Gloucestershire vineyard harvests its first Chardonnay grape

Three Choirs Vineyard is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year

A vineyard has harvested its first Chardonnay grape after planting the vines due to warmer temperatures.

The first grapes in Three Choirs Vineyard in Newent, Gloucestershire were planted 50 years ago, and since then climate change has influenced many decisions.

They previously grew over 20 varieties which has now been refined to about 12.

Directors at the vineyard said they would continue to adapt their wines along with warmer climates.

"This has certainly been a rollercoaster year - a wet May, followed by a scorching June," said Martin Fowke, wine making director at Three Choirs vineyard.

"The attraction of English wine is the fact that we're a cooler climate, and we're producing nice delicate fruit that make nice delicate wines.

"Therefore we're not celebrating the fact that temperatures are going up enormously.

"Some of the varieties we planted in the earlier years are really no longer suitable. Things change, things move on, and we'll have to move with that."

Mr Fowke said many people presume climate change is a positive thing for English wine-makers as they can grow different varieties, but warmer temperatures can cause issues with harvesting, disease and insects.

"I'm very nervous to suggest it will be a good thing going forwards. I think we've reached a level that we don't want to see much more change.

"Our harvest now is probably two weeks earlier than it was 30 years ago," Mr Fowke added.

The vineyard will be taking out earlier varieties that are now ripening too early and replacing them with more disease resistant varieties, like Bacchus, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

They first began planting Chardonnay vines three years ago during a trial period, which proved successful.

The vineyard has harvested its first Chardonnay grape

As this year's harvest started, Three Choirs also installed 50 new tanks in its winery. 

This has increased the amount of Bacchus they produced, as well as giving the opportunity to make Chardonnay in volume for the first time.

Mr Fowke said this change would minimise waste as they had a "huge sustainability drive".

To tackle climate change at the vineyard they are also promoting hedgerow growth in and around the vines, minimising traffic, and reducing electricity and water usage.

The vineyard is celebrating its 50 year anniversary this year after being formed by Mr Fowke's father in law, Tom Day and local wine retailer, Alan McKechnie.

Mr McKechnie planted just half an acre on the south-facing Gloucestershire slopes in 1973 to see how the vines would grow.

The Three Choirs vineyard now has 75 acres (303K sq/m) of vines, growing grape varieties such as Pinot Noir, Bacchus, Siegerrebe, Seyval Blanc and Phoenix.

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