‘Once in a lifetime’ crop for English wine

English winemakers are rhapsodising about the predicted quality of the 2014 vintage, with one producer describing it as a “once in a lifetime crop”.

Denbies in Surrey

Speaking to the Financial Times, Christopher White, manager of Denbies wine estate in Surrey said: “This is a once in a lifetime crop. I’ve yet to encounter such good conditions in 38 years.

“We finished with a dessert wine and left the fruit out for it as long as we dared. Conditions were so good that we took the risk. The fruit looks shrivelled and grey but when the juice comes out, it’s like nectar, like honey.”

The final grapes were harvested at the estate almost a month later than usual.

At 107 hectares, Denbies is the largest single vineyard estate in England accounting for 10% of the country’s total wine production.

A mild spring, warm summer and balmy autumn have led other producers to hail the success of 2014, with Bob Lindo of Camel Valley in Cornwall describing it as “the vintage of dreams.”

England now has 135 wineries and 1,884 hectares under vine, with wine production last year rising to 4.45m bottles.