Vine
Acquisition of England’s oldest vineyard confirmed
9th November 2023
Berry Bros & Rudd and Symington Family Estates have confirmed their acquisition of Hambledon Vineyard, following a successful plc takeover bid.
English wine set for a “breakthrough” in 2023
8th November 2023
Balfour Winery, one of England’s largest producers, believes that 2023 could represent a seismic shift for the industry, after a record-breaking harvest which could create new opportunities for English wine; both in this country and abroad.
Exceptional harvest at Albury sees volunteers crushing some grapes by hand
8th November 2023
The 2023 grape harvest is complete and the team at Albury Organic Vineyard in Surrey is celebrating a huge crop.
Earthworm power used to advance English vineyard sustainability journey
3rd November 2023
East Yorkshire vineyard Laurel Vines has been able to decrease the amount of ag-chems applied to vines using a natural product made by earthworms.
Data project “a new chapter in wine production”
31st October 2023
A new project is aiming to create an open standard for digital maps of commercial vineyards in the UK and around the world.
Green wine, anyone?
27th October 2023
A new collaboration between the Royal Agricultural University (RAU) and the University of Worcester is looking at how grape growers might be able to make green wine – in terms of its environmental impact, that is.
Late season threat to grape harvest
26th October 2023
2023 brought a dull July with low light levels, high rainfall and low temperatures, so this year’s grape harvest will almost certainly be a low-sugar and late one. This will increase the risk of fungal diseases such as downy mildew and grey mould, which can be difficult to manage. Two of Hutchinsons’ senior agronomists, viticulture lead Chris Cooper and horticultural agronomist Rob Saunders, review the options open to growers to manage these challenging pathogens.
Optimise your wine operations with robust software systems
26th October 2023
Wineries, on a day-to-day basis, are focused on their core purpose for being in business: making an exceptional bottle of wine. To this end, they have all the best systems needed already in place. They have an excellent approach to vineyard management, a sound selection process for raw materials and modern production management systems for producing that good bottle of wine. However, what happens once the wine is made and bottled?
The dos and don’ts of health and safety in the winery
26th October 2023
Within wineries there are numerous health and safety hazards that require careful management to protect staff and minimise the risk of injury. Following the recent tragic death of Italian winemaker Marco Bettolini, who was overcome by toxic fumes while attempting to rescue a colleague, Fruit & Vine spoke to Defined Wine CEO Henry Sugden who offered some advice.
Suffolk vineyard owner shares top tips for starting a wedding venue
16th October 2023
Ian Evans, co-owner of Copdock Hall Vineyard in Ipswich, spoke at the recent Autumn Farming Conference to share the highs and lows of running a boutique vineyard and wedding venue.
Vineyards are “the fastest-growing edible agriculture crop sector” in England
12th October 2023
Vineyards have been confirmed as being in the top two of the fastest-growing agricultural crop sectors in England, according to recent statistics reported within Defra’s Agricultural and Horticultural Survey.
Reduce copper levels in wine grapes with silicon
4th October 2023
Trials on UK grapevines have shown that applying silicon as a foliar spray can help reduce excessive accumulation of copper, which can affect the sensory qualities of wine.