UK Chardonnay harvest pix

[jackal10]

Cambridge is about the northern limit for Chardonnay, but this year has been particularly hot and dry although yields are a bit down.

This place gets more like California all the time..

We picked a small vinyard near here today

Ripe grapes

Plastic stacking boxes don't crush the grapes as much as dustbins

View along a row, picker at work. We picked in pairs. one each side of the row

View down the vinyard

Grapes stacked in the trailer waiting to be transported to the winery. These will make about 500 bottles of fizz.

These grapes will be vinified by the award winning Ridgeview Estate, and be ready to drink in about 3 years time. Apparently you get about 1 bottle per kilo of grapes, and that is about the yield of each mature vine. Quite of the grapes were lost to birds.

Bubbly is a good use for these northern grapes as they have comparatively high acid levels and lower sugar. English bubbly is winning prizes in blind tastings against Champagne.