Have you ever dreamed about owning your own vineyard? Are you tempted by thoughts of retirement to France or Italy, and spending your days tending vines, before relaxing in the evening with a glass of your own wine? It may seem like a pipe dream, but as average temperatures are increasing, more land is being given over to growing grapes right here in the UK.
British vineyards
There are now more than 700 vineyards in the UK, producing over five million bottles of wine a year. Even British sparkling wine is on the up, with sales increasing rapidly in recent years.
Although most of the wine grapes grown in the UK are in the South, there are vineyards as far North as Yorkshire. The Royal Horticultural Society says grapes will ripen properly in any southern garden but may need to be raised indoors further north. Wherever you are, you should know that the biggest challenge to British winemaking is, of course, the weather. With conditions changing so much year to year, it can be hard to get the consistency of flavor that really makes a vineyard’s name.
If you do choose to turn some or all of your land to grapes, you will need to decide which varieties to grow. Personal taste is perhaps your best guide, and looking at what British wines are available and ordering a bottle or two to try!
If your thinking of growing just a few grapes, to begin with, and do need a slightly bigger garden or property then you could always try an Estate agents Gloucester company.
Vineyards for sale
Of course, a handkerchief-sized lawn turned vineyard isn’t going to produce wine in great quantity. If you’re going to make wine on a commercial scale, then you will need to invest in a home with a large amount of space that you could use to grow the grapes and produce the wine. If you’re truly serious, then companies can handle properties which are, or could be, planted for many grapes, and prices for these start from thousands to millions. If that’s too much for you, then take heart – The Grange in Hampshire has a mini-vineyard in a corner of their garden, and they produce just a few cases per year, harvested by hand, purely for their own enjoyment. It may not be strolling through the Tuscan hills, but it does sound rather tempting, doesn’t it?
