2022 HARVEST REPORT
noW THAT THE 2022 WINES ARE RESTING IN THEIR TANKS AND BARRELS, WE TAKE TIME TO REFLECT ON THE YEAR IN THE VINEYARD…
First up, the view from the vineyard from our Assistant Vineyard Manager Travis Salisbury; ‘As the globe tilted during the spring equinox, the days lengthened in the northern hemisphere, temperatures began to increase and the darkness and cold fell away into the memories of winter 2021-22. We had a wet, mild winter in South East England. Pruning took place in chilly January and February, and by spring the canes were tied down and the vines were ready for the 2022 growing season. Scroll through the images on the right – as you can see, pruning takes place when the days are short and it can be extremely cold and hard work. But it is a vital stage in the annual care cycle of the vines.
Budburst…
Early April saw the first signs of vines breaking out of dormancy with the weeping of sap from the tips of the pruned canes of the vine. This natural phenomenon occurs with diffusion pressure increasing as the vine’s roots begin to absorb water from the soil. By the 11th of April we saw the first signs of buds beginning to swell as the vine settled into its rhythmic dance for the year, first shoot tips were observed in the vineyards. Budbreak arrived with 50% of buds showing green shoot tips. By late April/early May, as temperatures increased, active transpiration between vines and atmosphere started to sync with increased availability of water allowing sap to move up and down through the vines (waking the vine up). The nights were still cold but no frost was recorded in any of our vineyards. Shoots that come from these delicate buds provide the foundation for photosynthesis to occur and store much needed energy in the development stage. Early frosts can reduce the grape crop by 50% and delay the harvest but luckily at Wiston Estate temperatures stayed above zero with little shoot/bud damage during this vital period.
New plantings…
The beginning of May was full of excitement not only with vine growth but our new vineyard North Farm Valley Vineyard – which you can see up above Chalk Express – was planted with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Of course it will be some years before this vineyard is ready to be harvested, but it is a culmination of a lot of planning and work so great to see it materialise and take root!
The rain that had fallen over winter and spring allowed sufficient water in the soils to accumulate so that during planting and the days after, the acclimatisation of these young vines to their new home was without stress.
Flowering…
Vine development continued through May in the established vineyards with inflorescence (first signs of flower development) and rapid growth. Warm and sunny weather continued through May displaying the first signs of the crop. The sun continued to shine in West Sussex with little rain fall and persistent wind lowered humidity, decreasing potential disease development in the vineyards. Crown thinning/shoot thinning took place to improve the balance between increased vigour and light within the canopy. June continued with vineyard jobs such as mowing and weeding to remove under-vine competition for water from weeds and July brought one of the most exciting times in the vineyard year, flowering, which was in full force by the 4th. There was some concern with high winds which can influence flower fertility, but luckily temperatures during this period were above average and dry which maintained conducive conditions for pollination and fertilization of flowers. Overall high temperatures and sunlight ensured an even fruit set for all sites and flowering was completed in just two weeks.
Grape development…
The grapes continued to gain sugar content and grow as the temperatures stayed warm and clear skies improved photosynthesis pushing growth of the vines. Trimming continued with the added essential task of leaf stripping and the removal of older, less photosynthetic leaves helping to further benefit the grapes and slow the vigour of the vine. Mid-August brought headlines of low water levels, hosepipe bans and drought – the hottest continuous days on record were not good news for the new vineyard planted in May. Young vines, with shallow root structure, can suffer through water evaporation of the topsoil from excessive heat during drought. The Vineyard Team saved the day by implementing an irrigation program for these infant vines. Mature vines in Findon Park Vineyard (our oldest vineyard planted in 2006) barely noticed any water stress with roots deep and established enough in the chalk bedrock to leach out sufficient water to keep them functioning. Younger vineyards (3-4 years’ growth) showed some signs of raisining on clusters, this kept the bunches loose and actually helped improve disease pressure throughout the clusters.
Veraison & harvest…
September saw the first signs of veraison (the immature grapes change colour and soften), with white grapes showing softening with a change of luminous green to lighter gold-green, while red grapes were enhanced by an overload in anthocyanins transforming berries from green to red. Grapes began to reach their full size with sugars beginning to increase while the acids decreased to desirable levels for the palate and of course, most importantly, our winemaker. Grape sampling was done weekly to gain insight into cluster weights and development of these acids and sugars. Harvest kicked off on the 6th October 2022 and was earlier than expected compared to Wiston Estate’s average harvest day of the 10th October. The harvest lasted just over a week as the team, aided by our picking army of volunteers and professionals, hurried to get the grapes in to the winery before the rainy weather in the forecast materialized. Glorious sun, vibrant chatter and meticulous canopy management throughout the summer, ensured easy, fast picking of the fruit on all sites. The 2022 growing season and harvest at Wiston Estate will go down in the history books as one of the warmest and ripest putting smiles on all the faces of the winemaking team.’
in the winery…
The view from the winery from Winemaker Marcus Rayner. ‘Firstly I’d like to thank all of the volunteers (both within the estate teams and the public), and professional pickers, who helped bring in the fruit this year. It’s so special to share this time of year with you. You can be assured that you all helped bring in some fantastic fruit for us to work with in the winery. Findon Park Vineyard has produced some really ripe Pinot Noir this year, allowing us to make a second run of The Twenty Six Pinot Noir (our still red wine). There will be another still wine ready for spring next year, but you’ll have to stay glued to our newsletter for more news on that! In the winery, we have been managing the primary ferments, filling barrels, pressing reds and cleaning our presses. The winery is filled with the sounds airlocks bubbling away gently and the smell changes from that of juice, to wine. Megan and I couldn’t have asked for better quality for our first year at the helm. As we tasted the juice trickling from the coquard press, we were filled with joy, knowing that the pallet from which to paint with will be bountiful. 2022 was a very different harvest experience. Chardonnay arriving before the Pinots, which I’ve not seen before. The distinct lack of rain too was very welcome, from fruit quality point of view, and both the team and the grapes staying dry!’
