The most bountiful harvest to date!
Our 2023 harvest has now successfully come to an end, and what an incredible harvest it was, blessed with refreshing, crisp mornings leading into clear, sun-drenched skies – the perfect picking conditions. Our exceptional team has done a tremendous job, working tirelessly around the clock to hand-pick a record amount of estate-grown fruit from our beautiful Sussex vineyards.
We are thrilled to say the fruit this year exhibiting expectational qualities, and we cannot wait to see what our 2023 vintages have in store. Our Chardonnay grapes have particularly stood out, displaying beautiful ripeness and wonderful aromatics, igniting our imagination with the possibility of an extra special, limited-edition parcel on the cards.
The 2023 Growing Season
Jake Wicks, our Head of Viticulture, sums up the 2023 growing as near perfect. A warm and dry spring eliminated frost risks, encouraging an even and impressive budburst at the beginning of May. The warm weather in June accelerated shoot growth significantly, and the final 10 days showcased marvellous flowering. July brought cooler and wetter conditions, yet grape development remained steady. The Indian summer provided the perfect ripening weather, and we were able to pick a healthy, ripe and bountiful crop.
Welcoming Special Visitors
This year, we had the pleasure of hosting a number of visitors during harvest, who got to experience the buzz and excitement of harvest firsthand, from our esteemed Roebuck Viticulture Academy members to our valued restaurant partners, Solstice, and House of Tides, who travelled all the way down from Newcastle. We also launched our first-ever harvest experience, welcoming guests to immerse themselves in the magic of harvest, learning techniques from our knowledgeable Head of Viticulture, Jake Wicks, how to hand-pick perfectly ripe grapes to ensure the utmost quality.
With the busiest weeks now behind us, calm has settled over the vineyard. The leaves are beginning to turn golden, misty mornings are rolling in, and the crisp autumnal chill is in the air. The vines have done their job for another season and earned their well-deserved rest. Meanwhile, our viticulture team are busy, using this quieter period before pruning begins to focus on sustainability, from thinning woodland areas to putting up bird boxes and creating natural insect habitats.
