The vintage is over, the wines are tucked up safely in tanks and barrels - having completed their fermentation and are now embarking on their journey to becoming a wonderful product for us to enjoy. The floors have been scrubbed and the equipment cleaned; safely stowed away for another year.
Has it been a good or a bad year? Well, in the UK, it’s fair to say it’s been a “challenging year”. Do you remember a summer of long, halcyon sunny days? No, me neither – we had a pretty bleak winter, spring and summer; interspersed with some good ripening days. So, broadly speaking, volume is down – but the quality is solid. We are at the very margins of winemaking in the UK and so are fortunate to have such a dynamic and tenacious industry.
Wine is always at the whim of pressures far beyond the control of the winemaker. And while we’ve faced our own challenges on these shores, so too have our immediate neighbours. The vintage in France this year was one of the lowest in the past century, with major wine-producing regions including the Loire Valley, Burgundy and Bordeaux seeing a significant drop in volumes.
Denne historien er fra November 11, 2024-utgaven av The Independent.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra November 11, 2024-utgaven av The Independent.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Why home advantage has lost its sting in Test series.
“The tour is only a matter of hours old, but the wry thought occurs to me that reputations will almost certainly be destroyed in the next few months.”
North can't compete with south's individual X factor
Ex-Lions captain Sam Warburton has a theory why southern hemisphere teams have dominated the autumn internationals
Aimless Villa stagger to bore draw against Juventus
Aston Villa and Unai Emery have run out of ideas, far too early in the Spaniard’s previously exhilarating revolution.
Reds humble Real and Slot does what Klopp could not
A few weeks ago, it was possible to look at Arne Slot’s seemingly impressive start at Liverpool, adopt a sceptical tone and ask who they had really beaten.
Vauxhall's closure shows No 10 must recharge EV rules
Electric vehicles aren't selling in the volume anticipated and James Moore says government is right to order a swift review
Nationwide banks £2bn in takeover of Virgin Money
Nationwide has gained £2.3bn following its acquisition of Virgin Money, according to the firm’s half-year results.
Red Sea boat survivors were trapped in cabins, says diver
Two Britons who were on the yacht remain unaccounted for
Record snowfall leaves Seoul scrambling to cope
Transport chaos and power cuts hit city as two die on roads
Myanmar junta chief faces crimes against humanity charge for Rohingya deaths
Arrest warrant requested by International Criminal Court
Lebanon ceasefire is part of plan to keep Trump on side
Benjamin Netanyahu knows the incoming president won't be happy if the Gaza war drags on, writes Chris Stevenson, so he is turning his attention to Iran to buy himself some time
