Wishing for warm and fruitful August days
August is here and we are looking forward to long, warm days that will encourage our grapes to grow and ripen.
The start of July was cooler than June, and we had some very welcome rainfall. As a result, our vines have had a bit of a growth spurt. We have been taking up the wires that the vines grow along and tucking the vines in. We are stripping excess leaves from the vines too. We want to focus growth into the grapes and not the shoots and we need to allow for airflow in the canopy. You may have seen vineyards in warmer, dryer and hotter climates with an abundance of foliage to protect their grapes from the sun. But without air flowing through the canopy, our damp and sometimes humid climate means that we are at risk of diseases such as mildew, which could impact an entire year’s crop. The sun needs to reach the grapes to help them to ripen, but we can’t strip all the leaves as they need a little protection too. It is a delicate balancing act!
Later on in the month we should see the start of veraison, where the vines put energy into ripening and sweetening the grapes, which start to change colour. This happens with both the red and the white grapes but is more obvious in the red as they turn from green to purple.
Once veraison starts we also put nets up over the vines to stop the birds from stealing our delicious ripening grapes. We have found bird nests in the vines before, but these are usually empty by the time we bring down the nets. We also check for any insect life that may be damaging the vines. From the start of veraison, it can be anywhere between 30 to 70 days until the grapes are ready to harvest.
Harvest helpers wanted
Harvest at Poulton Hill can occur anytime from mid-September until late October, depending on the weather and climate in any given year. We love harvest time and are looking for volunteers to share the experience with us.
Harvest days start at around 9am, with a cup of tea or coffee, a biscuit and maybe a small glass of last year’s wine to toast the start of what we hope is another bumper year. Harvest lunch, with wine, is provided for all our workers and volunteers, as are snacks and tea and coffee throughout the day.
We give all the training that is needed and provide clippers. We recommend wearing a pair of gloves as the clippers are sharp and the grape juice is sticky. You do not have to spend the entire harvest with us, but you can pop in for a morning, or afternoon or for a few hours when you have time.
If you are interested in helping out with harvest, please drop us a line at info@poultonhillestate.co.uk. We can’t give you a date when harvest will start yet, but you will be informed nearer the time.
