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 -November 2025

By GODSTONE • November 5, 2025
We have arrived at the end of another year in the vineyard and I am delighted to say that the vines have excelled themselves in what was, admittedly, a very good year to be cultivating grapes in England. The disappointment of no harvest in 2024 was a distant memory on Sunday 5th October when, under cloudless blue skies, we picked top quality grapes which will be made into a Sparkling Wine for release in 2028; the grapes had an almost perfect balance of acidity and natural sugar, excellent quality with barely any disease. I would venture to say that 2025 will match 2022, which was the last great vintage in England, time will tell ! I would like to thank those of you who helped with the harvest and also for your efforts throughout the Spring and Summer, it is greatly appreciated and we couldn’t do it without you ! As many of you know by now, our vineyard is planted predominantly with a variety called Seyval Blanc, which - in our opinion - is ideally suited to English conditions. Undoubtedly the doyen of Seyval Blanc was Peter Hall, of Breaky Bottom vineyard near Lewes, and it is with great sadness that we learnt of his passing last month. My brother and I were fortunate to have a private audience with him in 2024 in which he imparted some valuable tricks of his trade ! His obituary (below) gives you a feel for this incredible vigneron who will be much missed. English wine has lost a great character. https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/tribute-peter-hall-1943-2025 Rest In Peace, Peter Hall, 1943-2025 Kind Regards Jonathan

Jonathan’s Vineyard Blog - September 2025

By GODSTONE • September 4, 2025
The four months of the year which end in ‘ber’ are now upon us which means that Michaelmas Day (September 29th) is only three weeks away. Folklore claimed that if a north wind blew on Michaelmas Day the month of October would be sunny and fine although make the most of it because fine weather on Saint Denis’s Day (October 9th) indicates a hard winter ahead! The sayings below are my personal favourites : “Dew in the night, next day will be bright” “Grey mists at dawn, the day will be warm” “Rain before seven, fine before eleven” “Red sky at night, shepherd’s delight, red sky in the morning, shepherd’s warning” In an age where for most of us the first port of call for a weather forecast is an app on our mobiles, these sayings often stand the test of time! At the time of writing we do not have a definite harvest date and we continue to monitor levels of sugar and acidity every other day in the hope of arriving at the perfect day for picking! Last year the starlings treated our grapes as an open buffet so we are praying that we can avoid a repeat. We are now open every Saturday between midday and 4pm and, as always, would love to see you. Kind Regards Jonathan