A south Norfolk vineyard has two reasons to raise a glass in celebration after gathering a "phenomenal" grape harvest - and a new sustainable wine accreditation.
Chet Valley Vineyard, in Bergh Apton, near Loddon, has been busy collecting a bumper crop of sun-drenched grapes from its 17,000 vines.
Owner and winemaker John Hemmant said while this summer's drought had forced the loss of some newly-planted vines, his established vines were well-placed to absorb the summer sunshine.
"2022 is going to be a phenomenal vintage for us," he said.
"Because of the sunshine we have good yields, a lot of good sugars, but also good aromatics - you only really get the aromatics when you have a lovely mature grape.
"We've had some nice warm weather which has allowed them to mature and the acidity levels to drop to a good level.
"We did plant some little ones [vines] this year and we have lost some of them on account of the heat. When the vines are very young and just been planted they are pretty vulnerable to water pressure. But once they get started they are fine."
Mr Hemmant also attributed part of the success to a new method of training vines along the wire framework, using four of the plant's branching "canes" this year rather than two, to double the potential number of buds.
"We still lose a percentage of that to frost damage, but that has corrected it back to the 15-20 bunches we are looking for per vine," he said. "That has worked a treat."
The vineyard, established in 2010, produces five sparkling wines and four still wines from grape varieties including Seyval Blanc, Solaris, Chardonnay, Phoenix, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Noir, Regent, and Pinot Meunière.
Mr Hemmant estimates the winery will produce 17-20,000 bottles from this year's crop - up from around 12,000 last year.
And with capacity available for more growth, he said his business model could include producing wine for other Norfolk vineyards in the future.
Chet Valley Vineyard is also celebrating the award of a Sustainable Wines of Great Britain accreditation, after passing an independent audit.
It was assessed on its efforts to improve soil health, manage vineyard canopies, minimise pesticides, reduce its carbon footprint, promote biodiversity and conserve the vineyard and its surrounding environment.
"We did an audit in relation to the ecosystem," said Mr Hemmant. "For example, we have got some woodland, we have got some wide hedges, and we have the headlands and the alleyways [between the vines].
"We don't cut grass in the alleyways until well into July so we maintain the wildflowers. It was only cut once in July and now you can see wildflowers coming back, which is great for the bees.
"When we cut all the canes off the vines we throw them into the centre aisles and flail them, we smash them up into small woodchip and leave them there to improve the soil.
"We do the same with the grass. When we mow the grass it is left laying there. And we are looking at the use of cover crops in between the rows."
Mr Hemmant hopes the new Sustainable Wines label on his bottles will help customers make eco-friendly choices.
"I think if you have got two bottles on a shelf at the same price, and one has a sustainable sticker and one hasn't, I think people are likely to choose the sustainable one," he said.
"This is our whole ethos, and it is about stewardship.
"I don't really like the 'sustainable' thing, I think it is about the stewardship of the land you have got, and leaving it in a better form than it was when you got it. That has to be integral to the whole business."
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