Woodchurch harvest report 2019 01, Nov 2019

The 2019 growing season began towards the end of April with buds bursting across Woodchurch vineyard. The buds burst around the same time the previous year (2018), however due to different weather conditions in May flowering actually started 12 days later in 2019. The weather conditions in June during flowering were very good and the fruit-set and berry development progressed well. In the critical months of July and August we had some warm and sunny weather to ripen the berries. Although during September it cooled down and the weather got increasing rainy into October. Our crop resisted disease and we carefully hand-picked the fruit meaning the fruit quality was perfect.

We picked just over 30 tonnes of fruit from 3 hectares. This was 30% down from the previous bumper harvest (2018). However this is partly attributed to crown thinning (this is removing shoots from the head of the vine). Now that the vines are nearly 10 years old we have to be careful to avoid over-crowding and over cropping which can in turn lead to fruit not reaching required levels of ripeness.

We were very happy with the fruit quality, we are always very careful to ensure the grapes that make it into our wine are both perfectly clean, ripe and delicious!

Still wines

This year we will be producing a still white wine from our 3 year old Bacchus vines. This will be the first still Bacchus produced and it should be released Summer 2020.

We have also produced a still Rosé made from our Pinot Noir burgundy clones 828 and 943. Due to be released in Spring 2020.

We picked all the grapes over 9 days, with the help of over 100 people, many of whom were volunteers. We’re so grateful for everyone’s hard work and support, it is such an exciting time of the year and it is great to share it with friends, family and all the contract pickers! Join the newsletter if you want to join us for the 2020 harvest.