Saffron Grange vineyard thanks volunteers for harvest

According to the vineyard, the remarkable quality of the grapes is due to the record-breaking long, dry and hot summer. 

More than 200 volunteers joined the Saffron Grange team over two weeks, picking each bunch of grapes across the 30-acre site.

The volunteers were each shown how to gently pick grapes by hand, and were rewarded with freshly-prepared food and drinks on site.

Volunteer Carol Hurrel said: "It is a totally delightful experience from the start to the end of the day.

"We feel very lucky to have been in Saffron Walden one day and heard about the vineyard.

"I've always wanted to pick in France but don't feel the need now - Saffron Grange is idyllic and the whole staff could not be friendlier. Not forgetting it's the best English sparkling wine."

The 2022 harvest also marked a step forward in the vineyard's efforts to bring its wine production in-house.

Last year, the vineyard invested in a new winery and pneumatic press, which gently presses the grapes in whole bunches - enabling the vineyard to produce more fruit onsite.

Nick Edwards, director at Saffron Grange, said: "What a year 2022 has been! After such dry, sunny weather throughout the growing season from flowering all the way through to harvest, our vines have thrived.

"Thankfully the chalk foundation of our soils here at Saffron Grange helped to counter the drought conditions caused by the record-breaking heat in July, by providing some much-needed reserves of rainwater.

"This hot weather resulted in us finishing our harvest nearly a month earlier than last year! We really have been blown away by the quality of the grapes this year.

"The only issue we faced was competing with the birds and other animals over who was going to get to the grapes first – but we don’t mind giving them a few!

"A massive thank you as always goes to the army of volunteers who kindly gave up their time to help bring in this year’s fantastic grapes."