Jonathan’s Vineyard Blog - December

Jonathan • December 16, 2021

Terroir!
Terroir is a French expression which means “a sense of place”, therefore when someone tells you a wine displays terroir they mean that the wine they are drinking tastes the way a wine grown and made in the region where it was grown and made should taste.

We like to think that Godstone wines have their own terroir - what you taste is a reflection of our upper greensand loamy soil, our steep south facing slope on which the vines are grown, and the typical English cool climate.


I was mulling over the nature of our terroir whilst planting 200 new hedging plants and trees last week ! Whatever anyone tells you this is not a romantic job - on the day of planting it was cold and wet to the point that I became so drenched as to require two changes of clothing during the day. 


Hedge planting is not cheap either - the cost of the new plants, rabbit guards, and supporting wooden posts came in at £1,300. Any economic benefit is unlikely to be seen within a decade. 


So why stand out in pouring rain, planting hedges, for no obvious financial benefit ? I do it because every handful of soil, every tree, every vine, means something to me. It is a personal love affair with the environment. It is about loving our landscapes, improving and preserving them, and leaving a legacy for future generations to enjoy.


I love Godstone Vineyards. I love the texture and smell of the soil ; I love the views across the Weald of Surrey and Kent ; I love our resident pheasant population ; I love sitting amongst the vines on a beautiful Summer day enjoying a glass of our Sparkling Wine; I love planting new trees and hedges which will still be there in a hundred years time. I love the part which I am playing in creating “terroir”.


Wishing you all a very happy Christmas and a healthy, prosperous New Year.



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