UK vineyards are getting ready for a vintage year – and a very early harvest – with the warm, sunny weather caused by the heating climate delivering strong flavours in their grapes.
Across the UK the total amount of wine produced is likely to be up on last year. English growers alone added more than 1,000 hectares of vines in 2024, taking the total to 4,841, of which 3,763 was in active production in 2024, according to the industry body Wine GB.
Winemaking in the UK has expanded rapidly in recent years owing to farmers in Europe facing increasingly erratic weather prompted by the climate crisis, including droughts and extreme heat.
The UK industry is also recovering after a dire 2024 in which production shrank to 10.7m bottles, from 21.6m the year before, after “inclement weather and recurrent rainfall” led to more disease, such as downy mildew, according to a recent WineGB report.
Harvest yields are expected to vary depending on the region: growers in the south-west of England, for example, expect an average yield but exceptional flavours; producers in the north-west and Wales are predicting strong yields.
The UK’s biggest wine region, in the south-east of England, is expected to be up on last year but lower than average.
Nyetimber, one of the UK’s biggest producers, which is based in West Sussex, Hampshire and Kent, said production was likely to be down as its vines were still recovering from last summer’s cool, damp conditions, while Gusbourne, which has 60 hectares in Kent, said its harvest would be up on last year but lower than average, partly because of the lack of rain.
Some growers predicted that the weather meant they were more likely to be able to produce large quantities of vintage still wine, which requires riper grapes than sparkling wine.
Sam Lindo, winemaker at Camel Valley, in Cornwall, said: “The recent dry weather has meant excellent ripening which will be great for still wine this year. It isn’t often we can ripen chardonnay and pinot blanc to still wine levels so it’s an exciting year for winemaking.”
Brad, Eric and Cherie at this year’s harvest at Nyetimber, which has 11 vineyards in southern England. Photograph: Nyetimber
Duncan Schwab, at Sandridge Barton, in Devon, expected to harvest in early September, two weeks early, after early flowering and the long, warm and sunny summer.
He said that while the weather had been quite dry, there has been just enough rain to produce a decent crop. “This year the heat has been just perfect.
“It will be nowhere near the bumper year in 2023 but a lot better than 2024,” he said. The grapes had “really good phenolics” – a reference to the compounds that contribute to the taste and colour of wine, with this year’s weather producing a good balance of sugars and acidity.
Jonathan White, at Gusbourne, was also expecting an early harvest and good flavours. “It has been really dry and warm and where we are there has been a really high amount of sunshine hours which is crucial in the ability to ripen grapes and to produce high-quality, world-class wines,” he said. “We are anticipating a good-quality vintage.” Though he added that fingers would have to be crossed for good weather in the final of weeks before harvest.
Gusbourne’s vineyards in Kent. The grower said its harvest would be up on last year but lower than average, partly because of the lack of rain. Photograph: Charlie Clift/Gusbourne
Ian Sargent, chair of WineGB in the Midlands and north, said: “Everyone is looking at harvest potentially being two weeks ahead, and with excellent ripeness. A lot are also predicting an above-average yield.”
Nyetimber, which has 11 vineyards spanning 425 hectares, said a “very warm and sunny spring for the UK, then a hot and dry June, [means] flowering conditions in the south-east of England have been optimal”.
“Although the next few weeks will still prove crucial, the outlook is positive,” it added.
Despite the sunny summer, the company said it expected yields to be slightly down on last year, but even a “modest harvest” of 1.6m to 1.8m bottles of Nyetimber would nearly triple the number produced in 2015 because of the addition of new vineyards.
Cherie Spriggs, head winemaker at Nyetimber, said: “The growing conditions this year have been exceptionally favourable and very reminiscent of 2018, which was a very successful vintage for us. 2025 is definitely looking like it could produce some fantastic vintage wines.
“Of course, all of this comes with the caveat that we hope Mother Nature remains on our side. We have an excellent climate for sparkling wine production, but it can still be unpredictable – so we never get ahead of ourselves too early.”