Full Breakdown
Nyetimber Begins Earliest Harvest Amid Record-Breaking Summer
By Drooid · · How we work
Record-Breaking Summer Triggers Early Picking
Provisional figures from the Met Office show the United Kingdom endured its warmest summer since temperature records began in 1884. The unusually hot, dry conditions have accelerated grape ripening at Nyetimber, prompting the English sparkling-wine producer to start harvesting earlier than ever before.
Harvest Timeline and Scale
- September 14 – Picking begins at Nyetimber’s West Chiltington and Amberley vineyards, five days earlier than the previous earliest start of September 19, 2018.
- September 21 – Around 500 pickers will move across the company’s 11 vineyards in Kent, West Sussex and Hampshire, aiming to collect up to 170 tonnes of grapes per day.
- The harvest is expected to continue until early October.
Initial work on September 14 involved about 80 pickers at the Amberley site. Nyetimber estimates the season could yield 1.5 million bottles of sparkling wine.
Verbatim Quotes
- “There will be challenges because of the heat and even a relatively small amount of rain means the fruit can be susceptible to damage and spoilage.” — Brad Greatrix
Impact and Outlook
The accelerated schedule reflects how climate extremes are reshaping viticulture in the UK. While the early harvest poses risks of berry splitting and spoilage, Nyetimber’s careful hand-picking and triage aim to preserve quality. The projected 1.5 million-bottle output could position the 2024 vintage as a benchmark for English sparkling wine, even as growers monitor weather through the remainder of the season.