We are delighted with our new website
www.alburyvineyard.com which has just gone live. Developed by Dave Nyss of
d2, it provides more information about the vineyard and an improved user interface. It will also allow customers to purchase the wine
on-line when we release this years vintage next May.
The new site has information on stockists, including local wine merchants and restaurants who have...
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We were up early this morning preparing biodynamic preparation 501 which is a Horn Silica spray. It is most effective if sprayed at sunrise, when the dew is still on the ground, so we met at 5.30am to prepare the mixture and Alex was on the vineyard spraying soon after 6.30am!
Horn Silica is used during the growing season to enhance growth and maturation. It is sprayed on the vine canopy to enhance...
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| Downy Mildew "oilspots" |
Unfortunately we have found evidence of Downy Mildew on the vineyard in Blocks A and C. Initial symptoms are usually seen on the leaves, which show yellow "oilspots" on the leaf surface. It is caused by the fungus
Plasmopara viticola and is potentially a devastating disease as it can spread very rapidly through the vineyard causing the foliage to die as well as infecting the...
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Our new gazebo made its first appearance at the Albury Produce Show on Saturday. We were very pleased with the gazebo but Albury residents were even more impressed with our Silent Pool Rosé.
Most folk had heard that a local wine had been served on the Royal Barge as part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations and were keen to taste it for themselves. Over 170 people tasted the wine and our remaining...
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Shoot Tipping
Shoot tipping is part of canopy management that involves removing the top of the growth tip of a shoot. This temporarily changes the flow direction of nutrients and water and therefore encourages lateral shoot growth, which in turn will provide additional leaf surface which increases photosynthesis during fruit ripening.
This practice would normally be done after fruit set but
Peter...
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St Swithin's Holy Well
We don't have a single day in the next 10 that is forecast to be without rain - in July! This isn't good news on the vineyard as it is the season for flowing and pollination which, to be effective, requires warm dry and sunny days.
Flowering is between one and two weeks behind this year as a result of the poor cooler weather in May and June. Some of the Seyval have flowered...
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Winemaker Ulrich Hoffmann
Last night our Silent Pool Rosé was award a bronze medal at the South East Vineyards Association (SEVA) awards ceremony. This was quite an achievement given that it is our very first wine. Congratulations to Alex, who lovingly nurtured the vines to give us great quality grapes in a difficult year, and Ulrich who turned them into a lovely wine.
There were no gold medals this...
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Much to our delight, our first wine, Silent Pool Rosé 2011, has been selected to be served to the Royal party on board the Royal Barge, Spirit of Chartwell, as it sails down the Thames leading the historic flotilla to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations on Sunday.
Two other English wines will also be served: Nytimber Classic Cuvee 2007 and the Stopham Pinot Blanc 2010.
Silent Pool...
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Silent Pool Rosé 2011
Our first wine, Silent Pool Rosé, is already proving extremely popular. It's not officially for sale yet but local off-licences, restaurants and retail outlets are clamouring to include it on their lists!
Retail outletsThe Guildford Wine Company, Shalford
Taurus Wines, Bramley
The Vineyard, Dorking
Pubs/RestaurantsDrummond Arms, Albury
Kinghams Restaurant, Shere
Percy Arms,...
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Earlier this week we bottled our first wine which we have called Silent Pool Ros
é. It has been made exclusively from hand-picked organic Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes from our own vineyard. We are delighted with our first effort; our winemaker, Ulrich Hoffmann, describes the wine as elegant and crisp with subtle and fresh summer...
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Much appreciated help from Philip, JB, Peter and Gary
We were out on the vineyard last night as temperatures reached as low as -4C. At this time of year frost is our biggest nightmare as it can cause significant damage even before bud burst. Michigan State University have produced a chart showing vine frost tolerance at different temperature levels according to bud development
http://www.ristcanyon...
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Horn Manure (Preparation 500)
Alex thinks I've gone crazy but we've taken the plunge anyway and gone biodynamic!
Biodynamics is sort of
organics plus. Like organics, it excludes the use of artificial chemicals and encourages the use of composts and manures. However it also promotes the holistic interrelationships between the soil, the plants and animals, as well as the more subtle rhythms...
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