Nyetimber 2019 Harvest Report

October 7, 2019

After a superb summer of weather the 2019 English vineyards are set for what could be another record breaking English wine harvest. We contacted the English sparkling wine producer Nyetimber to find out how the preparations for harvest are going. The below is the official report from Nyetimber.

Nyetimber 2019 Harvest Report

Grapes will be picked from 214 hectares of estate-owned vineyards in West Sussex, Hampshire and, for the first time, Kent. Nyetimber is the largest English sparkling producer and the only producer to own vineyards across three counties of southern England.

Following the earliest recorded start to harvest in 2018, this year sees a return to more traditional timing of early October and heralds the start of three weeks intense activity at the Nyetimber estate. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes will be hand-picked across 8 of Nyetimber’s vineyards by 300 skilled workers, representing the largest hectarage of any English sparkling wine producer.

Commenting on the beginning of the 2019 harvest, Nyetimber Head Winemaker Cherie Spriggs states; “The 2019 harvest seems to be shaping up to be a more typical year than 2018, with the start of picking returning to early October. It is too early to say much about the fruit chemistry or flavours, but we are particularly excited to get the first, albeit small, experience of fruit from 6 hectares of our Kent vineyards, which will give us an insight into the characteristics we can expect from this site.

The growing conditions this year started with touches of spring frost, although we were largely unaffected, and a moderately warm, if at times wet, summer – all ‘typical’ factors in the UK which have previously resulted in great wines from years like 2009. Excellent work by our team in the vineyards has ensured optimal vine and fruit health, with all signs looking positive for both quality and quantity across West Sussex, Hampshire and Kent for the 214 hectares we will be harvesting from – the largest hectarage of any English sparkling wine producer currently.”