If there is one thing 2020 taught viticulturists and wine makers in the UK, it is the importance of building resilience into the vineyard, writes Ben Brown, Agrii. 

Vineyards can have a very positive influence on the environment as the crop is off the ground allowing the land under to become a biodiverse ecosystem. Vineyard finds out how cover cropping can help biodiversity, support carbon capture, improve soil health, assist drainage, suppress weeds and become little havens of wildlife. 

The term effluent can quickly take the romance and glamour out of winemaking.  

Business has taken time to reflect and reassess.

Marco Simonit grew up in his grandparents vineyard in Italy and many years later, after his studies, he observed that modern pruning methods were resulting in vine loses. Vineyard speaks to the pruning Master, Marco Simonit of Simonit&Sirch, to discover his philosophy of pruning that respects the vines natural growth habit to improve its health and productivity.

They are British, their reputation is racing ahead, and they are green – they are the wines of England and Wales!

There is an expression – ‘the cobbler’s children are the worst shod’ – so when a team of expert viticulturists plant their own vineyard, expectations are high. Vineyard visits Bee Tree Vineyard in Sussex to find out how a small vineyard is leading on sustainability, research and vintage-led wines.