemakers to enjoy a UK-based event at a relatively quiet time of the year.

Vineyard is proud to announce that Sarah Calcutt, National Fruit Show Chair for the past 11 years and a Livery Member of the Worshipful Company of Fruiterers, has agreed to be Event Director, working closely with exhibitors, producers and sponsors to ensure that The Vineyard Show quickly becomes an unmissable event in the UK's wine industry calendar.

Sarah said she is “delighted to be joining the Vineyard magazine team in what is going to be a very exciting venture for everyone connected with viticulture in the UK”.

The Kent County Showground, easily accessible from the M20 motorway, is an ideal venue for the event, with sufficient hardstanding to allow the latest wine-making equipment to be shown.

With over 4,000 sq m of space available in stateof-the-art buildings on the site, Vineyard magazine is confident that this first-class venue will allow this fledgling show to grow and develop for many years to come.

A bonus for visitors is that one of the show's partners, WineGB will host seminars and workshops at the event. Expert speakers will cover viticulture, winemaking and marketing topics, aimed at new entrants to the industry as well as those already established.

WineGB Operations Manager and incoming editor of Vineyard Jo Cowderoy commented: “Shows like this are so important to an industry, a chance to hear from experts, discuss important topics, network with peers, and see in action vineyard and winery equipment. This will be a great event, all under one roof and without the need to travel overseas.”

Another highlight will be a structured wine tasting by the world-renowned wine writer Matthew Jukes, who will be talking about six wines he has chosen for deeper study.

Visitors will also have the opportunity to taste Matthew’s ‘50 most influential UK wines’ as judged by him in his monthly Vineyard column, with a self-pour tasting of some the UK’s best sparkling and still wines.

Vineyard Publisher Jamie McGrorty added: “The Vineyard Show will provide vineyard owners, winemakers and growers with a fantastic one day event. It will bring everyone in the industry together to view the latest technology and meet the suppliers that are supporting our industry as well as enjoying a chance to compare notes after the season’s close.”

Sarah Calcutt is well known throughout the top fruit industry, an area from which many new vine growers have come. As well as chairing the hugely successful National Fruit Show, Sarah organised Produced in Kent’s inaugural Food and Drink conference in 2018 and organised a series of global delegates in different countries for the European Blackcurrant Association.

She helped deliver a technical conference in 2017 for the Worshipful Company of Fruiterers and she was recently appointed as a non-executive director of New Covent Garden Market Authority.

“Viticulture is the fastest-growing sector of farming in the UK; we are ideally placed geographically as well as geologically speaking to take on, and beat, the best in the world. A show dedicated to everything that goes into a great consumer experience can only be a great step forward for the British wine industry,” she commented.

“I will be the main point of contact for exhibitors and will be working with sponsors to make sure they enjoy the profile they deserve. This really is our time to shine and my job is to help make that happen.”

For enquiries please contact Sarah Calcutt on 07827 642396

The Vineyard Show 24 November 2021

8

NEWS

Adapting your business during lockdown A welsh restaurant owner built up the wine sales side of the operation as a response to the coronavirus campaign earlier this year.

Now Dylan Rowlands, who owns Gwin Dylanwad Wine in Dolgellau, is supporting a Food Standards Agency (FSA) campaign called “Here to Help”.

The campaign is offering food businesses practical information to help them adapt as lockdown is eased and they re-open, either in the same format or after diversifying, as well as helping new start-up businesses learn how to trade compliantly.

The FSA is using case studies to encourage small businesses – including vineyards and visitor centres – to think carefully about ways in which they can

> Dylan Rowlands and his wife Llinos

diversify and find new markets during the Covid-19 pandemic.

They have issued guidelines covering a range of areas including registration, allergen information and diversification, as well as outlining the hygiene processes and requirements food businesses must follow as they develop new ways of working.

For the past 30 years Dylan and his wife Llinos had run their bistro-style restaurant at street level while developing the wine business in the cellar, but six years ago they decided to convert to a wine shop with café and wine bar. Before lockdown they employed two full time and six to eight part-time staff.

Covid-19 saw the business lose all its wholesale trade and have to close the café and bar. In its place, as the case study on the FSA website (https://www.food.gov.uk/here-to-help-food-businesses) points out, they built up the wine side of the business by delivering direct to customers and organising virtual wine tastings on cases of selected wines.

The couple ran a number of hour-long personalised group wine tastings via Zoom, in some cases featuring live music from a local band and on another occasion partnering with a local restaurant that delivered food to the group involved, all of them safe in their own homes.

On Sundays, they set up outside a local Michelin star restaurant that was offering takeaways, offering customers safely distanced wine tastings while they waited to collect their food, expanding their customer base at the same time.

The wine area was moved from the cellar into the first floor café area since it was too small to be able to re-open with the right social distancing, and the couple added foodstuffs that were in short supply, such as pasta and pizza flour, as well as offering takeaway hot drinks and putting extra tables outside.

While the changes made by Gwin Dylanwad Wine were brought about by necessity, the case study points out that they have all helped to boost the business, with many of the changes now permanent features.

“We now have an online wine business and we need to continue to develop it,” said Dylan. “We’re investing in improving our online ordering system and want to make the process as slick as we can.

“Whatever happens, we’re aiming to keep the shop open and concentrate on improving every element of what we offer. Our experience throughout Covid-19 has been like starting a new business again, but we now know that we can continue to operate in a lockdown situation and safely connect with our customers.” #FSAHereToHelp #SupportingFood

O C TO B E R 2020 | V I N E YA R D

9

NEWS Mike Best’s gap-year job in a local gastro pub proved an eye-opener – and began a love of wine that has seen him recently named as currently the youngest Master of Wine in the world.

“The menu contained food I’d never tried and wine at what seemed to me to be outrageous prices,” he said. “I couldn’t imagine why anyone would pay that much for a bottle of wine.”

Once he tried it, though, he realised what he had been missing and set out on a journey of discovery that led to his inclusion in the list of newly qualified Masters of Wine.

Growing up in Yorkshire but now living in Lewes, East Sussex, Mike began his career with ASDA’s wine department in Leeds, where he worked alongside the inspirational Philippa Carr MW. He subsequently joined the PLB wine agency, working with supermarkets, particularly on their own-label wine ranges, and completing his Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Diploma. He then worked for WSET, helping programme providers and industry groups boost wine education in the South East of England.

At the same time Mike completed the WSET educator programme and now teaches all WSET

Youngest Master of Wine in the world levels including the Diploma at the WSET school in Bermondsey. He works for Boutinot, a wine trade supplier that also owns the Henners winery in Herstmonceux, and is a respected judge at many UK wine competitions.

Mike’s dissertation for the Institute of Masters of Wine was on Cellar Door Tourism in Great Britain, a paper that pointed out that vineyards looking to benefit from tourism need to collaborate with other growers, focus on giving visitors a complete experience and work with other attractions and accommodation providers to create a valid package.

He works with independent wine shops that he believes offer great quality and choice, but with his ASDA and PLB background it is not surprising that Mike still has a healthy respect for supermarket wine buyers. “At the end of the day they supply 80% of the wines sold in the

country, and it takes considerable knowledge and experience to find decent wines at lower price points.”

And his own favourite? “Gusbourne Blanc de Blancs 2012.” But that’s now. As he pointed out: “Quality is going up all the time, making opening new English wine vintages so exciting.”

Corks pop over green light

10

The first Champagne House to buy and plant land in England in order to make a premium English Sparkling Wine has taken an important step towards its goal with news that it has been given planning permission to build a winery and visitor centre at its Kent vineyard.

Taittinger, the only major Champagne House to be owned and actively managed by the family named on the label, has set up Domaine Evremond with UK partners Hatch Mansfield.

Ashford Borough Council has now unanimously granted Domaine Evremond planning approval to build a state-of-the-art winery and visitor centre on its 224 acre estate in Chilham, midway between Ashford and Canterbury.

Hatch Mansfield Managing Director Patrick McGrath said the news marked “a key milestone for us”, adding: “The long journey that started five years ago continues as we work through the process, with further approvals to follow and different stages of work to be completed before building can commence at the wine estate. This is all very good news and there is plenty more work to be done.”

The winery is needed to allow the team at Domaine Evremond to process grapes grown on the estate, which will be coming to fruition over the next few years. The land, formerly a fruit farm, was acquired in 2015, with the first Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier vines planted in 2017. Further plantings were made in 2019 and 2020 and still more are planned.

The proposed winery on New Cut Road will enable the Anglo-French team to make up to 400,000 bottles of premium quality English sparkling wine a year from the estate-grown fruit. A start date for building work has not yet been set.

The plans also incorporate a visitor centre, positioned to give the best views over the vines and wider landscape and giving visitors a full appreciation of the Kent Downs AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty).

Domaine Evremond stresses that careful consideration has been given to topography, landscape, vehicular access, ecology and heritage, with the winery designed to meet the needs of the wine-making process while limiting its impact on the surrounding landscape, traditionally dominated by fruit farms.

The building will be designed to achieve environmental and biodiversity gains.

For viticulturists in Great Britain

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NEWS

New urban winery

A meeting in, appropriately enough, a wine bar was the catalyst for a new urban winery that opened in a unique venue in Cambridge in September.

Winemaker and wine journalist Chris Wilson had been looking for the ideal venue in which to set up his own winemaking business for some time when he found himself chatting to Simon Jones of developers Camel Projects.

Simon mentioned that his company was looking for a new use for a grade II listed windmill less than a mile outside the city and persuaded Chris, initially sceptical, to take a look. What he found was a dream come true – a perfect cellar in the basement of a windmill built in 1847 – a cool location in more ways than one.

Chris, who still works as a freelance journalist but has been fascinated by wine and wine making for many years and has a degree in oenology from Plumpton College, leapt at the opportunity and has spent the past three or four months getting the windmill ready for its first delivery of grapes.

“After finishing my journalism degree in 1997 I became interested in wine, and the more I discovered, the more I wanted to learn,” Chris explained. “While working in the wine trade as a journalist over many years I have visited countless wineries around the world, getting to know winemakers, techniques and beliefs along the way.

“I studied at Plumpton and have for a number of years been looking for the chance to set up my own winemaking business. When I was shown the windmill at Chesterton, just ten minutes from my home and a mile from the city centre, I realised this was the perfect spot and the perfect time.”

The windmill site, once on a lonely hill, is now surrounded by housing, while its outbuildings have been put to a variety of commercial uses in the past. The area is traffic free, which Chris hopes will allow him to put on wine tastings and events in the future, making the most of the surrounding space. Milling stopped on the site in the 1950s.

