You’re going to plant a vineyard! You’ve assessed your land and ordered your vines, what next? Asks Will Mower, Vine-Works.

Quality grapes are needed for premium wines and the health of the soil is a key factor in achieving this. With much to do in the vineyard during the winter to prepare for the forthcoming season, such as pruning, tying down and trellis repairs – soil is often forgotten. Jo Cowderoy finds out some of the soil management tasks that can be done during the winter dormancy period that will benefit the future crop.

From North Sea oil to wine on the Hog’s Back in Surrey, Mike Wagstaff and his wife Hilary, have changed course in more ways than one. Christian Davis visits…

Winter pruning is one of the most technical, expensive, and important tasks in the vineyard year. Vineyard finds out how pruning methods can help avoid potential yield losses from frost, disease, and poor weather at flowering.

Fresh in many of our memories are the devastating frosts of May 2020, and the chills of 2021 – with cruel low temperatures that descended on the new, tender vine tissues causing irreparable damage. With such valuable crops, and to avoid sleepless nights, Vineyard speaks to some of the companies offering frost protection measures. 

We are all very used to hearing the great stories of planting hundreds of thousands of vines and producing millions of bottles of wine each year, but little is heard from the more modest end of our industry. Over the last few years Vine-Works has seen a significant increase in the desire to establish smaller scale projects from people who wish to take a piece of the English wine dream into their homes. 

Imagine steep slopes, drystone walls, wooded valleys and fast running streams and you will be picturing the scenic setting of Woodchester Valley Vineyards, in the South Cotswolds Area of Natural Beauty, where their three vineyards – Woodchester, Amberley and Stonehouse are planted. Vineyard discovers a site steeped in history, nurtured by the Shiner family, whose ethos is single estate, hand crafted wines which reflect a sense of time and place.

Haygrove Evolution, Herefordshire, opened its doors – or rather polytunnels – to a group of agronomists and interested parties on
2 November, to see the progress of their pot grown, fertigated vines.

Every season has its ups and downs, influenced by Mother Nature and Jack Frost. This year shortage of labour and the dreaded downy added to the challenges. 2021 included blood, sweat – and probably lots of tears! But despite the hard work and sleepless nights, harvest is a magical time and a chance to celebrate the new vintage. Vineyard captures some photos and comments from across the regions and Stephen Skelton’s annual harvest survey.