Read our latest news, which we try to update regularly:

2010:

1st January:  All wine and cider has finished fermenting and has been racked into tanks to settle.

February: Winter pruning starts. Only 1500 vines to go.

April: Pruning has been completed in good time.

May: Bottling completed.

July: The vines have bounced back following the May frost and are now on schedule with a big crop in the making.

August: Summer thinning in progress and some welcome rain

CIDER :

If the wine crop is down one can generally rely upon the apple crop to be up. With demand for our cider outstripping supply we have planted further apple trees in the only available space left. The varieties which have been planted in November are:

Kingston Black - the classic Somerset variety known for it's excellent quality cider

Tremlett's bitter - a cider variety from Devon which adds flavour

Sunset - a Cox's orange pippin seedling from Kent adds crispness, if we dont eat them.

Lord Derby - a culinary variety from Lancashire grown for acidity

We have bottled both a Dry and a Medium Roundhead Cider this year which is selling very well.

Regional Wine Competition

In August 2009 we had some success in the Mercian Vineyards Association annual competition gaining a Silver Award for our Steeplechase 2006, Bronze for Tickled Pink 2006 and Naseby Red and Highly Commended for Farndon Dale.

2009 Harvest

The combination of good weather during flower set, a wet summer and a warm and very long dry autumn have produced the best crop since 2006. Picking started on the 2nd October and continued throughout the month. 1000 litres of white juice was pressed and 250 litres of red and rose. Our winery building has been rebuilt and extended just in time for the harvest.

U.K. Vineyards Association national competition 2010

Our Steeplechase sparkling was awarded a Bronze medal.

Open Evening Friday 6th August

The vineyard was open in aid of Marston Trussell Church and Village Hall and over £650 raised.

Leicestershire Food Fortnight/British Food Fortnight 18th September to 2nd October

We expect to be open for tastings at the weekends. Further details near the date.