Chris’ winery, which he has named Gutter & Star Wines (“I wanted something a bit more poetic and inspiring than ‘The Cambridge Winery’,” he explained) will be the first urban winery in the city and follows in the footsteps of city-based wineries in London, New York and Paris.

“It’s the perfect spot for a boutique urban winery and I’m excited to be bringing a production facility back to Chesterton Mill for the first time in more than 60 years,” added Chris, who will be making wine from grapes

12

The rebirth of a respected agricultural college could be good news for viticulture, according to the man now in charge.

Following a turbulent 18 months or so sparked by a number of investigations into issues relating to its parent body The Hadlow Group, Hadlow College in Kent has now been transferred to North Kent College.

Chief Executive and Executive Principal David Gleed said he was looking forward to working with Hadlow College Principal Lindsay Pamphilon to explore new opportunities around winemaking and viticulture.

“While the college has been waiting to hear about its future and struggling under a difficult financial situation it hasn’t been able to explore new avenues, but that is something I am now

grown by Nick Speakman at his Missing Gate Vineyard in Crouch Valley, Essex.

He expects to make between 2,000 and 2,500 bottles of white, rosé and potentially orange wine from Bacchus, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes, selling much of it direct to consumers or via independent merchants and restaurants. While he will initially be working on his own, he paid tribute to the support of his wife Ellen.

Chris has made wine in California, Germany and the UK and believes his wide experience of vineyards and growers across many different countries will be a major advantage. “I’ve also seen how not to do things,” he added.

Chesterton Mill thrived for over 100 years on its site just north of the River Cam, producing grain and flour for the city’s bakeries, delivered by horse and cart. It will now be home to French oak barrels and small tanks as its new owner prepares to release his first small-batch still wines in spring 2021.

New opportunities keen to look at.

“There is clearly a great opportunity to capitalise on the growing interest in winemaking in this country and we want to be offering students the chance to study viticulture and giving the industry the kind of wellqualified new entrants it needs to succeed.”

The transfer of Hadlow College, including Princess Christian Farm and the equestrian centre in Greenwich, and the Tonbridge campus of West Kent and Ashford College, follows recommendations made by the Further Education Commissioner and took effect from

O C TO B E R 2020 | V I N E YA R D

15 August.

“Recruitment has held up well this term despite the issues around the pandemic.

The financial issues around Hadlow has not affected our intake. The quality of the student experience at Hadlow College has always been excellent and the corporate issues in the background did not impact on that.

“This transfer gives Hadlow a chance to go forward on a better financial footing and look at new areas – such as viticulture. It’s a fascinating new sector to get involved with and one I am looking forward to investigating.”

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13

NEWS

UK wine sales grow

Sales of UK wine grew by more than 70% between 2018 and 2019, according to figures released by Wines of Great Britain.

WineGB reports strong growth in the sale of English and Welsh wines and a similar uplift in its contribution to the economy in terms of jobs and tourism.

The industry body reported that an estimated 5.5 million bottles of English and Welsh wines were sold in 2019, up from some 3.2 million bottles in 2018 – an increase of over 70%. Exports accounted for 10% of sales (up from 8%) and showed a doubling over the year in volume terms, growing from 256,000 in 2018 to 550,000 last year.

Scandinavia and USA currently lead the way in demand for English and Welsh wine, but other key markets showing healthy growth include Japan, which doubled the amount of UK wine it imported between 2018 and 2019.

Domestically English and Welsh wines saw distribution through the on and off trade representing just over 50% of total sales. Direct to customer sales also stayed firm, with just over a third of all sales being sold online and from the cellar door.

2019 also saw an ongoing increase in hectarage, with some 3.2m vines planted, cementing the wine industry as one of the UK’s fastest-growing agricultural sectors; the trend is set to continue, with just over a quarter of the growers surveyed outlining plans to plant more vines in the next three years. Hectarage under vine has quadrupled since 2000.

Growth in the industry is leading to a marked increase in jobs, with the number of full time and full time equivalent employment figures rising by nearly 40% in just a year, highlighting the significant contribution being made to the rural economy by vineyard, winery and wine tourism businesses.

Securing future jobs is reinforced by the range of training opportunities now on offer, which range from viticulture and winemaking to sales and

14

marketing. WineGB works closely with Plumpton College, the premier training provider of skills in this sector, to ensure delivery of more upskilling opportunities across the country.

The industry body has also reported that its drive to promote sustainability to the industry, launched last year, is proving successful, with many producers signed up to its Sustainable Wines of Great Britain (SWGB) programme.

WineGB was also instrumental last year in the formation of an All Party Parliamentary Group for the industry, reinforcing the need to recognise and support the fast growing contribution the industry is making to the UK. “WineGB is now recognised as the authoritative voice of the industry and is ensuring that the needs of the industry are represented in all relevant Government departments,” said Simon Robinson, Chairman of WineGB. He pointed out that one notable area of activity was working with the Department of International Trade (DIT) to help secure additional export sales.

On the 2019 report he said it showed “another positive year for this industry which reinforces our confidence in the future,” adding: “The UK is now well established as a producer of wines of the highest quality and our continuing commitment to improving our wines has led us to establish a sustainable wine programme which is entirely in line with what our consumers tell us they want.

“We obviously cannot overlook the seismic changes everyone has experienced this year due to Covid-19, which will no doubt be reflected in our next industry report. This year has inevitably brought serious setbacks, but the industry has reacted nimbly to address the issues and as a result we have also seen significant developments in direct to consumer sales and increased growth through the UK retail sector; we therefore remain broadly positive for the future.”

The first mobile crossflow filtration service for UK wineries has been unveiled by WineGB Patron BevTech.

The Padovan Nitor 60 unit offers wineries all the advantages of membrane filtration, including efficiency, lower costs and no medium disposal issues, without the cost involved in buying their own equipment.

BevTech Managing Director David Cowderoy said that while the machinery had arrived late in the season after many wineries had completed filtration, he was already seeing a strong demand for the filtration service, which complements the mobile bottling service the company has provided to UK wineries over the past five years or more.

The unit, which boasts negligible oxygen pick up and turns cloudy wine crystal clear in one pass,

First mobile service is capable of filtering up to 80,000 litres per day but can equally well handle batches of just 1,000 litres. The cost of the service ranges from £2 to £6/hl, depending on tank size, location, total volume and clarity of the wine being treated.

“BevTech has filled millions of bottles of still and sparkling wine for many satisfied customers over the years,” David explained. “Crossflow filtration is a new addition to the mobile contract services, which will be expanded again next year to include a second bottling line and the launch of a new cold stabilisation service.

“The highly efficient membrane filtration

VINEYARD

technology ensures minimal effect on the organoleptic profile and quality of the wine.

Wine and juice with turbidity of up to 600 NTU can be filtered to sterility in one pass, simplifying and accelerating production. Labour costs are reduced as the system can be automated and wine loss during filtration is minimal.”

While mobile filtration services are reasonably common overseas, this is the UK’s first, and represents a significant investment on the part of BevTech. Once connected and running, the unit essentially looks after itself, with the operator able to check on progress using a mobile phone app.

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NEWS

Around the world

A coronavirus-led worldwide fall in the number of candidates taking a Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) qualification in the past academic year was offset by strong growth in online learning, figures show.

The report from WSET, the largest global provider of wine, spirits and sake qualifications, reveals that in the 2019/20 academic year a total of 96,845 candidates took a WSET qualification, an 11% fall compared with last year’s record-breaking figure of 108,557 candidates.

WSET believes that this decline is completely attributable to the impact of Covid-19 and has confirmed that the same period saw strong growth in online candidate registrations, with numbers almost trebling compared to the previous year.

Although candidate numbers fell for wine and sake qualifications at all levels, candidate numbers for WSET’s spirits courses bucked the trend with Levels 1 and 2 Awards in Spirits growing by 17% and 19% respectively

Strong growth in online learning fuels growth compared with the previous year.

In January 2020, halfway through the academic year, WSET was recording 15% growth in candidate numbers over the previous year and was on track to deliver 125,000 candidates by the end of the year, but candidate numbers came to a standstill as WSET course providers around the world were unable to deliver classroom sessions and exams thanks to Covid-19 restrictions.

In response, WSET successfully fast-tracked its digital strategy, and by June 2020 was offering end-to-end online products in English in all subject streams at Levels 1 and 2 – including remotely invigilated online exams.

WSET registered 14,000 candidates for online courses in 2019/20, a figure which represented 15% of annual candidate numbers, a threefold increase on the 5,000 candidates (5% of annual candidate numbers) in the previous year.

With WSET courses now available for the

first time in two new markets, Guyana and Myanmar, the trust now has providers offering qualifications in more than 70 countries. Its top three markets in 2019/20 by candidate numbers remained the USA, UK and Mainland China. Several countries in the Asia Pacific and EMEA regions saw encouraging growth despite the pandemic, in particular South Korea (+28%), Japan (+18%), and France (+15%).

Chief Executive Ian Harris said he was “incredibly proud of the WSET team who have gone the extra mile to see us through the serious challenges thrown at us by Covid-19”.

He added: “Our ability to roll out end-to-end digital products has not only been our saviour in the short-term, but also opens up new opportunities for us in the long-term. We now have the flexibility to offer a blended package of classroom and online courses to meet the varying needs of our course providers and students around the world.”

New trade deal could be good news

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A new trade deal with Japan could be good news for this country’s sparkling wine producers, according to UK International Trade Secretary Liz Truss.

With the UK due to lose the preferential tariffs enjoyed between the EU and Japan when Brexit becomes a reality on 31 December 2020, news that a deal had been agreed was welcomed by Ms Truss, who said it was “very important” and would strengthen the company’s links with an important trading partner.

The first trade deal negotiated by the UK since Brexit, and arguably better than the EU’s deal with Japan, Ms Truss said it would give Japanese

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consumers access to “properly identified flagship U.K. products like English sparkling wine, Welsh lamb, and Yorkshire Wensleydale cheese”.

According to statistics released by the country’s National Tax Agency statistics, wine consumption in Japan continues to rise and stood at the equivalent of around 485 million standard bottles in 2017. That figure marks a nearly four-fold increase over the past three decades, with roughly two-thirds of wine drunk in the country being imported.

Wine Intelligence statistics demonstrate that there are around 30 million regular wine drinkers in Japan, with sparkling wine gaining popularity, particularly amongst women.

NEWS Drinking more wine from nonstandard packaging formats Wine consumers in the US and Canada are drinking more wine from non-standard packaging formats including cans and boxes, according to a study from researchers Wine Intelligence.

