English vineyards face a wet decade ahead

England's vineyards need to prepare for a very wet decade, as moulds, mildew and flooding become more widespread.

According to a new report by the World Weather Attrition group, Britain will increasingly see monsoon-like rains over the next decade, as well as more frequent hail storms and even “mini tornadoes”.

Flooding is expected to become a major issue in some vineyards, while moulds and mildew pressure will create problems for others.

James Davis MW, general manager of Bolney Wine Estate in Sussex told Drinks Business “At Bolney we are aware of significant and increased rainfall, and are adapting to it” he said “We have been proud early adopters of grapes such as Rondo and Dornfelder, which have disease resistance and can more ably withstand weather conditions such as extreme rainfall. Such grapes also have a lower CO2 footprint compared to grapes like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.”

According to Drinks Business, some climate experts believe that reforesting hillsides will be needed to soak up the rain, while others would rather add drainage to ensure dryer soils.