It has been the warmest summer on record in the UK and winemakers were cautiously optimistic about delivering a top 2025 vintage for sparkling and still wines as harvest approached.
‘Vintage 2025 is looking very promising,’ said Robb Merchant, owner of White Castle Vineyard in Abergavenny, Wales.
‘We are excited by the flavour profiles, especially with the Pinot Noir Precoce and Siegerrebe, with harvest expected to start around 12 September.
‘The rain over the past week has been good, and the later varieties [such as] Cabernet Franc, Regent and Phoenix will benefit from it.’
Cherie Spriggs, head winemaker at leading English sparkling wine producer Nyetimber, said she was quietly optimistic, albeit much depended on the coming weeks.
‘The growing conditions this year have been exceptionally favourable and very reminiscent of 2018, which was a very successful vintage for us,’ said Spriggs in August. ‘Of course, all of this comes with the caveat that we hope Mother Nature remains on our side.’
According to the UK’s Met Office, mean temperature for the three months to 31 August was 16.1℃. That surpasses the previous record, set in 2018, of 15.76℃.
Brad Greatrix, Nyetimber senior winemaker, said the warm growing season means an earlier harvest. ‘That puts time on our side, as it allows us to tailor and optimise the picking timing when the grapes are at their ripest.’
Clem Yates MW, wine consultant and Lyme Bay Winery, said harvest would likely to start on 9 September, around three weeks earlier than last year. ‘We hold strong expectations for the 2025 vintage,’ said Yates.
‘While some early September rainfall poses a potential risk to already ripe berries, current indications point to higher sugar levels and lower acidity across the crop.
‘These conditions are particularly promising for our still wine programmes, where balance and ripeness are key. Throughout the season, we have worked closely with our growers to actively manage crop levels, ensuring the fruit develops to the desired profile for each of our individual wine styles.’
Picking began on 2 September at Woodchester Valley Vineyard in the Cotswolds, the earliest start to harvest so far for the estate, which also referenced the warm 2018 growing season.
Fiona Shiner, Woodchester Valley Vineyard founder, said, ‘I remember the 2018 season well. It was the perfect combination of conditions resulting in a bumper crop of amazing quality. Much like this year, the grass was brown but the vines were a vibrant green and thrived.’
Still, Shiner added of 2025, ‘It’s too early to tell what this long summer and early harvest means for our wines. Our harvest usually lasts from four to six weeks and a lot can happen between now and mid-October.’
In terms of yields, UK wineries will hope to bounce back from rain-hit volumes in the 2024 vintage.
Average yields in the UK were the lowest since 2016, said trade body WineGB, even though increased vineyard plantings meant 2024 was still the fourth largest harvest on record.
At White Castle Vineyard in Wales, Robb Merchant said he expected yields in 2025 to be around four times higher than last year, although roughly in-line with average volumes.
Some young vines planted in 2023 have struggled with the drought during summer 2025, he said, but added, ‘Vines to be harvested this year are looking great.’
