Summer Gallery

Summer on the Vineyard

Summer is a beautiful time to visit our Sussex Vineyard. Nestled in the South Downs countryside, the Estate is home to a host of native species and wildflowers which transforms the landscape into a valley of vibrant colour during the summer months. Between June and August, vital maintenance work is carried out on the Vineyard by our crew of local workers to ensure the grapes receive the best chances to grow before harvest.

Why not combine your next visit to our Estate with a drop-in tasting at the Cellar Door and a walk around the self-guided trail? Be sure to give our Vineyard Crew a wave!

Wildflowers

This year we've reduced our tractor miles by allowing natural swards of grass and inter-row wildflower corridors to thrive among the vines. This attracts natural predators instead of using pesticides and helps to control the nitrogen levels in the soil.

'Tucking in'

Our Vineyard Crew spend time ‘tucking in’ the stray canes and tightening the wires to support our vines during this vital growth period.

Flowering

Like all fruits, our vines produce flowers in early summertime.

Leaf Stripping

This is our new leaf stripping machine. After flowering, we remove leaves around the fruit to ensure light and air can get to the fruit. This helps to reduce disease pressure as the air can flow freely around the vines.

Pride of Sussex

The rounded-headed rampion, also known as the ‘Pride of Sussex’ grows almost exclusively on the chalk grasslands of the South Downs.

Bee Swarm

This is a picture of a recent bee swarm found on our Vineyard. They were safely removed and started a new colony by a local beekeeper who maintains some hives on our Estate. This is a good sign for the British bee population!

Veraison

Towards the end of August and into September, fruit set takes place, followed by veraison where the grape berries begin changing colour and begins the ripening process. Red varieties go from red to purple and white varieties transform into a translucent gold.