A memorable Harvest

This year's harvest will be one many will remember—perhaps because for some it was their first, but for us, it was the first year we've had such a small harvest. While challenging, it's a shared experience with many vineyards across the country and in Europe.
In 2023, we had six bountiful harvests. This year, we were able to have two harvests, each unique and special in its own way. We're grateful to all who participated and to those who showed interest—your enthusiasm for our vineyard is truly heartwarming.

The smaller harvest this year is primarily due to the unpredictable weather conditions. Strong frosts in April and May affected many UK vineyards, including ours. The summer brought its own challenges with heavy rain and heatwaves, slowing grape growth. Despite these setbacks, our grapes showed promise in late August. However, September's unusual weather affected the quantity and ripening time, making it difficult to schedule harvest dates in advance.

Our first harvest day was blessed with lovely sunshine, albeit with cold temperatures. We picked Pinot Meunier, some Bacchus, and Pinot Noir. The second day brought misty rain, but our volunteers' enthusiasm and positivity shone through. Unfortunately, we couldn't have a third harvest for Chardonnay due to rain damage.

The harvest is really a period we all look forward to every year, as it is a time of hard work, celebration, and reunion with you—family and wine enthusiasts—to meet, chat, and drink wine produced the past year, which some of you have taken part in harvesting. It's all part of this journey of wine production in the Bedfordshire region. We've never seen this many people interested in taking part in the harvest of Hungerhill Vineyard before, and this really warms our hearts. We are really hoping next year's weather will be kinder to us so we can finally offer the opportunity for you to join us and truly experience the harvest like in the past years and have an important production.

While we didn't match last year's quantities, we're optimistic about the quality. Many grapes showed a nice balance of acidity and sugar, promising interesting wines. We're now entering the exciting fermentation process and look forward to sharing updates on the winemaking progress.

We're grateful for the lessons this challenging year has taught us and are looking forward to next year with hope and enthusiasm. Your continued support and interest in our vineyard make all the difference.

A massive thank you to our incredible volunteers: Chris, Elaine, Janet, Jez, Charlotte, Georgie, David, Evelyn, Steve, Tara, Emily, Dan, Catherine, Richard, Marion, Becky, Hugh, Claire, Andrew, Andy, Amanda, Emma, Carole, Vernon, Jeremy, Emily, Matt, Simon, David, Claire, Chris, Georgia, Josh, Sarah, and Tich. Your dedication and spirit are what make our vineyard community so special.