The company’s 2020 study of consumer usage and attitudes to wine packaging formats in the US and Canada suggests that while 75cl glass bottles are still dominant, there is a steady move towards smaller formats, particularly cans.

Wine Intelligence says the new trends “remain small in absolute terms”, adding: “While awareness levels of canned wine have grown dramatically in the past three years, even today fewer than four in ten wine consumers in both the US and Canada are even aware that wine can come in a can, and only 6% (Canada) and 8% (US) say they have bought canned wine in the past six months”.

Despite that, the number of cans purchased has doubled since 2017 and figures reveal a growing proportion of consumers who say they would consider buying canned wine if it was available and the product itself was right for them.

Smaller formats, and cans in particular, are particularly welcomed by

those aged 21 to 39 – the so-called Millennials and Gen Z consumers, whose purchasing power and preferences will, Wine Intelligence points out, “shape the wine category for the next 30-40 years”.

The researchers add: “Millennial wine drinkers are no more likely to have come across wine in a can than anyone else, but they are over 50% more likely to buy this format once they know about it. For Gen Z members who have reached legal drinking age, they are twice as likely compared with drinkers generally to buy wine in a can once they know it exists.”

The report goes on: “While convenience is a key driver of can purchase, it is also seen as a low risk, low cost way of trialling new products and wine styles. In the end, the can could be as much about helping consumers on the discovery path in wine as it doubtless will be as a lightweight and portion-controlled alternative to a standard bottle.”

The exception to the ‘smaller-is-better’ phenomenon is Canada, where the Covid-19 lockdown appears to have revived the bag-in-a-box market, which was trending downwards in terms of long-term usage but has had a renaissance in the past few months as restrictions on shopping have encouraged bulk buying.

Young winemaker Peter Russell from Matua made it to the top to win the 2020 Tonnellerie de Mercurey Marlborough Young Winemaker competition in Blenheim, New Zealand.

After entering the competition for the past two years, Peter was thrilled finally to take the title and is now looking forward to taking part in the national final in Hawke’s Bay in November.

“We love to see this drive and passion in the contestants who are the future leaders of the wine industry,” said Nicky Grandorge, Leadership and Communities Manager at NZ Winegrowers. “It’s great that these young winemakers come back each year to pitch themselves against their peers and start making a name for themselves.”

Callum Haynes, also from Matua, came second and Emma Marris from Marisco came third. The talented Young Winemakers were tested on many aspects involved with wine production including a cellar challenge, laboratory tests, blending, fault finding, wine judging and marketing.

The other contestants were Kathleen Zelter from Constellation Brands, Sophie Lamain from Giesen, Tom Flaherty from Isabel, Sophia Phillips from VinLink and Alun Kilby from Marisco. Alun was also awarded a prize for the best speech on a thought provoking topic, speaking on whether wine diamonds could become a new trend.

Coronavirus restrictions meant the competition was held behind closed doors, with no dinner and speeches streamed live from the Bragato Research Institute. Many people watched on line and tuned back in at the end of the day to see the winners being announced.

As well as being crowned 2020 Tonnellerie de Mercurey NZ Young Winemaker of the Year, Peter’s prize package includes a travel grant to visit the cooperage (tonnellerie) in Burgundy, France, taking part as an associate judge in the New World Wine Awards and reviewing wines in DrinksBiz magazine.

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17

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PROPERTY

New opportunity for viticulture Growers looking for a suitable site for more vines are being encouraged to check out a 13 acre parcel of pastureland in Benenden, Kent.

BENENDEN

| KENT

GUIDE: £125,000

13.13 ACRES

Agents BTF Partnership believes The Island on Ninevah Lane, which is for sale with a guide price of £125,000, offers possibilities for viticulture.

The triangular-shaped parcel of land, fenced with hedges, has road frontage on all three sides and two access gateways. The land is gently sloping with a southerly aspect and is considered suitable for vineyard production. It has previously been cut for hay or silage and has also been grazed by sheep and cattle. There is a water supply to a field trough.

Richard Thomas at BTF Partnership said: “This is a very useful sized parcel of land which, given its aspect and location, is now considered suitable for viticulture, possibly expansion by an existing grower or for someone looking to establish a new vineyard. The land is situated between Benenden and Cranbrook in a rural location in the Weald of Kent.”

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AWARDS

2020 WINEGB AWARDS

Hats off to Hattingley Valley, Supreme Champion 2020

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Hampshire producer Hattingley Valley Wines was named Supreme Champion 2020 in the WineGB Awards, announced this year in a virtual ceremony shared online by video link.

The announcement of the Trophy winners, judged by co-chairs TV wine experts Susie Barrie MW and Oz Clarke OBE and Rebecca Palmer, wine buyer for leading independent wine merchants Corney & Barrow, followed last month’s release of the WineGB Award Medal winners.

The awards were entered by 100 producers across 27 counties, resulting in 34 gold, 98 silver and 113 bronze medals being presented. The September online event saw 17 Trophies awarded to the gold medal winning wines judged to be the best of the best.

Notable trophies include Newcomer of the Year, won by Black Chalk Winery, Boutique Producer of the Year, awarded to Sugrue South Downs, and Winery of the Year, which went to Wiston Estate. The Top Still Wine Trophy went to Chapel Down for their Kit’s Coty Chardonnay 2017, while the Top Sparkling Trophy and Supreme Champion Award were awarded to Hattingley Valley Wines for their Kings Cuvée 2014.

The competition was again supported by many key suppliers to the industry and longstanding trade champions who sponsored the trophies.

Master of Wine, writer and viticulture consultant Stephen Skelton MW was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to the English and Welsh wine industry. This is a special award presented by WineGB to a winner selected by the WineGB Board.

Susie Barrie MW said: “This year more than ever we need to get the message out there about how great English and Welsh wines are, and get more and more people buying and drinking the wines.

“I am loving the innovation we are seeing from our winemakers and the way they are pushing every boundary; we have sweet wines, skin contact wines, Pet Nat styles and even sparkling Merlot. The competition gave us a fantastic overview of the wines that are available in the market right now, and we were so impressed with the quality.”

This year the Competition acknowledged the top scoring wines from each of the WineGB regions, with the Best Regional Wine winners names as: ◆ Wales – White Castle Vineyard Sparkling White Wine Vintage 2017 ◆ West – Sharpham Wine Ltd Bacchus Stop Ferment 2019 ◆ Thames & Chilterns – Harrow & Hope Blanc de Noirs 2015 ◆ Midlands & North – Laneberg Wine Ltd Bacchus 2019 ◆ East Anglia – Tuffon Hall Vineyard Pinot Rosé Beatrice 2019 ◆ South East (joint winners) – Ashling Park Estate Ashling Park Cuvée NV and Chapel Down Kit’s Coty Coeur de Cuvée 2014 ◆ Wessex – Hattingley Valley Wines Kings Cuvée 2014.

Oz Clarke added: “I’ve been enthusing about English wines for almost as long as I have been enthusing about wine! I have watched and felt the improvement in our sparkling wines and our still wines year by year.

“The kind of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay still wines that we make now, we just couldn’t make even five years ago. The quality of the classic cuvées we are seeing as people lay down reserves and manage to blend them together in their non-vintage styles is simply fabulous.”

With WineGB’s annual trade and press tasting cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions, a trade listing of the Medal and Trophy winners has been created at https://www.winegb.co.uk/ trade/wgb-awards-2020-trade/wgb-awards2020-catalogue/ It allows the wines to be sorted by award, style, producer, vintage and varietal and includes a link to a technical sheet for each wine that provides full information to trade buyers.

Ha‫﬙‬ingley Valley Wines Kings Cuvée 2014

Top Sparkling Trophy Supreme Champion Best Regional: Wessex

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AWARDS Tuffon Hall Vineyard Black Chalk Winery

Newcomer of the Year

Chapel Down

Kit’s Coty Chardonnay 2017 Top Still Wine Trophy

White Castle Vineyard

Pinot Rosé Beatrice 2019

Sparkling White Wine Vintage 2017

Best Regional: East Anglia

Best Regional: Wales

Sharpham Wine Ltd

Harrow & Hope

Bacchus Stop Ferment 2019

Blanc de Noirs 2015

Best Regional: West

Best Regional: Thames & Chilterns

Laneberg Wine Ltd

Sugrue South Downs

Bacchus 2019

Best Regional: Midlands & North

Boutique Producer of the Year

Ashling Park Estate Ashling Park Cuvée NV

Chapel Down Wiston Estate

Winery of the Year

Kit’s Coty Coeur de Cuvée 2014 Best Regional: South East (joint winners)

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AWARDS

INDEPENDENT ENGLISH WINE AWARDS

Still wines take home majority of golds as IEWA grows Still wines took home the majority of the gold medals for the first time when the Bristolbased Independent English Wine Awards (IEWA) announced the results of this year’s annual competition in September, giving a clear indication that the quality of English stills continues to rise.

Now in its fourth year, the consumer-focused annual competition awarded just 15 gold medals in total, 25% fewer than in 2019, something IEWA competition founder and Bristol-based marketer Alex Taylor believes is important for the credibility of the awards.

“The sparkling category felt like it was flight after flight of just really high-quality sparkling wines, but personally I was thrilled to see the panel award more gold medals to still wines than sparkling this year, which is the first time that has happened,” said Alex. “While quality has undoubtedly gone up, I was pleased to see the number of medals go down pro rata, showing that the expectations of our judges have, in turn, risen.”

This year the trophy for the best sparkling wine was awarded to Hampshire’s Black Chalk

for its 2016 Classic, while the trophy for best still wine was awarded, for the third year running, to English still wine producer Stopham Estate for its 2018 Pinot Blanc.

“In the two Trophy winners, Black Chalk for sparkling and Stopham for still, it seems to me that we have not only identified the two finest wines in the competition but two incredible standard bearers for English wine,” said Alex.

“Both wines are undeniably world class and are not only objectively outstanding and technically excellent but, crucially, also really consumerfriendly and super-accessible. At this stage, that’s really important for English wine.”

On winning the top sparkling wine award, Jacob Leadley, winemaker, director and CEO at Black Chalk said: “The whole team at Black Chalk is delighted with the IEWA results. A gold medal and trophy for best sparkling is a huge achievement for what is only our second vintage.

