Jonathan’s Vineyard Blog 16th February 2022

Jonathan • February 17, 2022

We are blessed to have a vineyard which is situated within superb walking country, nestling as it does in a fold under the North Downs Way and within the Surrey Hills AONB.



A considerable number of our visitors pop in at the weekends for a ‘refresher’ (glass of Sparkling Wine !) and a pleasant break whilst on their walk. We are always delighted to welcome walkers. The North Downs Way has, in recent years, become an inspirational walk whereby one is following the actual footsteps of our forefathers who walked the Pilgrim’s Way - the historical route purportedly taken by pilgrims from Winchester to the shrine of Thomas Becket at Canterbury, a prehistoric route which follows the natural causeway east to west on the southern slopes of the North Downs.


Another walk - shorter - which is proving extremely popular is the Woldingham Circular Walk, which begins and ends at Woldingham Station. This is an absolutely delightful way to spend a day and our vineyard is at roughly the halfway point - there are some shortcuts available and if you want any tips please feel free to contact me !  I walked a section in early February and my glass of Godstone Sparkling Wine which I imbibed prior to setting off most certainly put a spring in my step.


I attach a few links to these walks :

https://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/en_GB/trails/north-downs-way/

https://britishpilgrimage.org/portfolio/pilgrims-way-to-canterbury/

https://www.surreyhills.org/discover-route/woldingham-walk/


In the meantime I need to crack on with the vine pruning, which is now well underway, finish planting more hedges, and a myriad of other vital Winter jobs !

I wish you all a most enjoyable month.


Kind Regards


Jonathan

jcdeeley@godstonevineyards.com

Jonathan’s Vineyard Blog - May 2025

By GODSTONE • May 29, 2025
27th May 2025 My interest in weather forecasts borders on obsessiveness, and 2025 has thus far been fascinating. The ten year average rainfall at Godstone for the period 1st January - 31st May inclusive is 200mm; this year the accumulated total is 90mm. It has been a very dry Spring as can be seen by the deep, wide cracks in the soil throughout the vineyard. Spring 2025 has also been the sunniest since records began 115 years ago. The warm dry weather has continued throughout May due to a persistent area of high pressure known as a “blocking high” reinforced by an amplified jet stream which has trapped high pressure in place and led to the prolonged dry spells. On balance, unlike farmers who are trying to grow cereals and/or grass, a vineyard benefits from a Spring such as 2025. An established vine is able to withstand drought far better than most crops thanks to their deep root systems which allow them to access moisture that is not easily available to shallow-rooted plants. A newly planted vine would need watering in a Spring such as 2025 but most of our vines are almost 40 years old and have no moisture issues. We would love to see you in June and will be open on two Saturdays: BOOK A VISIT TO OUR VINEYARD FOR SAT 7th JUNE https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1343877988239?aff=oddtdtcreator BOOK A VISIT TO OUR VINEYARD FOR SAT 21st JUNE https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1250419581629?aff=oddtdtcreator Kind Regards Jonathan

Jonathan’s Vineyard Blog - April 2025

By GODSTONE • April 4, 2025
April is a wonderful month when nature bursts into life after the dormancy of winter; one of my personal highlights is the sight and aroma of wild garlic in the woodlands on the approach to our vineyard. This bulbous perennial, with its distinctive and pungent garlicky smell, is common and widespread across the UK, most widely in deciduous woodland and on chalky soils. Wild Garlic is not to be confused with ‘Lily of the Valley’, especially since the latter is poisonous. Wild Garlic is an ancient woodland-indicator plant and its presence is a sign that you are in a rare and special habitat; it flowers early in Spring and is therefore an important early bloom for the bees and other insects which pollinate them. The bulbs are also a source of food for wild boars, not that I have ever encountered one in East Surrey! Wild Garlic was traditionally used in medicine - its bulb being a key ingredient in tonics for rheumatic problems and high cholesterol. It is nowadays a popular foraged ingredient (my brother makes an excellent wild garlic pesto!) - its leaves can be eaten raw in salads, blanched and used in place of spinach, or made into an interesting soup. April and May are the perfect months to view Wild Garlic and we will be open on one Saturday each month; you can also undertake our ‘Champagne Challenge’ where we see if you can taste the difference between Champagne and a glass of Godstone’s finest ! We’d love to see you. Book for Saturday 12th April https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/springtime-means-wine-time-at-godstone-vineyards-tickets-1128653175029?aff=oddtdtcreator Book for Saturday 17th May https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/a-summer-of-wine-at-godstone-vineyards-tickets-1250415659899?aff=oddtdtcreator Kind Regards to you all Jonathan