As the autumn vine leaves start to turn it gives the vineyard a chance to glance back at summer 2024.
The dullest summer for fourteen years, constant rain and disease pressure along with the high winds may have easily put a dampener on matters. Although it was far from easy Summer 24 will be a memorable one and hard to beat! This was the summer that…….
We released our first ever wine from the vines. First Crush went on to sell out within months and picked awards and smiles on the way! The presssure under that first wine was was immense but we couldn’t have been happier. Phew!
This summer saw our Third birthday party for the vines. We celebrate it every first May bank holiday and we’re delighted to have Tash and co singing away and a local hog roast to munch away while sitting next to the vines! It’s a fun relaxed day and gives us a chance to say thank you to the vines!
As the summer progressed we launched Foodie Saturdays and invited local food vans into the vineyard so guests could stay and have a delicious meal whilst visiting. We definitely hope to repeat this next summer as it added a fun for guests and Zoe!
Our Friyay tours ran from May to September and are among the very favourite things we do in the vineyard! It’s a real treat to show guests why English wines are getting so good and what The Rutland Vineyard is up to! Looking forward to next year already!
In July we marked something we wouldn’t see until 2026 at the earliest. Due to the lovely summer of 2023 and favourable conditions since planting we welcomed our very own red wine from the vines. We are absolutely loving seeing people’s reaction to a flavoursome English red wine and I think we will sell out around Christmas time! It’s a delight to reap the rewards since planting in 2021!
As the summer rolled on towards the end on we held our annual charity sunflower day. After a washout Saturday, Sunday thankfully was full of sunshine and guests. A record amount was raised for Tom’s Trust which we incredibly grateful for. Thank you.
Finally we await the final harvest day for 2024. Despite the high disease pressures we are chuffed with how the vines have handled it. A combination of bio stimulants boosters and fungicides have helped keep them clean and we’re already looking forward to tasting them in 2025!
So farewell summer 2024. The record books may show you as damp and dark but it will always be the summer that help establish The Rutland Vineyard. Award winning wines, booked out tours, record charity funds, smiles from visitors, food vans welcomed in, and support from the community. We couldn’t have done any of this without your support, so on behalf of Zoe, Tim, Jenni and Lizzie thank you, and hopefully see you soon!
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