An early start, exceptional fruit quality, and a spirit of celebration defined what many are calling the finest English and Welsh wine harvest in recent memory.
Across the United Kingdom, from the chalk downs of the South to the rolling hills of Wales, winemakers are sharing a word not often heard in our unpredictable climate: perfection.
“I’ve been working in the UK since 2008 and I’ve never had this quality before. It is perfection!” declared Corinne Seely, Consultant Winemaker at Exton Park, capturing the excitement rippling through the industry. The English and Welsh wine harvest of 2025 will be remembered as something truly special – a season when the stars aligned, the sun shone relentlessly, and vineyards across the nation brought in fruit that has winemakers whispering comparisons to the legendary 2018 vintage.
From the first week of September, the story was remarkably consistent: this was happening earlier than anyone could remember. James Kinsey-Jones of Whinyard Rocks reports: “Harvest was incredibly early for us this year. We harvested our Solaris and Rondo two to three weeks earlier than our earliest harvest to date. For the first time ever we began our harvest in August.” White Castle Vineyard in Llanvetherine, Monmouthshire, commenced picking on 16th September, marking the earliest start in the estate’s history, while Three Choirs Vineyard also reported their earliest harvest on record.
At Exton Park, Vineyard Director Fred Langdale observed the perfect conditions throughout the season: “Consistent warmth and sunshine carried the vines through the summer. Our long cover crops provided valuable habitat for insects and birdlife, as well as helping to retain soil moisture during the heatwave.”
The cause was a season of exceptional conditions from start to finish. Henry Connell of The Uncommon enthuses: “2025 has been a gift: a hot, steady growing season, even flowering, low disease pressure – all pointing towards wines overflowing with local character.”
For Clem Yates MW at Lyme Bay Winery, the contrast with the previous year couldn’t be starker: “The 2025 season has been in stark contrast to 2024, with consistently warmer, drier conditions leading to an earlier harvest start date of 9 September, around three weeks ahead of last year. These conditions are particularly promising for our still wine programmes, where balance and ripeness are key.”
Josh Donaghay-Spire, Head Winemaker at Chapel Down, reflects on the perfect growing conditions: “We have wonderfully healthy-looking vines and beautiful grapes. The settled and dry weather we’ve enjoyed since springtime is perfect for growing vines and the cool maritime climate we have in Kent is now allowing the grapes to ripen with near perfect levels of sugar and acidity. The flavours are intense yet delicate and it’s these flavours which combine with our natural acidity to make the crisp and fresh wines we are known for.”
The result was exceptionally clean, healthy grapes with remarkable balance. Matthew Abbey at Burn Valley confirms: “We’re thrilled with the quality of grapes this year, very clean and healthy. Excited to see what the vintage holds.” Tom Mumcuoglu of Trevibban Mill celebrates the season with equal enthusiasm: “A truly special vintage in the winery. Spectacular weather across the year has given clean fruit with high sugars and very little disease pressure, 2025 wines will be ones to remember!”
At Tillingham, winemaker Albertine Kotting McMillan reflects on the responsibility that comes with such quality: “With the opportunity of an amazing summer growing season, 2025 has been all about making the most of the year we’ve been given. A focus on our still wines and dialing in the details of every element in the winery. With such quality to our raw materials, the job becomes easier, but the need to make it translate in the finished wines feels more urgent. A great problem to have!”
But 2025 wasn’t just about exceptional fruit quality. Across the UK, harvest became a celebration of community, transforming the ancient ritual of gathering into something profound and deeply connected. Art Tukker at Tinwood Estate describes their approach: “Our harvest has been one led by community as we invited a lot of our local stockists – restaurants, pubs, hotels, and wine merchants – to help us pick our grapes, then enjoy lunch and wine tasting. We even had the Dean of Chichester bless our harvest!”
At Nutbourne Vineyard, the Gladwin family wove together their Local & Wild philosophy in a harvest candlelit feast in the barrel room, creating an experience that transcended the practical work of harvest. As one observer noted: “At Nutbourne, harvest isn’t just about gathering grapes – it’s about gathering together. Peter Gladwin’s speech about harvest’s importance – preparing for the cold winter months – reminded us why these rituals matter.”
At White Castle Vineyard, Robb Merchant emphasized how tradition anchored their celebration: “First to be harvested – continuing a cherished tradition – were Siegerrebe and Rondo, lovingly hand-picked by family, friends, and the vineyard’s dedicated Adopt-a-Vine holders. Within hours, the freshly gathered grapes arrived at Y Gwindy, where the transformation from grape to wine began.”
The favourable conditions brought success stories from every corner of the UK wine-producing regions. Gail Gardner at Ashling Park observed an unexpected benefit: “This year’s lush weather not only brought high sugar levels in our grapes, but also a wonderful increase in visitors to the estate.”
Lucie Rhodes of Radlow Hundred captured the industry-wide sentiment perfectly: “This year at Radlow Hundred, excitement is in the air. An early harvest and promising reports from vineyards suggest an exceptional year for English wine. We are grateful to the hard-working pickers who support our team at this special time in the farming calendar.”
Despite the universal optimism, 2025 wasn’t without its challenges. The extended hot, dry conditions brought drought stress to younger vines at some estates, yet thoughtful vineyard management – from cover cropping to careful irrigation – helped mitigate concerns throughout the season.
As the last grapes were pressed and fermentation tanks began their work across the nation, a sense of collective achievement settled over the UK wine industry. The wines of 2025 will arrive in bottles over the coming years, each one telling the story of this remarkable season. But the memories of this harvest – the golden sunshine, the clean fruit, the shared meals, and the collective joy – are already being savoured across the United Kingdom’s vineyards, a reminder that the best vintages are made not just in perfect weather, but in the coming together of dedicated people united by their passion for the vine.
