Higher Plot Heritage.
The perils and pleasures of making English wine direct from a producer
As we come towards the end of our time growing grapes and making wine, I thought it could be interesting to share some of the things that we have learnt from farming. With a bit of luck it might help somebody just starting out on their journey. Looking at posts on this platform about English Wine it occurs to me that there are many people offering a “deep dive” into subjects that they have no practical experience of. Have they ever driven a tractor with a 300 ltr sprayer on the back? Spent a week winter pruning vines? Had to make decisions that potentially might mean a lost crop and bankruptcy?
Where to begin?
20 years ago as we followed the big removal truck down our road in the burbs to start our life back in the West Country, one of our neighbours shouted “livin the dream” by way of goodbye . Life was going to be one extended daytime TV property show. The sun would always be shining, lambs would be frolicking in the fields and horny handed sons of toil would be leaning on gates and chewing straw ready for a chat and a glass of cider. Of course, this has absolutely no resemblance to how we were feeling - we were completely arse clenchingly terrified. We’d barely managed the weeding in a small garden let alone a 9 acre farm. BTW, this does have a happy ending. What sort of practical things would our 2007 selves have wanted to know before we started our big adventure?
Do you like being outside? A lot. On a small farm like ours you can generally time your tasks to suit the weather but once in a while you will use that well worn phrase - there’s no such thing as the wrong weather just the wrong clothes. I have to say that I am now addicted to the outdoor life and get restless if stuck inside for too long. Whatever the season my soul needs my daily hit of air and light.
Build a five year plan with steps built in for the major milestones on the way. Rename it eight year plan.
You will soon find out that you are not alone. The English and Welsh wine business is still amazingly co-operative. We have made exceptional friendships with many strong and capable people. Talk to as many other vineyard owners as you can. There are precious few souls in this world as daft as you in having a vineyard and they will help you and provide a shoulder to cry on as someday, you’ll be doing the same for them.
If you want to make good let alone great wine, the most important single decision you will ever take will be location. The fact that a vineyard looks pretty from your dining room is not a good reason to plant there. Nor is proximity to a pub and good schools, neither will cheer you up ( well the pub might) if you are three years down the track and still no signs of a grape. Ideally you could buy somewhere with a proven record of growing great grapes.
Get a vineyard Dog. Make sure he or she is a good listener.
Do we regret giving over twenty years of our lives to get our wine off the ground? Not for a single second. It has been incredibly satisfying and we are changed people as a result.