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Our second vineyard harvest came early this year
Our second-ever vineyard harvest arrived earlier than last year due to the hot summer, but thanks to everyone involved the grapes were expertly picked and sent on their way to the winery.
Newsells Park Winery has completed its second vineyard harvest, marking another important milestone for the estate’s growing winemaking venture.
The harvest began on Monday 14 September, with the Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes picked first as they needed to be harvested promptly after tests to see if they were ready indicated they were ready a lot earlier than last year. Harvesting of the Chardonnay grapes followed on the Thursday that week, with Wine Club members joining the team to help. After a morning of picking in rain and sunshine, everyone enjoyed some well deserved glasses of the Newsells Park English sparkling wine along with local cheeses and a charcuterie board set within the vineyard itself.
While the season presented some challenges, the vines demonstrated remarkable drought tolerance throughout this year’s dry and hot summer. However, frosts in May and powdery mildew particularly affected the Chardonnay, reducing volumes compared with the first harvest, but the Pinot Meunier performed particularly well, providing an encouraging result for the young vineyard.
Once carefully picked, the grapes were taken to the winery, where they were gently pressed before being transferred into tanks. The first fermentation is now underway, beginning the process of transforming the freshly harvested grapes into the base wine that will eventually become Newsells Park sparkling wine.
Planted in 2022 across 30 acres of south-facing chalk, Newsells Park’s 41,000 vines comprise Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. The first sparkling wines made from estate-grown grapes are expected from 2028/29, with quality remaining the priority as the vineyard continues to mature.
In the meantime, Newsells Park continues to produce wines using carefully selected English-grown grapes, crafted with precision and named after some of the Stud’s most celebrated horses, including Nathaniel, Shastye and Shambolic.
Newsells Park wines are available exclusively through the Wine Club or through investment in the Stud’s bloodstock syndicates. Wine Club members also enjoy a programme of wine events, alongside race days and stud visits.
