Hard to believe but by end of 5^th October we are all picked, the grapes pressed and the juice sitting in barrel fermenting spontaneously in this lovely warm weather.

Down to Offbeat for the tasting trial before bottling the 2024 vintage. We get to taste each oak barrel and decide on the blends. Thankfully we kept back some chardonnay from 2023 which will make a big difference. Daniel declares that he will make some lovely wine.

We have had nigh ideal flowering in June with perfect conditions of warmth and a gentle breeze.

I decided to declare war on the deer population this season, having seen a huge increase in activity and damage over the years.  Last year was the last straw when they came in and grazed on the vines’ young shoots. No one is seriously culling deer on the estate that surrounds us: they just take the trophy specimens.

I normally down lay my bloggers pen during the hibernating months, ie Nov – Jan, and the end of 2024 and the start of 2025 was no different.  A new season now beckons, yippie, and the vineyard is on the point of bursting into life. The keyboard clicks away merrily.

Flying the flag at two Christmas Fairs at two prep schools and one at Ramsbury Brewery.  One father approached the stand and said that with 4 children in private school he could not afford to buy our wine so instead bought two champagne stoppers for £10!

I can report that we finally picked our Chardonnay on 13 November – a record for the latest harvest.

Things are not going to plan. The ripening of the grapes is way behind where we should be for this time of year and the forecast is not, decidedly, for a warm month ahead. The WineGB online forum pings with emails from wine producers sharing titbits without revealing their underlying anxiety, some trying to buy grapes at the last minute, others even trying to sell excess.

We had 100 guests to the vineyard tasting room (our barn) for the launch of Christopher’s book about the creation and nurture of the vineyard here at Winding Wood. We built a impromptu stage out of grape picking crates and adorned with a burgundy oak barrel akin to the ones we use to ferment our wine.

We actually managed to eat alfresco during August on several occasions with friends who live in Mallorca.  They love England in August as Mallorca is blooming hot and full of tourists.