The UK has "almost certainly" had its hottest summer on record, according to provisional statistics from the Met Office released this week. This will not come as a surprise to Three Choirs Vineyards' winemaker Martin Fowke who is overseeing the start of the harvest this week – picking has started earlier this year than he has ever experienced in over 35 years of winemaking.
Work started on 26th August to bring in the first batch of grapes, Siegerrebe. This year the fully ripe grapes, with high sugars and low acids, will make some very interesting wine. The vineyard grows several different varieties which ripen at different times. A team of 16 will handpick two to three acres a day on average throughout the harvest.
According to Martin, “The weather this season is well documented, with high temperatures and levels of sunlight that we have not seen before. The...
