22 December 2023 , 18:40
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This year will be remembered as “near perfect” for British wine, with what is expected to be our largest ever grape harvest.
Industry body WineGB believes that an estimated 20-22 million bottles will be produced from the bumper yield. Leading viticultural consultant Stephen Skelton called it “a vintage to remember” and said climate change was helping British wine. When he planted his first vineyard in 1976, he says he did not record a day above 30C for the first five years. Now he has stopped counting them as there are so many.
Mr Skelton added: “Increased heat has made natural alcohols higher, grapes riper, enabled us to change to more consumer friendly varieties, plus higher yield.”
The 2023 grape harvest is thought to be 50% greater than Britain’s previous record year in 2018. WineGB said that this year’s minimal spring frost, warm flowering weather in June and warm spells in September and October made for a “near perfect year”, despite the wet and dull July and August.
Pinot Noir grapes are a variety that has performed 'exceptionally well' (PA)The highest yields came in drier, warmer regions including the south east, Wiltshire, Dorset, Hampshire and East Anglia. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier performed “exceptionally well”.
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There are now 943 vineyards, accounting for 3,928 hectares, in the country, with the most northerly commercial one in Ryedale, North Yorkshire. Kent, the largest producing area, has 1,033ha under vine – 26% of the country’s total. Chardonnay is the most widely planted variety, accounting for 31% of total plantings, followed by Pinot Noir (29%), Pinot Meunier (9%), Bacchus (8%) and Seyval (3%).