Harvest 2005 Report

Initial thoughts were that we would get a low yield this year and memories of the summer were of the wet weeks in July, so our expectations at the start of September were not too high. The extended dry weather into October yet again saved the day and allowed us to leave the grapes as log as possible to ensure perfect ripeness.

 Some mildew in our Faber and a little in the Ortega reduced the crop slightly as we picked only the clean grapes. On the first day of picking we realised that our pre-harvest crop estimates were inaccurate this year and the actual yield was 30% more than we had been expecting, giving a yield that is a good average level for our vineyard.

 Sugar levels were good and certainly above the average of the last 10 years. This is the third year in a row that the Horsmonden dry white wine has been made without the use of chaptalisation (addition of sugar to the juice), achieving a natural potential alcohol of 11.3%. Flavours are good and as I write most of the fermentations have completed and the wines are fresh and with good clean fruit flavours.

 The Auxerrois at Limney had suffered slightly from the spring frost. We just managed to harvest the Pinot Noir and Auxerrois for the sparkling wine before the weather broke and the rain started. This year we picked on a weekend for the first time ever in our hurry to finish before the wet weather arrived. The sparkling base wines are particularly good and I have high hopes for the 2005 Limney Estate wine.

 Yet again we have no red wine to produce this year. Our young vineyard had a small crop, but the few grapes that were there were devastated by the local pheasant population. Next year we should get a full crop and the vines will be fully protected against all predators.

 Some raw data:

Picking started 20th September and ended 25th October

Highest sugar level was 90 oeschle (Ortega picked 29th September)

Yield averaged 1.29 tonnes per acre and we should produce nearly 7000 bottles of dry white wine from the 2005 harvest.

 Will Davenport,  09 November 2005