Earliest ever harvest for Denbies

By Jo Gilbert

Published: 08 September, 2017

This week we reported that an earlier than expected harvest arrived in the Loire at the end of August.

Now similar reports have come from our very own back yard with Denbies Wine Estate reporting the earliest harvest in 31-year history.

The Surrey estate began picking on Wednesday, September 6, with approximately three tons of the early ripening varietal Solaris.

This year’s early start was a particularly unexpected outcome representatives said, considering the late frost which hit vineyards in April – and also the fact that early harvests at Denbies typically commence during the third week of September.

“We have never started harvesting this early, and even for an early ripener such as Solaris, the volume, sugar content and quality is quite outstanding,’ said Christopher White, Denbies CEO.

“Early concerns at the beginning of the season have proven to be unfounded. Although volumes will be slightly lower than those of the last few years, early indications suggest that the quality will be very good.”

Following the late frost, White decided to plant 30,000 vines - a combination of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay - on a particularly frost-resistant south-facing area of the estate, in order to safeguard future vintages.

Denbies will resume picking on Monday with Rondo, used in their Chalk Ridge Rosé, and another early ripening grape.

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