11. England & Wales Flashcards
When did sparkling wine production become prevalent in England and Wales?
Plantings specifically for sparkling were planted in the 1980s, and after positive reviews, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier now account for 70% of all plantings in England & Wales
What are the typical characteristics of a sparkling from England/Wales?
High acid
Medium alc
Light-med body
Apple/lemon/autolytic
Distinctive notes - very high acid and just ripe fruit character.
Very good to outstanding quality and premium to super premium prices
Why is the geographic location well suited for TM sparkling wine?
Very northerly latitude - all above 50 degrees - mean the daylight hours are long and the nights are very cool.
Where are the majority of England and Wales pantings?
Southern England (85%)
What is the climate like in the main growing region in England and Wales?
Cool maritime climate.
Average growing season temperature of 14 (up from 13 in the middle of last century).
What do the cool growing temperatures mean for wine growing in these regions?
Slow ripening, slow sugar accumulation, acid preservation and medium intensity fruit characters.
What have been the positive outcomes of climate change in England and Wales?
What have been the negative outcomes?
Pos - Fruit has been able to be ripened in more years than was possible which has raised quality.
Neg - More extreme weather events like excessive rain. And risk of spring frost increasing due to early budding varieties being planted with warmer springs bringing budding forward even more
What is the biggest threat to yields?
How are must this threat be managed?
Prolonged rain, particularly in the growing season affecting flowering and fruit set. Eg 2012.
Timely sprays, and balancing the financial risk of poorer yields on certain years.
What factors needs to be considered for site selection? (4)
- South facing slopes for max sun exposure
- Shelter from wind and rain
- Good drainage in the wet climate (natural or built)
- Altitude below 125m (where it’s warmer)
What is the soil profile like in the region?
Varied - lots of clay in Kent, some chalk in Sussex and Hampshire. Chalk good for quality, but tends to be in less sheltered, risky areas. Clay tricky for water logging, and can be overly fertile
What is vine density like here?
Medium - 4000-5000 vines per hectare
What training and trellising options are used?
What techniques are utilised to combat the cool climate?
Typically Guyot (single or double) with VSP. Low training to retain heat, thin canopy to maximise sunlight and reduce disease pressure
What is the maximum yield?
What are average grape yields?
What knock on effect does this have?
80hL/ha
Varied - overall 24hL/ha, but the best vineyards can double this.
Unreliable/low yields have resulted in premium/super-premium pricing
What varieties are used apart from the Champagne varieties?
A few German crossings and hybrids that were the grapes originally planted in the regions before the 1980s
Vintage or Non-vintage?
Predominantly vintage. Which is interesting given the high variability of yields each year - producers are so young they are only now being able to build up enough reserve wines for this to be viable.