“As we all know, 2020 has been a tricky year, and the way our small team has pulled together to ensure we are ready for our first vintage in our new winery has been fantastic. We have received

GOLD MEDAL WINNERS Black Chalk Classic 2016 Furleigh Estate Classic Cuvée 2014 Fox & Fox Essence Blanc de Blancs 2015 Swanaford Sparkling Rosé 2018 Tickerage Blanc de Blancs 2011 Tickerage Blush 2013 Stopham Pinot Blanc 2018 For‫ ﬚‬Hall Bacchus 2018 Furleigh Estate Bacchus Fumé NV New Hall Bacchus Fumé NV Oastbrook Pinot Gris 2018 Poynings Grange Bacchus 2015 Stopham Pinot Gris 2019 Tuffon Hall Bacchus 2019

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Whitehall Bacchus 2019 O C TO B E R 2020 | V I N E YA R D

great feedback on the wines since release and it is great to see them and the project getting recognition at this high level.

Congratulations to all the medal winners and huge thanks to Alex, his team and the judges themselves.”

On winning the top still wine award, Simon Woodhead, winemaker at Stopham Estate said: “We are really proud to receive the IEWA trophy for overall best English still wine in 2020. We have been lucky enough to win this award for the past three years, previously for our Pinot Gris, and this year shines a light on our Pinot Blanc 2018, which is proving to be very popular amongst consumers and the trade. At Stopham, passion, precision and sustainability are at the heart of our winemaking and our goal is simple, to produce the best aromatic still wines England can offer.”

Working around the difficulties presented this year by the coronavirus, the IEWA judging took place at Bristol’s warehouse venue Pasture Restaurant and Bar. With social distancing limiting the number of judges involved by 40%, competition organiser Alex Taylor secured 16 of the UK wine industry’s best palates, including Master of Wine Liam Steevenson, who chaired the event, broadcaster and journalist Susy Atkins and winemaker and columnist Ben Hulland. Judges blind tasted 147 wines from 64 producers.

“The IEWA is a brilliantly organised event, judged by the most balanced and capable panel I have ever judged with,” said chair of judges Liam Steevenson MW. “Winemakers, journalists, industry experts and the UK’s greatest wine advocates working together in one room – it’s very special indeed,” he went on. “What I love about this event is that each year we become tougher judges, a direct result of ever-improving wines across the board.

“I am so excited to see that the UK wine scene is no longer the preserve of big, well-funded estates.

The quality change in the small, artisan producer set is where the most obvious improvement is coming from. The UK’s wine scene is starting to wake up to the fact that ‘small is beautiful’.”

With the 2020 IEWA seeing more entries than ever before, it’s clear that no matter what 2020 throws at the industry, producers are not holding back on marketing spend at this critical time.

More information about the annual competition and the full list of winners, including the silver and bronze categories, can be found online at www.iewa.uk

AWARDS

THE VINTNERS’ UK WINE AWARD

New awards with focus on celebrating UK wine talent The Vintners' Company has launched a series of new awards aimed at “nurturing and supporting the enterprising individuals who are bringing change, diversity and innovation to the UK wine industry”.

The awards, which are free to enter, offer a mix of recognition and substantial bursaries that will help individuals develop their careers in the industry.

The Vintners’ UK Wine Award will recognise the person or company judged to have done the most to champion the development of English wine in this market and overseas, while The Outstanding Young Person Award will recognise and celebrate a person under the age of 35 who excels in their field (winemaking and winegrowing included) and demonstrates innovation, leadership and delivering results.

The Vintner’s Company continues to offer the prestigious UK Wine Apprentice Award for aspiring winemakers under the age of 30. The winner

will be funded to attend the Principles of Wine Growing and the Principles of Wine Making courses at Plumpton College in Sussex and will also be sponsored by the Wine & Spirit Education Trust to study for its Level 3 qualification.

Former Master and chairman of the Company's Trade Liaison Committee Rupert Clevely said: “The Vintners’ Company has been quietly awarding bursaries and an apprenticeship for several years and it seemed like a good move to expand what we were currently doing and create a wider series of awards that champion all that is good about the wine industry.

“There are some people and companies doing some amazing things in the wine world right now and we want to have a reason to celebrate them.”

Entries close on 30 October 2020, with the winners invited to receive their award at Vintners’ Hall in January 2021. To enter, and to see the full list of awards on offer, visit https://vintnershall.co.uk/vintners-wine-trade-industry-awards/

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NEW EDITOR

Taking on another challenge Jo Cowderoy named as new Vineyard editor.

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Few people in the UK have as much experience in producing wine, writing about the industry and teaching as Jo Cowderoy – and Vineyard is delighted to report that she’s agreed to take on another challenge.

Jo, probably one of the best-known and wellconnected names in the industry, has agreed to be the new editor of Vineyard and will be responsible for the magazine from the December issue onwards. While she really needs little introduction, Malcolm Triggs interviewed her for this edition.

There can’t be many couples who have served their wedding guests sparkling wine they made themselves, particularly back in 1988, but that was the treat on offer at Jo and David Cowderoy’s reception.

“We used them as guinea pigs,” Jo laughed.

“But they all seemed to enjoy it and so we launched the wine commercially the next year.”

The sound of that first cork popping at the wedding breakfast announced the start of a long and distinguished career in the wine industry for both Jo and husband David.

Jo had been studying for a degree in agriculture at the University of London’s Wye College in Kent in 1984 when she “met a boy whose dad had planted a vineyard twenty years earlier”.

The ‘boyfriend’ was David and the vineyard was Rock Lodge in Scaynes Hill, West Sussex, where Jo went as a student to help the vine grower who was to become her father-in-law four years later.

David went to Australia to study oenology and viticulture while Jo finished her studies and began a career in agricultural journalism, writing at one stage for the then Milk Marketing Board. When David returned, they were married, serving one of the first sparkling wines made in England – made by Rock Lodge – and launching it the following year.

After helping to develop Rock Lodge with his father, Norman, David went on to set up Chapel Down Wines, where he was wine maker until the end of 1999. Chapel Down is now a wellknown name in the industry, while Rock Lodge is managed by Plumpton College. David also worked as a ‘flying winemaker’ and then as a ‘group winemaker’ for several large importers, often achieving three vintages in a year.

Jo meanwhile developed her career in journalism and looked after the couple’s three

young children before they moved to France in 2004 and made wine at Chateau La Bouscade in the Minervois region.

“We did everything,” Jo recalled. “We managed vines, made the wine and handled the exports and all the sales and marketing. It was great fun, a fantastic experience both for us and for the children and a special place to live.”

Jo and David built up the vineyard’s reputation, sold their wine internationally, mainly to the US, Japan, Canada, Britain and Europe, and won far too many awards to list here.

The family spent six years establishing a firm reputation as skilled winemakers in France, but by 2010 “the UK was getting interesting and we wanted to come back here to play a part in the rapid growth in English wine,” Jo recalled.

Jo began working at Plumpton College, where she taught soil science, botany and biology of the grapevine but, importantly, also set up and ran the WineSkills training course. This DEFRA and EU-funded initiative was hugely successful in its mission to upskill the UK wine industry during the five years for which it was funded.

Her time at Plumpton included taking students on study tours to glamorous wine regions including Champagne, Bordeaux, Burgundy and the Languedoc, trips which broadened her experience as well as giving her plenty of students-overseas stories she refuses to share!

After leaving Plumpton in 2015 she joined wine industry body the UK Vineyards Association, which in 2017 merged with English Wine Producers to become Wines of Great Britain – better known as WineGB, where she is currently that august body’s operations manager and editor of its in-house magazine.

“WineGB is central to the industry I love and I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here, but editing Vineyard is a new opportunity that I can’t wait to make the most of,” she commented. “I’m really excited at taking on a job that combines my background in journalism and my knowledge of the industry.”

Jo also achieved the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Diploma in 2016 and has judged some competitions. “As well as editing the magazine I am looking forward to working closely with Sarah Calcutt and the Kent County Showground on making next year’s Vineyard Show a fantastic event,” she added.

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25

SALES AND MARKETING

Barry Phillips started what became The Four Walls Wine Company half a century ago when he got together with a group of friends to share a love of wine.

The club he set up grew steadily and in time became a commercial enterprise affiliated to the White Horse at Chilgrove, Sussex, where Barry was the landlord for more than 30 years. Perhaps not surprisingly, the White Horse wine list won every award on offer during those three decades.

Now retired from the restaurant business, he continues to sell fantastic wines.

26

ps lli

In conversation...

Ba r r y P hi

Where did you learn about the wine trade?

My grandfather lived in a rather grand house at the back of Eastbourne. Although the house was fully staffed, it was my grandmother who was in charge of the kitchen. All the traditional dishes were of course home cooked.

Bollinger was consumed daily at 12.30 before luncheon and Krug on a Sunday, all delivered in wonderful wooden boxes and individual straw sleeves. The family entered the dining room by the right door. On the sideboard, against the right wall, were the bottles decanted and waiting to bestow pleasure on that meal.

There was always Claret and Port. On weekdays, Pauillac, Graves or Margaux and Port of 1935 or older. On Sundays it would be Pomerol or St. Emilion and Port from a post war 40s vintage. Ronald Avery had persuaded grandpa of the virtues of Pomerol, but grandpa felt that Petrus and friends were not serious enough for weekdays. Besides, Petrus was always dressed with an Avery label. I was always most delighted to see the Lafite and the Latour labels.

It may have been the Lafite and Mouton whose aroma seduced, but it was Latour that made me feel that there was another man in the room. The wonderful rich masculinity filled my glass, although the portion was of course in keeping with my young age. And the label for which I searched was the 1926. It was that vintage of Latour that made me want to spend my life in the wine game.

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What is the origin of the Four Walls Wine Company?

On 6 December 1970, six of us got together to spend an evening enjoying some good bottles and arranged to meet monthly. The original total cost of the wines would be shared between us.

The first evening we drank – Dom Perignon 1961 (£3/10 now £3.50); Home-made Pinot Noir Burgundy Superieur (free); Chateau Petrus 1962 (£3/10); Mackenzie 1963 (10/ now 50p).

How did it develop into today’s retail operation?

When I was the landlord at the White Horse in Chilgrove, I began selling wines to take away at the price on the wine list. They were strictly for consumption at home and not for commercial trading. That trade grew, and when I retired I carried on selling great wines.

So how did you become a pub landlord?

My grandfather had several pub tenancies in London at the start of the first world war in 1914 and by the end of the second (1945), he had more than 20, some of them complete with the freehold, and they were passed on to my father and uncle.

When I was at Rugby school, my housemaster used to call me into his study at the end of every term and announce: “Phillips, you seem to be bottom again. I cannot understand why your father spends £600 a year sending you to a school like this so you can go and run a pub.”

