Nyetimber begins UK's earliest wine harvest amid record-breaking heat

Nyetimber's vineyard in Amberley, West Sussex, began harvesting grapes on September 14, making it the earliest start in the estate's history and five days before the previous earliest date of September 19, 2018. The advance is attributed to the unusually hot conditions that have also led the Met Office to record the warmest summer since 1884. Around 80 pickers were present for the initial harvest, and head winemaker Cherie Spriggs highlighted past difficulties such as late spring frosts affecting nearly 30% of vines and a summer drought that reduced berry size, while noting that the heat has helped balance these issues. From September 21, roughly 500 pickers will join the effort, with daily collections expected to reach up to 170 tonnes, and the harvest is projected to continue into early October.