The vineyard is ever changing and so there’s never a quiet time at Biddenden – just a different set of jobs to work through and get ticked off the list! Out in the vineyard, the vines have been dormant over the winter months and this is when we undertake all of our pruning. This is done entirely by hand and takes some skill to be able to select what to cut back and where the best growth will be to produce quality fruit for the coming year.
Pruning is now very nearly complete and we have seen the first of the sap rising with the warm weather – a sure indication that spring is just around the corner!
Meanwhile, it’s also been busy in the winery. Our 2020 vintages which have been in tank since pressing in September & October last year, have all now been bottled. The winemaking process takes place entirely on site here at Biddenden by myself, Dad & my brother, Will. We always say that winemaking begins in the vineyard, and so by the time the juice is in tank we already have a good idea around the wines that we will be making. That said, only time tells how they develop and we constantly monitor, test and taste the wines until they are absolutely perfect and ready to be bottled.
Our first 2020 wine, Biddenden Schönburger, was bottled last November, with the rest of the vintage bottled earlier this month. We’re extremely pleased with the quality of all the wines, something that was a key focus during harvest.
We have some limited releases in the pipeline, the first of which is Biddenden Gamay Noir 2020, which we will be releasing exclusively to our mailing list subscribers on Saturday 13th March 2021. This wine is only produced as a still red wine on exceptional years, with this being only the 4th time in our 50 year history, and we anticipate that it will sell quickly. Make sure you have signed up for our newsletters to receive the special link to order prior to its official release.
The majority of our 2020 vintage will now be laid down to develop further in bottle, with release dates likely to be in 2022. In the meantime, our full range of white, red, rosé & sparkling wines are available to order for nationwide delivery. We are approaching the end of some vintages currently available, including Ortega 2017, Demi-Sec 2018 and Gribble Bridge Sparkling White 2014, so if you’ve enjoyed these wines there’s still a little time to stock up, but be quick – once they’re gone, they’re gone.
With the latest announcements surrounding lifting of restrictions, we’re looking forward to having the chance to enjoy a glass or two of Biddenden in the spring sunshine. Behind the scenes we are working hard on a plan to re-open and reintroduce tours & tastings, and we will of course be sharing more updates soon.
– Tom