I left Rugby a year early and went to university at Grenoble. I have my degree certificate hanging in the lavatory at home. I then worked in stocktaking and for an accountants before being made manager of the family hotel at Herstmonceux.

Watney decided they didn’t want me continuing as the next generation running the tenancies and offered me the tenancy of The White Horse at Chilgrove rent-free for the first year to get rid of me. My wife Dorothea (Dot) and I took over the very dilapidated pub in November 1969 but were fortunate to be joined by a great chef who had worked with the family in London, a fine front man to run the bar and a wonderful handyman to help me look after the cellar.

We ran it as a pub with a fine restaurant and 10 years later Grand Met sold us the freehold of the White Horse, at which point Dot and I turned it into a restaurant with a bar.

> Chas Peterkin, Partner (left); Sue Lee, Office Manager; Rob Barlow, Cellarman; Barry Phillips, Owner

Where did the company name come from?

Over 30 years of offering great food and a fantastic selection of wines at the White Horse, my team welcomed many famous people to the restaurant, but we were always absolutely discreet and kept many secrets. Everything stayed within “these four walls”.

Were awards important?

The White Horse won many awards over the years, including one for the best wine list in the world, but awards are no longer of any interest to Chas, who now runs the business with me, and myself. All we are concerned with is the happiness of our clients. We both love what we do and try to be 100% honest.

Do you miss anything about the restaurant trade?

Nothing. After 35 years working with Dot, we just enjoy spending time together. We celebrated our 55th wedding anniversary towards the end of September.

If you were cast away on a desert island, what wine would you take with you?

The hardest part of being stuck on a desert island would be drinking alone, but the wine would be Corton Charlemagne J-F Coche Dury 1996. It is always better to travel hopefully than to arrive.

Can you recommend a special bottle for a celebration at home?

For me the most special bottle is always the bottle I will drink next. I can only advise every consumer who is learning – or wants to learn – about wine to find someone they can trust.

That can be in a supermarket, a wine society or a wine shop.

How does Four Walls Wine Company choose the wines it currently stocks?

We only buy and offer wines of which we can be proud and that give us pleasure. We always try to taste all the wines we offer for sale.

What changes have you seen in the wine trade in recent years?

One of the most notable changes has been the expansion of the areas and countries that now produce wine and where wine has improved so much. It’s also interesting to see how successful winemakers have been in using new varieties of grapes. It’s also pleasing to see so many affordable, eminently drinkable wines there are out there now. That’s certainly a welcome development.

How do you see the future of independent wine merchants?

As long as there are those who love wine and want to enjoy drinking it, I have no fears.

You are (theoretically) retired – who runs the business now?

Chas and I have worked in tandem for the past ten years. He is younger and fitter than me and enjoys his work today as much as I have for the past 50 years. He has great ability and many of his best contacts, suppliers and customers are the sons and daughters of those with whom I have enjoyed many years of trading. He is also well trusted by anyone and everyone.

27

WINE REVIEWS Mat h e w

Listen in

es Juk

Communication is key for Covid-19 hit wineries.  www.matthewjukes.com paper-plane, vineyard.ed@kelsey.co.uk

We all recognise that Covid-19 has been ruthless and indiscriminate. All manner of wine tasting events have been cancelled and those that are still sitting in our diaries, in pencil, are in danger of being rubbed out, too.

One of the biggest wine tasting casualties of 2020 was the annual WineGB bonanza that was supposed to happen last month. 2020 has not given anyone in the wine trade the chance to taste any wines in significant numbers, and this means that on-trade and off-trade buyers, press and other interested parties have been forced to either go without or attempt to organise the delivery of thousands of bottles, in dribs and drabs, sent directly to their homes, to stay up to date.

This is not only extraordinarily time-consuming, as I know because this is what I have done, and also very costly for the wineries, but if anything it makes us all yearn to return to normal when we can go about our jobs in a more efficient and effective manner. I am sure that wine tasters will never again say: “Oh no, not another wine tasting.”

So how do we, as an industry, make our decisions on which English and Welsh wines to buy, list or write about when the largest tasting of the year was abandoned and the busiest period of wine drinking is just around the corner?

Helping your business to grow

While the obvious answer is to get on the phone and spend 24 hours a day asking every contact in your database if they have any new releases which might be of interest, this would be a Sisyphean task which would leave no time for tasting, let alone any sleep!

We all rely on communication and this means that we inevitably have to wait patiently for wineries to contact us when they have something to say.

How this communication is brought about varies wildly; from the ultraorganised, and inevitably very expensive, to the home-grown, more affordable and sometimes unpredictable, to the give-it-a-whirl-and-cross-your-fingers style of operation, which is usually free!

Opposite are three spectacular wines, and each of these wineries operates a different communication strategy. I am immensely grateful to all of the wineries who have faithfully kept sending me samples during this crazy year and, many have spotted that my write-ups of English and Welsh wines, in the various columns to which I contribute, have skyrocketed. Thank you all for your support – you will see I have named those good folk overleaf who have sent me this month’s star wines. This is, of course, the only way to stand a chance of being featured and so if you have yet to contact me, don’t waste another second.

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

• • •

28

www.carpenterbox.com/vineyards O C TO B E R 2020 | V I N E YA R D

Biological assets Capital allowances for equipment Grants and funding

• • •

R&D tax relief VAT Making Tax Digital

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

MATTHEW JUKES I am more than happy to recommend Luxx PR and Milly Wiggin, who is extremely tenacious, ever-accurate and also refreshingly speedy at replying to my emails. It was she who sent me a Bacchus duo from Bolney and both wines are terrific.

My featured Estate Bacchus is the grander of the two, with a firmer chassis, a little more volume of flavour and a more attenuated finish, and for this reason I think it is worth the extra few quid. But if you are looking for an immediately drinking, more open and expressive number, then 2019 Lychgate Bacchus (£15.99) will more than suffice. Both wines share classic elderflower and nettle tones coupled with brittle acidity and bracing mintiness, and I feel that the main differentiator is that Lychgate feels more of a ‘starters-shaped’ wine while Estate is very much a ‘main course’ candidate. Either way, these are both delicious wines and they perfectly capture the vibrancy and nerve of this energetic variety.

2019 The Bolney Estate, Estate Bacchus £17.99, www.bolneywineestate.com

2019 Whitehall, Pinot Noir £19.99,

We have discussed external PR and seat-of-thepants PR and we now come to the other main pillar in this dark art – in-house specialists, and they don’t come much better than Allie Mount.

It helps that this winery makes wonderfully suave wines and so anyone could conceivably send them out and feel relatively positive that they would hit their mark. But there is more to this game than simply firing volleys of wines from your bunker. You only have to glance at the Gusbourne website to see that their literature, technical information and imagery is of stellar quality, and so while Allie’s wines are superb, her supporting collateral ensures that no detail is missing and that the wines are impossible to ignore.

The 2016 Brut Reserve is a perfect case in point. You can download the tech sheet yourself, as I would be wasting words repeating it here, but what I can tell you in addition is that the initially creamy palate turns rather tense on the finish and this game of two halves embraces the trademark Gusbourne flair and polish by adding more precision and less flamboyance than of late. Finer and also nervier, with welcome a keen edge, this is a superbly classy wine and it further builds on Gusbourne’s imperious reputation.

www.whitehallvineyard.co.uk Whitehall’s PR engine-room favours a ‘phone a friend’ method of prospecting for press coverage and so Charlotte Self simply picked up the blower to Jamie McGrorty, our eminent publisher at Vineyard Magazine, and asked whether Monsieur Jukes might like to taste her wines. Of course, Jamie’s answer was YES (the capitals are mine).

This direct method is every bit as successful as the more lavish paid-for-PR option, if your wines are up to scratch, and this brand new 2019 Pinot Noir release is a triumph. If this wine is anything to go by, the future for this estate is very bright indeed. The nose is spot on with a smattering of French oak and I don’t doubt that the colour is helped by a cunning 15% Rondo addition, but with only 11.5% alcohol on board it is shaped like a forward-drinking Beaujolais and I can assure you that you can crack on now, even though this wine is only a year old. Thank you, Charlotte, for alerting me to this magical Pinot – I would not have found it on my own.

2016 Gusbourne, Brut Reserve £39.00, www.gusbourne.com

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29

EDITOR'S VISIT

When America Brewer first visited Sussex, she “fell in love with the countryside” – and it was the start of a love affair that has inspired some first rate, award-winning wines.

To be fair, it would take a particularly stony heart not to fall in love with the Oastbrook Estate, which offers superb views over gently rolling countryside and is a mere eight-minute

stroll from Bodiam Castle.

On the other hand, five minutes in America’s company is enough to demonstrate that when she finds something she cares about, she commits herself to it heart and soul. It’s pretty clear that becoming a winemaker was a lucky break for the grapes; it seems beyond doubt that if America had instead decided to take up

> Owners Nick and America Brewer

cookery, she would by now be a top chef.

As well as planting 16,000 vines – all noble grapes – at Oastbrook, America and husband Nick, also a winemaker, have turned the estate into a spectacular wedding venue, built a unique holiday attraction in the shape of a Hobbit House and developed the site as a venue for small-scale events.

At the heart of all the activity is America, whose irrepressible personality continues to drive the growth of this remarkable multifaceted venture. On a tour of the site she continually, almost automatically, removes leaves that are shading the fruit, retrains wayward vines and dispenses with any lessthan-perfect grapes she spots.

The commentary is continuous and highlights the wealth of knowledge she gained, not just from studying wine production, viticulture and oenology at Plumpton College but from offering to work for free in a neighbouring vineyard when the couple first moved to Sussex.

That knowledge has been put to good use, with Oastbrook having picked up a string of awards for its impressive range of sparking and still wines.

While continuing to make great wines and diversifying into events, weddings and holiday accommodation, America and Nick have also been developing their own winery, where they hope to be making their own wine from next year. They currently work alongside Dermot Sugrue at Wiston Winery, also in Sussex, to craft their wines.

The current debate is over who will have first choice of where to sit in the office being built as part of the complex. “We continually argue over who is the best winemaker and deserves to get the best spot,” America joked.

America was born in Brazil – on 4 July, American Independence Day – and worked in banking and studied as an interpreter before coming to London with a friend in 2002. They had planned to travel to the US, but 9/11 intervened and the UK benefited from the >> change of destination.

"We continually argue over who is the best winemaker.”

