Pruning in the main vineyard

Well we’ve been pruning now for just over a week. Best practice is only to do so in dry weather, so that the rain doesn’t wash disease spores from the bark into the cut tissues. It may take us around 3 months, followed by the tying down of the canes. We are trialling a wound spray this year, as there is a lot of concern now about good hygiene practices. See more in our latest YouTube video.

A good start in life?

First birthdays, second birthdays, in fact any anniversary is a reason to chill down a nice bottle of Brut Zero. Then why not enjoy having fun with the bottle as shown here, before of course, recycling it.

We have just disgorged the last batch of our 2008 fizz, which has therefore had nearly 24 months ageing on the lees. So we are well stocked up and ready for Christmas.

Rondo going into the Press

If you were ever in any doubt about whether jam traps work, then just take a look at these. Having deployed our jars last month, baited with Lidl’s budget jam, they are doing a great job of keeping most of the wasps off our Rondo. Unlike last year, certain jars are filling up faster than others and hence need emptying every other day. We guess this is all to do with flight paths from the nests. Richard measured the Oeschle of the Rondo grapes today and although the berries are much smaller than last year, he’s very pleased with the resulting higher levels of sugar. We might even be harvesting quite soon as it’s rising fast.

Just rolling out the extra defences against the wildlife as our early harvest variety Rondo begin to ripen. The wasps are ahead of last year and so the jam traps were rushed into service yesterday after one stung me! Richard launched the helikite this morning to deter the birds and is now busy erecting ankle height electric wires to keep the badgers out.

Gribbleford White

Gribbleford White, our first medium dry wine is now on sale. It has notes of pineapple and kiwi fruit leading to a citrus finish with a clean, light aromatic nose. Under the new European categorisation scheme this has been awarded English Regional Wine status. Either visit the vineyard or go to our online shop to try some today.

http://www.bigbarn.co.uk/marketplace/vendors/eastcottvineyard

We have also been busy bottling the first of last year’s new sparkling bases, ready for the second fermentation in bottle and lengthy maturation ‘sur lees’.  Also on film at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0NcW5V0rvQ

Mel Stride, MP Central Devon shares a glass

Mel Stride, MP for Central Devon came to visit the vineyard today, to taste our award winning range of English still and sparkling wines. As a new business in his constituency and the only commercial vineyard and winery within West Devon, he was keen to see what we have been up to over the last five years. He was also very interested in the issues that face our industry and offered to table a parliamentary question on our behalf.

He tasted all the wines, before purchasing some to take home and share with his wife after conducting a surgery session in Okehampton.