HERBIE JOINS THE TEAM
August 2010
Herbert Hall has welcomed a new member of the vineyard team, a Border Terrier named Herbie. Born in April this year, Herbie has already begun to show a keen interest in helping to deter rabbits.
A VISIT BY THE MARDEN SOCIETY
June 2010
We are delighted to be welcoming Members of the Marden Society for a visit on June 22. The visit will include a tour of the vineyard and winery where we shall explain the principles of how traditional method sparkling wine is made.
HERBERT HALL 2009 - BOTTLED AND CELLARED
May 2010
Our first vintage is now bottled and has undergone its secondary fermentation. Tests show that fermentation was 100% successful and so we have every chance of producing a sparkling wine that at the very least meets out expectations. Now the wine is cellared and will undergo its long slow maturation process. We expect it to be ready for release in 2012.
BUD-RUBBING 2010
May 2010
Marden villagers showed true grit by turning out for the 2010 bud-rubbing and party. We could not have chosen a wetter or colder day. Despite the miserable conditions most of the work was done. Rather than the planned picnic in the vineyard everyone huddled into the winery and small tent for food and drinks before going home to warm up. A big thank you to everyone who came to help.
THE SUN SHINES ON MARDEN'S FIRST VENDAGE
September 2009
A golden September sun warmed the backs of our ten fruit pickers who carefully worked their way through the Marden Vineyard to bring in the first harvest. They began early in the morning on Friday September 25th and completed the task by midday on Saturday.
The Fruit was expertly picked and with such gentle handling arrived in superb condition at the winery. Sugar and acidity levels were perfectly set for the production of Traditional Method Sparkling Wine. It is believed that this may be the earliest that the classic Champagne varieties - Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier - have ever been picked in England. Usually these varieties are harvested in mid to late October. Sometimes even into November. The long warm summer of 2009 and the sunny, south-facing organic vineyard site have combined to ripen our grapes perfectly.
Around three tonnes were picked and the first pressing of Chardonnay was completed that first Friday night. Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier were pressed on Saturday. Pressings were slow and gentle and yield was limited to 1350 litres of juice to maintain quality. This will translate into approximately 1,500 bottles of Sparkling Wine. Next year we would expect yield to increase five-fold. After pressing the juice was chilled and settled for 24 hours when it was innoculated with Champagne yeast. 205 litres of the Chardonnay was barrel fermented while the remaining juice was fermented in stainless steel tanks.
Fermentation took around 10 days to complete. The Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier wine in stainless steel was racked off the lees and left to mature. Meanwhile the Chardonnay will remain in barrel and the lees will be stirred regularly. This process will help to develop a roundness in the wine which we hope will being greater complexity and richness to the finished blend. We are using 205 litre Champagne barrels. It is believed that this is the first time that genuine Champagne barrels have been used in an English winery. More often 225 litre barriques are used – made either from American, Hungarian or French oak. We have chosen two-year old Champagne barrels to avoid the excessive oakiness that can occur when using new ones.
In June, when the weather is warm again, the base wines that we have made will be blended, stabilised and filtered. We shall then add a mixture of yeast, wine and sugar. The resulting blend will be bottled so that the extended secondary fermentation in bottle can begin. Then begins the long wait – possibly as long as 18 months – until the wine is ready for degorging. Thanks to everybody who made first Herbert Hall vendage a memorable and successful occasion.
EARLIEST EVER ENGLISH HARVEST FOR TRADITIONAL CHAMPAGNE VARIETIES?
September 2009
Herbert Hall Wines, is to begin harvesting Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes at the organic Marden Vineyard in Kent on September 25th. Harvest for sparkling wine grapes in the UK is normally well into October. It is believed that the 2009 Herbert Hall crop is among the earliest ever in England for these classic Champagne varieties. A hot dry summer and a warm, sloping vineyard site have combined to achieve optimum sugar and acidity levels for traditional method sparkling wine production. Herbert Hall’s first harvest was scheduled to begin in October but has been brought forward to take advantage of the condition of the fruit.
SUGAR AND ACIDITY ON TRACK FOR CLASSIC SPARKLING WINE HARVEST
September 2009
With only days to go before our first harvest, sugar and acidity levels are reaching optimum levels for the production of superb quality base wines. Sampling carried out on September 20th showed Pinot Noir acidity at 13.8g/l with sugar at 9.75% potential alcohol. Pinot Meunier was at 14.0g/l acidity and 10.0% potential alcohol while Chardonnay showed acidity of 15.7g/l and sugar at 9.0% potential alcohol.
MARDEN VILLAGE COMMUNITY JOINS TOGETHER IN DAY OF BUD-RUBBING AND CELEBRATION
June 2009
Nearly 100 volunteers turned out on Sunday June 7th to bud-rub and remove unwanted shoots on the young vines. Members of local groups including the Horticultural Society, Marden History Group, Women's Institute, the local Walkers Group and Marden Parish Church joined together to complete the work within three hours. Afterwards everybody sat down together to a feast in the new winery. The event sought to bring together all parts of the community, with excellent catering by Marden's wonderful pub The Unicorn and a reading by the Vicar of Marden. A big Thank You to all who gave their time to help. It was a very important job that will determine how the vines develop and it was done with great care.
HERBERT HALL WINERY COMPLETED
May 2009
Construction of a new winery at Marden in Kent is complete. The building measures 18m x 9m and is situated to the south of Plain Road. Work was carried out by R&B Construction of Framfield, E.. Sussex. It will have the capacity to produce 20,000 bottles per year.
GEOFF HALPIN LOGO DESIGN FEATURES IN DESIGN WEEK
March 2009
The elegant and distinctive Herbert Hall logo, created by one of the UK's top graphic designers, Geoff Halpin, has been featured in the design industry journal, Design Week. Halpin, who now lives and works in France, has worked for a wide range of clients including Sir Paul McCartney and is famous for his typographic skills.
MARDEN VINEYARD ESTABLISHED
May 2007
After a year of planning, the Marden Vineyard has become reality with the planting of 12,500 vines. The vineyard comprises 60% chardonnay, 20% pinot noir and 20% pinot meunier grapes - the classic varieties blended for the production of top quality sparkling wine.
