Harvest 2020
Reaping the rewards
Each year, the good old British weather brings us different conditions to work with, meaning two harvests are rarely alike. In 2020, we had one of the sunniest Springs on record, some frost in May and a warm August and September. This led us to start our harvest at the end of September, the earliest date we’ve ever experienced at Exton Park.
Our Vineyard Director, Fred, says, “The timing for me was excellent – the earlier the start to harvest, the better. It allows less chance for the weather to change and for the fruit quality to be impacted.”
One of the key differences in 2020’s harvest was a lower quantity of fruit from our vineyard. However, the quality of juice was excellent.
Fred continues, “Unfortunately, the heatwave we experienced in the Spring stopped before the end of June, just when the Pinot Noir and Meunier were going through flowering. This greatly reduced the bunch weights for the two red varieties. The Chardonnay wasn’t impacted so much by this, but the total tonnage was significantly reduced.”
September brought some good conditions, and despite some colder nights, the grapes matured well.
Our Director and Head Winemaker, Corinne Seely, was particularly impressed by the fruit. “Whilst the grapes were small, the quality across the board was outstanding. This was one of the best quality harvests we’ve seen at Exton Park.”
The grapes were ripe and easy to pick, and the sugar content and level of acidity were beautifully balanced.
Corinne explains, “The juices were intensely fruity, the Rosé was particularly perfumed. The freshness, vivacity and power of the juices will add great value to our library of reserve wines.”
Whilst we may not be able to rely on the weather in Blighty, we can rely on our unique approach to winemaking. Our Reserve Blend is sourced from an archive of wines dating back to 2011 which are carefully curated and blended with just a touch of the latest harvest. This means we can create each wine with absolute precision, guaranteeing consistency in taste and quality year-after-year.
