Jonathan’s Vineyard Blog June 2024

June 18, 2024

17th June 2024

In spite of the cool, wet Spring and early Summer – which is far from ideal for vines – we have some wonderful news to impart: firstly, our Sparkling Rose from the 2021 harvest has been awarded a silver medal by the IEWA; secondly, we will be holding an ‘Open Day’ on Saturday 10th August.

Our Sparkling Rose from the 2021 harvest is 95% Seyval Blanc, 4% Pinot Noir, and 1% Acolon. It has achieved an alcohol content of 11.5% with titratable acidity of 8.5 grams/litre, creating a perfect balance of crisp acidity which is a prerequisite of English Sparkling Wine. We have 900 bottles of this award-winning wine so as with all our wines it is a very limited edition.

Open Day – Saturday 10th August 10am-4pm

We are delighted to reopen - in a limited way - after a very challenging period dealing with the technicalities of probate – finally there is light at the end of the tunnel. Join us on Saturday 10th August for the launch of our award-winning sparkling and still wines – the opportunity to taste and buy our new release wines at farmgate prices.

Bring along friends and family, walk the vineyard, chat with the owners, relax in our garden or under our terrace, enjoy alfresco local meats and cheeses. Free entry – numbers limited and subject to availability – to avoid disappointment please register your interest as soon as possible by sending me an email to: jcdeeley@godstonevineyards.com

We hope to see you in August – meanwhile fingers crossed that we get some Summer weather !

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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