A 'not so good year' for running a vineyard

A total of 80 volunteers are set to help pick tonnes of grapes at a Surrey Vineyard.

Albury Organic Vineyard, set in the Surrey Hills near Guildford, says the poor summer and recent wet weather has meant its crop has been affected.

A total of 7.5 tonnes of grapes is expected to be picked on Sunday, with more in the following weeks.

Owner Nick Wenham said he was expecting a "smaller harvest" this year due to the poor weather conditions.

He said: "We had a good start to the year as there wasn't much frost, which can be devastating to a vineyard.

"But the rain has brought on disease during the course of the summer and there hasn't been enough sun to ripen the grapes."

He added: "This year had been one of those not-so-good years."

He said in an average year they would harvest about 20 tonnes of grapes from the main vineyard, but in 2023 they brought in 28 tonnes.

Over the course of this year's harvest the are expecting 15 tonnes of grapes.

Albury Vineyard has about 20 acres of vines which produce up to 35,000 bottles of wine every year.

It is around double the size of the average vineyard in the UK, according Mr Wenham.

He set his business up in 2009 after retiring from the IT industry

He said: "Running a vineyard is a passion. You wouldn't do it unless it was.

"I'm following my dream."

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