Ploughing
March 2010
After application of fertilisers, the blocks were ploughed – still very wet so ploughing could only be done by going downhill!
Screening & Drainage Trench
March 2010
Poulton Hill occupies quite an exposed position so 800 Italian alder were planted to form windreaks around the blocks. To assist with drainage a ditch was dug along the southern edge of the vineyard area which was also mole-ploughed to help draining into the ditch.
Preparing the ground
February 2010
The blocks were sprayed with weedkiller prior to ploughing. We used a quad bike as the soil is heavy clay and was too waterlogged for heavy machinery.
Marking out
Through the winter the vineyard area was marked out with pegs into blocks for the different grape varieties.
The Go-Ahead
Summer 2009
After a site evaluation by Simon Day of Vine & Wine, Max Thomas gave the go-ahead to plant a 7-acre vineyard on a gentle south-south-east facing slope at Poulton Hill Farm near Cirencester in Gloucestershire.