Viticulture
Grown on sustainable, regenerative principles, no herbicides or insecticides. Sward allowed to grow up to seed every year then mulched in. Highly biodiverse environment has regenerated over 30years, which helps to keep a goodinsect balance and avoid any pests becoming abundant. 1 year vine canes mulched in after winter pruning, older wood dried and used to heat the farmhouse. Some fungicides applied as preventives early in the year, well below permitted levels, using integrated pest management principles to keep them to the minimum. Only farmyard manure, hay mulch and chipped hedge-trimmings from the estate are used as fertiliser. The vines are hand tended and picked, with minimal soil compaction.
Growing Season
2020 was the first pandemic year. Budburst was early after a dry, warm winter and sunny spring. Slight damage in the lower Kernling block from a frost on 12 May that wiped out our lower-lying Madeleine Angevine lower block. The crop was moderate after a cool season in 2019, which led to only medium-sized bunches and often only one per cane. Although the summer was not spectacularly good, the early start and sunny April and May led to our earliest ever flowering, starting on 12 June. This with the medium yield made it an early ripening year. The crop was ripe and in perfect condition after more-than-usually thorough deleafing by lockdown-escaping volunteers.
Harvest:
18 October 2020, was cloudy but warm and dry. The Picked by large group of volunteers, socially distanced occasion but still a convivial day. Harvest sugars at 83 oechsle, acid 11g/l.
Vinification:
Winemaker: Steve Brooksbank, Bagborough winery, Bagborough Lane, Pylle, Shepton Mallet, Somerset BA4 6SX. WSB No 70464. Crushing/pressing 19 Oct 2020.
Wine must chaptalised a little to raise alcohol to 11.5% from the natural alcohol of 10.9%, and deacidified to 6.5 g/l, vinified in stainless steel tanks. Fermented out to full dryness with no further intervention in stainless steel.
Filtered and bottled 21 Apr 2021: autumn leaf, 410g 75cl Burgundy bottles sealed with top quality traditional cork. Label FSC certified "Tintoretto" paper, printed by Lotus Labels of Eastbourne. 1894 bottles made. Winery record no. 30/20.