30

O C TO B E R 2020 | V I N E YA R D

tor Ed i

As well as planting 16,000 vines, Sussex couple Nick and America Brewer have created a stunning wedding and events venue, a unique holiday destination and – in the near future – a winery at Oastbrook in Sussex. But, as they tell Vineyard magazine, at the end of the day it's all about the grapes.

gs

Start of a love affair

col m Tr Ma l ig

EDITOR'S VISIT

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EDITOR'S VISIT

> Oastbrook Pinot Gris << Appropriately enough she met husband-to-be Nick at a wine tasting while working as a supervisor in a restaurant the following year, and after a number of years during which the couple lived in Geneva and Hong Kong, thanks to Nick’s work in commodities trading, they were married in Brazil in 2008.

During her time in Europe, America had become interested in wine and vineyards, and when the couple bought Oastbrook in 2013, complete with 60 acres of south facing, well-drained soil, they decided they would put it to good use. As a trial run, America planted a vine on the side of the house that overlooks the vineyard. It fruited well and is still a source of pride, the first thing she pointed out when Vineyard visited the estate.

The couple initially switched to an organic regime, worked hard to rejuvenate the soil and kept sheep on the land. America meanwhile went about turning her dream into reality by starting her studies at Plumpton College in 2015 – and offering to help out at a neighbouring vineyard for free.

While the course gave her the training she needed, America delved deeply into the subject, reading widely and

devouring everything she could find about grapes and wine making. It is clear that she believes studying needs to be complemented with hard practical work to gain the knowledge that makes great wine.

The couple released their first wine in 2018 from grapes they had harvested from a local Sussex vineyard in 2014. America explained that they had kept the wine on the lees until she had finished her course.

That 2014 Rosé, a blend of Auxerrois and Pinot Noir, won a bronze medal in both the Sommelier Wine Awards and the Independent English Wine Awards (IEWA) and was also successful in the Champagne and Sparkling Wine Awards 2020 and the GB Wine Awards.

The 2015 Rosé has been equally well received, while the 2019 Pinot Gris made with Simon Woodhead from Stopham Winery has just won gold at the IEWA. It was an impressive start, but for America the secret is pretty straightforward. “Winemaking is about having good healthy grapes. If you start with clean, disease-free grapes, you are 75% there.”

In 2018 the couple took the next big step, planting 16,000 vines, a mix of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris >>

"Winemaking is about having good healthy grapes.”

32

O C TO B E R 2020 | V I N E YA R D

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> Yoga by the pool

<< and Chardonnay. Nick, meanwhile, doubled the business’ expertise by completing the wine making modules at Plumpton.

When America refers to ‘healthy grapes’, she isn’t relying on chance. It is clear from being shown around the vines just how much care she takes over them, her hands darting here and there while she talks, plucking off a shading leaf or removing anything that looks less than perfect.

Roses around the site provide an attractive vista for visitors staying in the Hobbit House or enjoying a tour of the vineyard, but they are also an early warning sign of powdery mildew, since roses show signs of the disease before it can spread to the vines. America is also hesitant to apply sprays, preferring to keep a close eye on her beloved vines and treat them when they need it, rather than just because she can or because “it’s time to spray”.

The new winery planned for next year will allow America and Nick to make their own still red wine and smaller customised batches of white, although they plan to continue their association with Dermot at Wiston Winery to make their sparkling wines and with Simon Woodhead for the white wines.

The winery is being built on the ground floor of an impressive building that features a tasting room on the first floor. This space, which doubles as an events/reception venue, was supported by rural business support funding from East Sussex County Council. Nick is now applying for additional funding for the winery, which will create job opportunities in an area which is relatively deprived.

Nick explained that the business model at Oastbrook was to spread the risk, maximising cellar door sales, creating a venue for events and weddings and offering holiday accommodation and vineyard tours. He sees Oastbrook as a “destination” as well as a producer of quality English wines.

Nick expects that when the winery is in full production Oastbrook will be able to produce 60,000 bottles a year, and the response from those who have tasted it – and the judges that have accorded it medal status – suggests that they will easily be able to sell that amount.

“We are building a brand and developing a reputation in the industry,” Nick said. “It’s difficult to sell 60,000 bottles without building a reputation first. We are keen to produce more still wine, but we grow a mix of grapes so that

"Roses provide an early warning sign of powdery mildew.”

"We are building a brand and developing a reputation.”

34

EDITOR'S VISIT we can produce more sparkling in years when the climate is less favourable.”

Nick conceded that making good red wine in the UK was not easy but said it was a challenge he was keen to take on. “We are exploring new techniques for extracting colour and flavour.

English sparkling wine is world-beating and I believe that our whites aren’t far behind. Red is

the new frontier, where we need to develop our own style, and I believe we can do that.

“It won’t happen every year because of our climate, but with innovative techniques and great grapes I believe we can make a worldbeating red and I’m keen to ensure Oastbrook is one of the vineyards that is leading that charge.” Of America, he added: “She is a

> Model Nicole Lim during a wedding photoshoot

> The tasting room is also suitable as a wedding meal venue

fantastic viticulturalist. Everything starts with the grapes – and then we work together to make the best wine from them.”

Perhaps the luckiest person at Oastbrook is Ben Andrews. While studying at Plumpton, he is the company’s apprentice. If he picks up half the knowledge that America and Nick have to share, he will be well placed for the future.

> The newly constructed winery

> A great wedding location

> The Hobbit House is available for short breaks

O C TO B E R 2020 | V I N E YA R D

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WINEMAKING

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Pectinases and glucanases Enzyme formulation.

Enzymes are proteins which act as biological catalysts that facilitate and accelerate specific reactions and are useful tools during pre and post alcoholic fermentation. Post ferment enzymes, in particular glucanases, enhance organoleptic attributes as well as improving stability and they aid filtration by minimising clogging compounds. Here we explain further the role Extralyse can play during wine stabilisation. ß-1,3 and ß-1,6-glucanases are enzymes extracted from the fungi Trichoderma harzianum and authorised for oenological treatments. They selectively degrade polysaccharides such as ß-(1,3 – 1,6)-glucans coming from the yeast cell envelope or produced by the mould Botritys cinerea.

The enzyme formulation of Extralyse, composed by pectinases and ß-(1,3 – 1,6) glucanases, brings about a reduction in the molecular weight of wine polysaccharides (glucans, mannoproteins, proteins, peptides, pectins...) resulting in several oenological benefits for the optimisation and acceleration of vinification processes.

Benefits When Botrytis infects grape berries, it secretes a significant amount of branched long chain glucan molecules (ß 1,3-1,6 glucan) into the grape juice. This glucan has a very high molecular weight (more than 5,000 glucose units) and is responsible for very high viscosity.

Wines produced from this grape juice will contain these long chain glucans, resulting in poor clarification and filtration.

Treatment of the wine with glucanase enzymes can reduce the glucan chain length and thus improve the wine’s aptitude to clarify and filter (Figure 1 and 2). An enzyme preparation known as Extralyse has been specifically developed for this application. A similar type of ß-(1,3 – 1,6) glucan secreted

by Botrytis is found in yeast cell walls (yeasts are considered the simplest form of fungi).

This glucan is liberated from the yeast during fermentation and while ageing on lees.

The release of glucans into the wine is accompanied by the release of various other wanted yeast compounds such as mannoproteins, amino acids, low molecular weight peptides and nucleotides, which can

have a significant effect on wine mouthfeel.

Pectinase/glucanase enzyme preparations such as Extralyse significantly enhance the yeast autolysis process and thus the release of these positive compounds.

Another beneficial aspect of Extralyse, as a positive secondary effect of a faster clarification, is a significant reduction of the general microbial load in the wine. In the case of contamination by spoilage microorganisms, such as acetic acid bacteria or Brettanomyces, a combined treatment of Extralyse and a fining agent can help reduce the microbial load by up to 80%.

Autolysis enzymes are used to promote yeast autolysis during on lees aging. The key enzyme involved in these preparations is ß-glucanase, which targets glucans, a glucose polymer that is a principal component of yeast cell walls.

These enzymes can also be used to rectify poor wine filterability, especially if Botrytis was present in the fruit. Resulting wine viscosity is lowered and filterability improves with use of such enzyme formulation (Extralyse), which in wine production terms translates to fewer rackings, cleaner wine and easier filtration and bottling.

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

Improves wine clarification

Improves wine filterability

Impact of treatment with Extralyse on wine clarification

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Turbidity values after treatment with Extralyse at 10 g/hL.

O C TO B E R 2020 | V I N E YA R D

VMax= maximum volume at clogging.

Makes it possible to assess wine filterability.

ENZYMES

ENZYMES

Use of enzymes in oenology

Natural accelerators

Although enzymes are naturally occurring in grape berries and wine microorganisms, they are found in varying concentrations. ◆ Their addition during vinification promotes clarification and the extraction of skin compounds of interest and optimises pressing. ◆ Mastery of the use of enzymes allows for a reduction in the use of other inputs.

LA FA S LA E® FA HE S GR LA E® AN FA FR ZY UI D C LA RU M T FA ® C ZY L LA M FA ® P Z R EX YM ESS TR ® E X A O LYS TR PT AC IZ E® T LA YM FA ® Z LA YM FA ® A Z R LA YM OM FA ® T H S IO LA E® FA BO LS [+ ] ZY O LA M ST FA ® 6 S 0 LA E® X 0 X FA L ICE L S E PR LA ® E FA XL SS SE C LA ® XL LAR FA I E SE XTR FICA LA ® AC T IO T FA T H SE ER ION N M ® R OU XL O FL LIQ GE O T UID E

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Enzymology and biochemistry: behind the scenes of enzyme formulation

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Enzymes are highly-specific complex catalytic proteins. In the wine industry, the most common principal activities are the pectinases (polygalacturonase [PG], pectin methyl esterase [PME], pectin lyase [PL], arabinanase, rhamnogalacturonase and galactanase). In addition, there are some glucanases and glycosidases complemented with many naturally occurring side activities such as hemicellulases, cellulases and proteases.

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Enhances the thiols revelation in wines*** Clarification of white and rosé musts

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Clarification of red grape musts treated by thermo-vinification

Importance of the secondary activities of enzyme preparations Each enzyme preparation is a unique cocktail of activities that depends on the strain of fungus, such as Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus aculeatus and Trichoderma harzianum. Each of them produces specific enzymes to grow and to best adapt to its own environment.

The diversity of natural environments leads to specific enzyme spectra for each strain.

Significant expertise is required for the selection of strains as well as their industrial and secure production.

