A new, Northamptonshire winery will accept its first grapes during this year’s harvest, and the owners have also invested in a fleet of modern vineyard machinery which will be available for use by other growers through a new contracting service. David Williams reports.

Tim Stockwell, who farms 80ha of soft fruit in Fife, has invested in labour-saving tools to help the farm cope, not only with the cost of labour, but also lack of availability since Brexit – which he says has particularly limited the number of seasonal workers with managerial skills. Deputy editor Sarah Kidby spoke to Tim to find out more about the farm’s fruit growing enterprise.

Ahead of the general election, WineGB has launched its Manifesto for Growth, which identifies main areas that require support from the new government.    

Ridgeview Wine Estate is launching a new still rosé to celebrate English Wine Week, which starts today. 

The NextGen Fruit Group recently returned from their bi-annual international conference, an ambitious trip taking 53 members to California to tour a range of crops and businesses to gain a greater understanding of worldwide horticultural production.

A West Sussex-based The Summer Berry Company has been recognised for its raspberry and strawberry varieties at the Superior Taste Award. 

Vino Zero has just launched in response to the increasing popularity of non-alcohol wines. 

There are less than 200 ‘Babydoll’ sheep in the UK but their miniature size makes them ideal mowers for orchards and vineyards as they are too small to reach the fruit.

With most codling moth traps in place and the season poised to begin this month, an Agrovista expert advises growers to build control strategies around a mix of different products and actives.  

Twelve local vineyards are joining forces with Wealden District Council to unveil the new Explore Wealden Wine Trail. 

The beneficial effects of using biostimulants on crops has been known for many years. Hortifeeds agronomist, Mike Wainwright, explains more about their effects on plant growth, development and subsequent shelf life.

With the award season in the wine industry now officially open, Langham Wine Estate has shared news of winning two golds and two silvers in the Sommelier Wine Awards (SWA) 2024.