Kent
Simpsons Wine Estate, Kent – Ruth Simpson, co-founder: “We are expecting a much larger grape harvest this year, which we are delighted about given that we lost 60% of our crop to frost in 2017, although it has meant that we have had to rent a second grape press and bring forward the purchase of four 10,000 litre tanks to process this additional fruit. In 2017 we picked 3 tonnes per hectare and in 2018 we are now anticipating 5 or 6 times that, so as much as 17 tonnes per hectare from the three-year-old Roman Road Vineyard”.
Hush Heath, Kent – Richard Balfour-Lynn, owner
“This is a record harvest and we’ve seen volumes and quality unlike any year since our first harvest in 2004. Some of our red grapes for making still wines are coming in at 94 Oechsle which produces an English red wine at 13% alcohol; it’s quite extraordinary and compares with a great Burgundy. The volumes are much needed after last year’s air frost which decimated the vines. I think it reflects the extreme weather patterns experienced around the world possibly as result of global warming. There is no doubt that all the wineries in Kent have benefitted enormously from the weather and all are producing record harvests”.
Gusbourne, Kent, Charlie Holland, winemaker:
#Harvest2018 officially over @gusbourne. Best harvest team I have ever worked with – enthusiasm, commitment, good humour and a lot of work in a very short space of time pic.twitter.com/45nITraQDt
— Charlie Holland (@CharlieH_wine) October 6, 2018
Biddenden, Kent:
Out picking Dornfelder today & absolutely no filters needed for these autumn colours!
Beautiful bunches of grapes and beautiful weather to be out picking in…can’t ask for much more than that!#winegardenofengland #heartofthegarden #autumn #grapepicking pic.twitter.com/Pma0FvVknx
— Biddenden Vineyards (@BiddendenVine) October 9, 2018
Domaine Evremond, Kent – Patrick McGrath MW, managing director of Hatch Mansfield and joint partner in the project: “We are thrilled that our vines have produced their first grapes after just one and a half years in Kentish soils.
“As the vines are still very young, this has been what I like to call a mini harvest. We are expecting the first full harvest to take place in 2019, Mother Nature permitting, but we are very pleased with the results so far and are very much looking forward to seeing how things develop over the years. It is exciting times”.