Form

Clarification of wines (free-run and/or press)

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Lees ageing Filtration and/or botrytised harvests

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 Aroma release  = Purified in order to optimise the required actions. * CE is inhibited by 3 % ethanol; purified preparations are not necessary during use of these enzymes. ** Enzymes produced by means of technology maintain unwanted activity at non-significant levels. *** Acts in synergy with specialty yeast with thiol production abilities (ZYMAFLORE® X5, DELTA, VL3…).

Legend R Microgranulate

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Reduces microbial load

Enhanced natural sweetness

Impact of treatment with Extralyse on the acetic acid bacteria population and VA of a wine during aging (2017).

Measurement of the concentration of released nitrogenous compounds in a synthetic must with or without Extralyse. Laffort research isolated and identified a peptide fraction involved in the sweetness perception after on lees aging, originating from the Hsp12 yeast membrane protein. Extralyse releases this sapid peptide in a quantity twice as large as compared to a lysis without added enzyme.

O C TO B E R 2020 | V I N E YA R D

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GRAPE GROWING

New challenge leads to medal-winning wines While running a successful chain of garden centres was rewarding enough, former dairy farmer Peter Self realised a few years back that he was missing the challenge of hands-on farming.

With interest in English wine growing steadily, Peter and wife Claire decided to plant vines on a south-facing slope at their farm at Lacock in the Avon Valley, scratching a farming itch while continuing to run the garden centres set up by Peter’s grandmother Phyllis Self and father Christopher some 50 years ago.

The initial idea, as Peter’s daughter Charlotte explained, was for grapes from the new Whitehall Vineyard to be used in small batch

wines retailed through the garden centres at Lacock, Bristol and, more recently Marlborough, which the business acquired at around the same time as the vines were planted.

What they could not have predicted was that the wines would prove so successful that they are now being marketed to hotels and restaurants in the area and picked up an impressive tally at the Independent Wine Awards, winning a Gold medal for the Bacchus 2019, Silver for the Charlotte May Rosé and

> Madeline Self, Peter Self, Claire Self and Charlotte Self

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O C TO B E R 2020 | V I N E YA R D

Bronze for the Madeline May Chardonnay.

The premium still wines, made at Three Choirs Winery near Cirencester, include a Pinot Noir and a Pinot Noir/Rondo blend, and while conscious of the particular challenges facing red wines made in the UK climate, Charlotte said the family – and those who have tasted it – were impressed with the result.

The vineyard was started in April 2017, with 16,000 Rondo, Bacchus, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay grapes planted on 11

> Claire Self acres below Nethercote Hill, a local landmark that has now lent its name to the Pinot Noir/ Rondo wine.

While looking ahead to the first wines from their own vines, the family took over the husbandry at an established neighbouring six-acre site and used those grapes in the first Whitehall wines. Charlotte said her father had worked closely with the team at Three Choirs Winery to create an impressive set of eight debut wines.

Along with the 2018 and 2019 blends and 2018 and 2019 Pinot Noirs, the Whitehall range features a Bacchus and a Bacchus/ Chardonnay blend plus the Charlotte May Rosé and Madeline May Chardonnay named after Charlotte and her sister.

Charlotte is the marketing, brand and graphic design manager for Whitehall Garden Centre and business development manager for the vineyard, which is the largest in Wiltshire and one of the five largest in the south west.

The eight wines were launched at no fewer than three open evenings at the start of September and proved an immediate hit, with an impressive 1,000 bottles sold. Whitehall wines will also be sold through the new website (www.whitehallvineyard.co.uk) – also launched at the start of September – and via the family’s farm shops.

Charlotte, who is following up a degree in business and marketing management from Oxford Brookes University by studying rural land management at the Royal Agricultural University in Cirencester, is now talking to local shops and restaurants and has been impressed with the response.

Putting her marketing studies to good use, she asked renowned London agencies Stranger & Stranger and Deep to take charge of the Whitehall brand, ensuring the labels, gift boxes, website and photography are all as crisp and clean as a fine dry white wine.

With healthy realism, she pointed out: “You have to get people to try your wine first, and that’s particularly important when it’s a premium English wine. Once they try a Whitehall wine, I am confident they will come back for more, but good branding is important as it is the label that makes people choose your bottle in a line up and the wine itself that brings them back to buy again.”

The wines benefit from the grade A soil in the Avon Valley, where the Self family has been farming for the past 100 years, with Peter and Claire the fourth generation to work the land >> and Charlotte and Madeline the fifth.

"You have to get people to try your wine first"

O C TO B E R 2020 | V I N E YA R D

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> Peter Self

> Madeline Self

<< Peter ran a dairy farm on the 500-acre site until about 25 years ago, when he, like, many others, gave up the unequal struggle, sold the herd and began instead to concentrate on the Whitehall Garden Centres founded by his grandmother and father, building the business at Lacock and Bristol and taking on a new outlet at Marlborough four years ago.

While no longer having to wake before dawn to milk dairy cows, the family retained a keen interest in livestock farming, and Whitehall Farm is still home to Swiss Valais Blacknose sheep, Beef Shorthorn cattle and a herd of Dexter cows.

But while he may not have missed the early mornings, Peter was keen to take on a new challenge, and after doing the necessary homework the family decided to join the growing move towards producing quality English wine.

It was a hands-on operation from the start, with Peter enlisting the support of a consultant on a couple of occasions a month but essentially teaching himself, doing the necessary research and, in Charlotte’s words, “just getting on with it”. The family also took on the neighbouring vineyard to provide

> Charlotte Self

them with a supply of grapes while their own vines were maturing.

The grapes are hand-picked and Peter works closely with Three Choirs to create the unique Whitehall flavour. “The rosé is light and delicate, the Chardonnay has been very well reviewed and the Pinot Noir is also light and subtle,” said Charlotte. “We are proud of what we have achieved and we are confident that the wines will sell well.”

The family was expecting to harvest enough grapes at the end of September to make 25,000 to 30,000 bottles. They had been hoping for more, but were hit hard by the two nights of frost this spring. “The vines recovered and are looking good now, but we lost a lot of the early crop,” Charlotte said.

For Peter it was another step on a steep learning curve, one that he has negotiated impressively well so far. In response the family business has now installed a weather control system to reduce the danger of frost damage next year.

Meanwhile with the first 1,000 bottles of this year’s production already sold, this is one family vineyard that is looking to the future with confidence.

"We are proud of what we have achieved"

> Charlotte and Peter

40

Whitehall Vineyard, established in 2016, is a family run vineyard overlooking the beautiful Avon Valley, situated in the Historic National Trust Village of Lacock, Wiltshire, UK. Founded by the Self family on Whitehall Farm, their family home for 5 generations since 1894.

We are proud to announce that our Bacchus 2019 won a gold medal in the Independent English Wine Awards for 2020.

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W W W . W H I T E H A L L V I N E Y A R D . C O . U K

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

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

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

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Representing you

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

Christmas Campaign – A Great British Classic Sparkling Wine this Christmas Yes – it’s that time of the year again, and WineGB will be supporting the industry in the run up to Christmas by running a packed digital campaign to encourage potential consumers to choose a GB wine over other sparkling wines around at this time of year.

With the focus on sparkling wines and a strong message to Buy British both likely to feature prominently in the media this year, we will be raising the profile of our wines and their ready availability.

Initiatives will include a strong social media campaign, features on the WineGB website and a PR focus to drive the message through print and broadcast media. Please share any offers or promotions that we can include in our Shop Local pages.

Happy 100th birthday to Kenneth McAlpine, pioneer of English wine

Ben Kantsler appointed to NFU Horticulture Board

WineGB would like to wish Kenneth McAlpine OBE DL, pioneer of English wine and the world’s oldest living Formula One Grand Prix driver, a very happy 100th birthday, which was at the end of September.

Kenneth McAlpine founded and ran Lamberhurst Vineyards from 1972 until 1994 and, for a whole generation of vineyard owners, winemakers and wine drinkers, will always be associated with the transition of English and Welsh wine from the amateur to the professional. He was awarded the OBE in around 1992 for services to English Wine.

In his youth, McAlpine had founded and financed a Formula One team called the Connaught Racing Team, and as a driver himself he participated in seven F1 races, sadly never gaining a podium position.

Stephen Skelton MW was Winemaker and General Manager at Lamberhurst Vineyards from 1988 to 1992 and has written an appreciation of Kenneth McAlpine which can be read at www.englishwine.com/news.htm

WineGB is pleased to announce that Ben Kantsler, Viticulturalist at Nyetimber, has been appointed to the NFU Horticulture and Potatoes Board.

WineGB values working closely with the NFU as many of the challenges that the horticulture industry faces are shared with viticulture, and we can be stronger together in our campaigns. Currently, at the forefront of concerns are the requirements of seasonal labour and the securing of approved plant protection products.

“Our representation on the Board will benefit WineGB vineyard members enormously; we will have the opportunity to have a stronger voice with government and key bodies on the issues we face. We can also be a great support to NFU campaigns,” commented Ben. “As Viticulturalist at one of the UK’s largest producers, I have a first-hand understanding of the challenges and concerns for vine growers and our industry.”

The NFU Horticulture and Potatoes Board works to protect growers’ interests and create opportunities for their businesses, and is Chaired by Ali Capper, a top fruit (including cider apples) and hops grower from Worcestershire.

JOIN WINEGB

 01858 467792 paper-plane, office@winegb.co.uk  www.WineGB.co.uk 42

O C TO B E R 2020 | V I N E YA R D

Plumpton College’s pilot ‘Entry into Viticulture’ course a great success

The free, intensive, one-week skills development programme ‘Entry into Viticulture’, was aimed at supporting individuals looking for a career change, or for those recently made redundant, to help them to find employment by providing the necessary operative training.

The first cohort of students had a busy week covering topics such as first

aid at work, health and safety, tractor driving and basic viticulture skills.

Jo Cowderoy, from WineGB, paid the students a visit during the week to provide them with an insight into working within the UK wine industry. By the end of the week, all 12 members of the first cohort had completed the programme, and several members have already secured employment.

If you’re a business with immediate staffing requirements, please contact Dan Karlsson on 01273 892127 or email business@plumpton.ac.uk.

Virtual Viticulture Technical Conference Save the date! 17, 18 and 19 November The theme this year will be ‘The Secrets of Soil’ – a less understood, rather undervalued but vitally important resource for successful yields and production of quality grapes. WineGB will host this event virtually with expert speakers delivering the latest in technology and science over six sessions on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings from 10am to 12.30pm. Delegates will not have to leave the comfort of their own office or home!

