Best vintage for a decade in Devon

yearlstone
Authored by yearlstone
Posted Friday, September 26, 2014 - 12:34pm

2013 was pretty good. But 2014 is set to be the vintage of the decade for Devon's growing band of winemakers.
" 2013 was a bumper crop, but a disappointing autumn led to pretty average ripeness on many late varieties - like the Pinots and Seyval Blanc " says Yearlstone Vineyard's Roger White.
" This year everything has gone right from start to finish. "
Yearlstone has already picked the early ripening muscat variety Siegerrebe and the aromotic Madeleine Angevine. " Both were at very high levels of ripeness, but with good acidity too, " says Roger. " There are some very special flavours thanks to the high levels of warmth and sunshine this summer, -intensely muscat tropical fruit on the Siegerrebe especially."
Yearlstone expects to be processing around 30 tons of fruit this year - producing around 25-30,000 bottles. Output of its highly successful sparkling wine Vintage Brut ( pink and white ) is taking an increasingly large share of the total, following a national distribution deal with independent wine merchant of the year CWM.
But thanks to the great summer, Yearlstone will have it's full range of four dry white wines, rose, red and two sparklings back on sale next spring.
Yearlstone has begun exporting through its online shop - with sales to France, Germany and Italy in the last year.
Next harvest is Monday September 29 for the red variety Rondo and the sparkling variety Reichensteiner. Last picks will be of the Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Seyval Blanc either the 4/5 October or the week after.

roger@yearlstone.co.uk

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