As we wrap up our inaugural grape harvest as the new custodians of Maud Heath Vineyard, it's hard not to reflect on our journey over the past 5 months.
From a UK wide harvest point of view, the weather has not been our ally; with wet and damp conditions leading to disease and, unfortunately, a few birds pilfering the precious grapes. However, we've been more fortunate than most, finding that a balance of preventative work, the particular location of our vineyard, and most important of all—that little bit of luck(!)- has allowed us to achieve a decent yield despite these hurdles.
Our harvest unfolded over three separate dates, carefully timed in collaboration with our viticultural team and the Winemakers at Litmus Wines, to ensure optimal results for each grape variety.
We kicked things off with the early varieties, Pinot Noir Précoce and Rondo, which are essential for crafting our renowned English red, Tytherton. From these two, we harvested 0.6 tonnes of Précoce and 1.3 tonnes of Rondo. Next up was our Bacchus harvest, where we collected a solid 1.5 tonnes. Finally, we concluded our picking with the remaining Pinot Noir (1.9 tonnes), Chardonnay (1.5 tonnes), and Pinot Meunier (0.5 tonnes).
Each bunch has now made its journey from the vineyard to Litmus Wines, carefully transported by our friends Bleach of Lavant, where the exciting process of turning grapes into our award-winning English wines begins. We’ll be sure to provide updates on this transformation in a future blog!
Though this year's yield might be a bit shy compared to previous seasons, we only jumped into our new role as vineyard stewards back in July, ready to tackle a grape-sized challenge! Imagine us rolling up our sleeves for some serious canopy management and vineyard TLC. We installed fences to keep our furry friends out, punched holes in hedgerows for that all-important air circulation, and reclaimed a whole 4 meters of space by giving the hedges a well-deserved trim. We even took on the overhanging trees like the true vine superheroes we are! Alongside these grand endeavors, we also dove into the daily adventures of de-leafing, mowing, and showering our beloved vines with all the love and attention they crave. It’s been quite the journey!
We’re grateful to Alex our new “Vine Maestro” for the all the hard work he's put in this summer, alongside Bert Martyn, our Viticultural Expert. The lessons learned, and (as before) that little bit of luck has helped us secure a harvest that equates to around 5,500-6000 bottles of our wonderful English wines. Perfect to top up our cellar!
We genuinely wanted to invite volunteers to the vineyard to share in this experience with us. Unfortunately, the weather conditions affected not just the timing and complexity of the picking, but also left the ground somewhat marshy, making it difficult to accommodate visitors. We are truly sad we couldn't host locals as we had hoped, as we love the idea of getting to know our community and sharing some laughs over grape-gathering antics or the odd misplaced bucket! The ongoing building works aimed at enhancing our offerings at Maud Heath also complicated our ability to host you all in the way that Maud Heath Vineyard deserves, but we promise to make it up to everyone soon.
We are so excited about the improvements we are making at the vineyard, including the development of a 'viewing platform' at the highest point of our Sunset vineyard. We can't wait to welcome everyone for tours and tastings starting in Spring 2025; again more on this in a future post!
As we look to the future, our winter plans include treating the soil with much-needed nutrients and lime. This treatment is essential for restoring soil health, as lime helps to balance pH levels, improve nutrient availability, and enhance microbial activity in the soil. By nourishing our land sustainably, we are not only setting the stage for healthier vines and a more fruitful harvest in the seasons to come but also contributing positively to the environment.
Here’s to the journey ahead, as we continue to nurture our vineyard and the exceptional wines it produces....Here's to turning Grapes into Premier English Wine!
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