The WineGB Viticulture Working Group is close to finalising the programme with both UK and International speakers, so save the date and more information will follow soon.

We will soon be publishing our forthcoming programme of webinars covering business and marketing, winemaking and viticulture. If you have missed any of the WineGB series of webinars, then please visit the website for the recordings.

15th October, 6pm: Winemaking Surgery #2 Second peer to peer session with winemakers to discuss issues during harvest

28 October, 6pm: Managing MLF With Brad Greatrix, Winemaker, Nyetimber Vineyards

12 November, 6pm: Filtration and Stabilising

FORTHCOMING WEBINARS

Details of all webinars, plus the speaker profiles and registration links, can be found on the WineGB website.

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AGRONOMY

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Keeping tabs on pests Camera traps for Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD) have been running through September and while numbers across the four sites were starting to increase at the time of writing, SWD is unlikely to be an issue in later ripening grapes with higher acidity.

The high sugar contents have proved attractive to wasps through late summer and early autumn, with Rothamsted’s insect survey reporting large numbers of Vespid wasps (Vespula spp.). Wasps are a persistent pest in vineyards around harvest and should be

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Picking decisions in any situation are down to individual winemaker requirements, working with growers, so in cases where there is a lot of variability and the greenest berries have not been pruned out, tighter supervision may be required to maintain the desired quality.

For those with later-maturing cultivars such as Chardonnay still to pick, it is vital to maintain protection against botrytis as the weather becomes more unsettled through October.

Treatment now is too late to stop latent infection, but can prevent the disease spreading to other bunches.

The biological fungicide Botector is a promising option for this season; crucially it has just a one day harvest interval, allowing growers to protect crops right up to harvest.

It looks a very good product with a unique advantage over more traditional treatments that require longer 21-day harvest intervals, but it is new to the UK so we will only be able to judge its true performance once the season is complete.

controlled responsibly where feeding damage occurs.

Building vine potential Where crops have been harvested early, there is now a narrow window of opportunity to help build the foundations of strong plants and root systems for next season with the application of foliar nutrition to green leaves.

It is not something many growers often get the chance to do in cooler climates, but where possible it is useful as next year’s flowering will be fuelled by the nutritional reserves in the vine stems and roots.

Boron, zinc and iron can be particularly beneficial nutrients, although they must be applied before canopies start to senesce and before the first autumn frosts hit. Avoid nitrogen, which promotes soft, sappy growth more exposed to disease.

Once we get towards the first frosts, usually later this month, applying a small amount of copper with a suitable adjuvant can help prevent stem botrytis and other pathogens developing while stems are lignifying.

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Massive variability in 2020 grape harvest.

With earlier-maturing crops now picked and later cultivars due to be harvested over coming days and weeks, it is a fitting time to look back on what has been a very challenging season.

There has been massive variability this year, largely, but not exclusively, driven by the weather. The legacy of May’s late frosts has been felt right through to harvest in many areas, with delayed development of lower-yielding secondary bunches – typically a month behind primaries – requiring double-picking of some crops, particularly earlier cultivars. This only adds to the logistical harvest challenges already created by coronavirus restrictions.

Furthermore, we have seen notable variability within and between bunches, in average berry size, number of berries and the number of bunches per vine, even in primary bunches. The issue seems most common in later cultivars such as Pinot and Chardonnay.

While the exact cause is not entirely clear, Californian research suggests extreme weather (hot or cold) during bunch initiation suppresses cluster initiation. Likewise, it says poor fruit set can be due to extreme temperatures or rain at flowering. Nutritional issues may also be a factor in crop variability, notably excess nitrogen at key times and deficiencies of boron and zinc.

Under-ripe grapes within bunches are generally high in malic acid, which is less desirable to winemakers than tartaric acid, levels of which declined as sugars rose during September’s unseasonably hot weather. This prompted some growers to start picking on the basis of acidity level rather than Brix.

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DESIGN AND BUILD

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Kenward Construction also offer a wide range of services offering a truly one stop shop for your next building project. Demolition, plant hire, access roads, drainage, sewage treatment plants, rainwater harvesting, paving, concrete floors/ slabs, walling and site landscaping.

Arrange a site visit with one of our contracts managers to discuss your project in more detail by emailing enquiries@kenwardgroundworks.co.uk or call 01403 210218

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First things to look for in a site and considerations for future expansion Planting the industry As we all know, there is a real emphasis on selling our wines to international markets.

The interest in British culture and our products is long established in Asia and North America. Several large producers have already been on ‘trade missions’ to these markets, seeing a significant proportion of wine sales going abroad.

Although this effort needs to continue, domestic consumers should not be ignored.

Indeed, many of our clients who have smaller plantings in 2020, ‘21 and beyond are producing with the intention of selling entirely through their cellar door.

Plant with a plan When we first talk to clients about planting, we follow a process with them which is intended to formulate a business plan they will be following for the foreseeable future. Although this will inevitably evolve, there is great advantage to resolutely sticking to the plan.

Negotiate your growing contract before planting or assign your contract winemaker before vines go in the ground. The fruit needs a home. Get good, solid and experienced advice. Understand the industry and know who the players are and what they are planting.

Sparkling wine is a prevalent wine style in our region, but there are other producers selling remarkably interesting, delicious and successful wine styles.

We have seen an increase in hybrid varieties over recent years. When you consider their disease resistance, low inputs, shorter ripening times and adaptability to still and sparkling wines, they are hard to ignore.

Site selection Look at the ‘textbook’ attributes and determine the real suitability for viticulture.

This stage is crucial and will save you money in the long run. This is especially important on smaller projects where the land is already owned and the temptation for a client is to develop what they already have. However the land is sourced, the same conditions for cool climate viticulture will always apply: soil, climate, wind exposure, spring frost risk, drainage, topography, altitude, aspect and land restrictions.

Think about expansion We often return to sites where a client has established a wine production business and is now looking to scale up his or her operations.

So when looking at your site, it’s important to think about expansion plans: ◆ Is expansion possible on the same site? ◆ Multiple sites can be challenging to manage, especially if there isn’t enough budget for site specific infrastructure and machinery. ◆ Multiple sites can add another dynamic to blending with the same clones on different soils/sites; you can still retain single estate wines anyway. ◆ Multiple sites can also spread the risk from regional weather conditions: staggering harvest, variation in crop damage from frost and disease. ◆ Think about where the winery and tasting room will go; consider planning issues and access.

Manage it well A good vineyard manager will be important for maintaining fruit yields and quality.

Although senior vineyard positions are still held by ‘imports’, there are homegrown rising stars in this industry. Spending money on the right equipment and agronomy will also go a long way to ensuring success.

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Harvest 2020 is now in gear Mechanical grape harvester proves its worth and cuts picking costs.

While vineyards including Biddenden and Three Choirs started picking grapes as early as 1 September, harvest 2020 officially started for NP Seymour’s viticulture sales specialist and independent contractor Sam Barnes on 14 September 2020. That was the day he put his Pellenc mechanical grape harvester to work at Bolney Wine Estate on the estate’s high wire Rondo and early Pinot noir.

This was the second outing this year for the UK’s only contract machine harvester after Sam ran some green harvest, machine thinning and trash removal trials with a grower at the end of July.

“I think the results were pretty clear and showed just how many unset berries and rubbish we removed from the canopy,” said Sam Barnes. “This should allow bunch closure to be cleaner, reduce disease in the fruit later in the season and allow fruit to ripen to its full potential evenly. I’ve worked with growers in New Zealand who swear by this, so we are just

working out what works best for our climate and varieties in the UK.” Sam, who imported his Pellenc last year and was featured in the November 2019 edition of Vineyard magazine, already has a busy schedule planned this year and will be breaking new ground with many new customers across the South East of England.

While it is not the only mechanical grape harvester in the country (Denbies and Buzzard Valley vineyards both have Brauds) it is the only one available ‘on contract’. Through his business, SJ Barnes Ltd, Sam has successfully helped many English vineyards to harvest fruit for still and sparkling wine while saving time and keeping labour costs down.

Mechanical harvesters offer an economical way of bringing in the final crop, costing around one third of hand harvesting. In 2019, using his Pellenc 890 in a vineyard with two-metre spacing producing a yield of approximately 15 tonnes per hectare, Sam recorded the cost of harvest to be just

£75 per tonne. By comparison, the industry recommended average labour cost for grape harvesting is £200 to £250 per tonne.

As the UK’s leading viticultural tractor and machinery dealership, NP Seymour has now been appointed by Pellenc as the UK agent for its range of mechanical harvesters. The portfolio comprises various models, including both trailed and self-propelled options.

“We always strive to give growers access to the very latest technology which will help increase efficiency and profitability in their businesses, and so we are absolutely delighted to be able to work with Pellenc to offer UK viticulturists access to these labour-saving harvesting machines,” said Claire Seymour, sales and marketing director at NP Seymour.

“Before purchasing his, Sam spent years extensively researching harvester options and is on hand to talk to our customers about why he chose Pellenc, as well as which models and specifications are the most suitable for UK still and sparkling wine production.”

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Benefits of ozone treatment to viticulture The use of ozone added to water as a disinfectant in the winery and for disease control in the vineyard is possibly the shape of things to come as environmental concerns and the cost and availability of chemicals become more demanding. It is a natural product, environmentally sound, can replace sanitising chemicals and disinfectants and is very efficient at combating diseases such as mildew with no need for conventional chemicals.

Vitifruit Equipment has teamed up with an established UK company which has been installing equipment into food processing factories and vegetable farms for many years and is now looking to bring the benefits of ozone treatment to viticulture.

The chemistry is well documented and the equipment which produces the ozone is available, portable and energy efficient. In the winery it is used to disinfect the harvested grapes, sanitise the working surfaces, bottles and bottling plants and all water used for general cleaning and washing down. The ability to replace chemicals for disease control in the vineyard such as mildew is also possible and the company is studying equipment to retro-fit onto existing vineyard sprayers. As ozonated water is a natural product it can be used for disease control right up to harvest, unlike other chemicals, and is also an effective fly repellent.

The gaseous version can be used to treat soil prior to planting and then after planting an aqueous product can be used. As well as sanitising the soil, the ozone frees iron and calcium molecules bound up in organic matter and also helps flocculate the soil enabling better water and root penetration and subsequent increased root mass.

The machinery required to produce the ozone is small, energy efficient and quiet, powered from a 13 amp plug (using the equivalent power of a 100 W light bulb), quiet at 50dB (the level of a domestic washing machine) and compact at 100 x 67 x 95cm.

For more details contact David or Richard at Vitifruit Equipment.

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