The dream of owning their own vineyard was a long time coming for David and his wife. They had been visiting vineyards at home and abroad since the 1970s, when the UK’s home winemaking scene was flourishing.
It took them over ten years to find the perfect location. In addition to the demands of the right horticultural conditions, they wanted to be close to town so the vineyard would be accessible to tourists and visitors. David also wanted to live nearby to make the day to day management easier.
Once they purchased the land, it required more than just planting vines; they invested in the equipment needed for harvesting grapes and producing their wine.
We spoke to David about his experience of starting a vineyard and why he chose a site in Market Harborough to cultivate his vines.
What makes Market Harborough the right spot for your vineyard?
“South facing is the priority when selecting a site for grape growing. You don’t want an altitude over 100 to 120 metres in the UK, as it’s likely to be too cold. Being closer to sea level is good, but you have to be cautious, as it can be susceptible to frost. Choosing a site on a slope will help, as the vines will get more sunlight and be at lower risk of frost damage.”
What do you love most, grape growing or winemaking?
“The majority of ‘vineyards’ are grape growers; only one in six actually make their own wine. For me, my passion is winemaking. Having my own vineyard enables me to test different grapes and experiment to find what works.
Enjoying the experience of winemaking is more important to me than making big profits.”
What vines do you grow, and how easy are they to care for?
“Right now, I have around 15 grape varieties across my 1,500 vines. Each year I prune approximately 95% of the previous year’s growth – it takes 2 to 3 months.
If the new buds survive the frost in late April or early May, the routine of grass cutting, tucking in the vines, thinning out overcrowding and so forth continues until Summer.
Trimming and training the vines continues through to harvest, which happens between the end of August the beginning of October.”
What happens next to turn the grapes into wine?
“As soon as you’ve picked the grapes, you need to press and crush them. There are several stages to go through before you’re ready to Bottle the wine the following spring.
Depending on the type of wine, a simple single-fermented wine can be ready to buy in the shop by June or July. It will be double fermented if it’s a sparkling variety and can take four or five years before it’s ready.
It’s worth the wait, a double fermented wine throws sediment, which offers more complexity and flavour for your palate. The longer it ferments, the richer tasting experience you will have.”
How many bottles of wine do you produce each year?
“In our best year we made 5,000 bottles, but last year was one of the worst in terms of quantity – just 700 bottles. An average year will be around 1,500 bottles. It’s very dependent on the weather.”
What prompted you to invest in a new building for your vineyard?
“I wanted a new building so I could have better access to machinery and storage space.
When we had equipment crammed into the old small buildings, it was hard to manoeuvre everything in and out and keep up with repairs when they occurred.”
Why did you choose to work with DPL for your steel building?
“I had heard of the owners and had met Vernon, the grandfather, a long time ago.
I contacted other companies too, but having never built a Steel building previously, I knew I needed experts who could spot the problems before they happened. Everyone I’ve met at DPL has been helpful, friendly and easy to deal with. First impressions are important, and I felt they were decent people who would do a good job.”
Were there any challenges or special requirements that you had for this building?
“Drainage was a concern. Being situated at the bottom of the slope, and I wanted to be sure water wouldn’t run into the building.
It was reassuring to know I was working with people who knew what they were doing.
I considered this a straightforward job and a simple building. It’s when you see what goes into the construction you grasp how complex it is. Watching the team, I appreciated how much skill you need to get it right. It was a lot more technical than I thought.”
How did you find the building process overall?
“There were many people on site at different times, but I always knew what was happening and when. There’s a good flow of information between everyone.
Each person was at the top of their game.
I would recommend DPL without hesitation to anyone looking for a steel building.”
What’s next for Welland Valley Vineyard?
“We want to make better and better wine. That’s the challenge every year.
Our new building will make the process far more straightforward and enjoyable. We can move equipment around with ease, and visitors have somewhere to shelter if it rains.”
You can find out more about the vineyard and local stockists David’s wine on his website https://www.welland-valley-vineyard.com/
Technical specifications
The building footprint is 12m x 7m x 4.5m (height to eaves) with a 10 deg. pitch.
The bay sizes were customised to accommodate the required door positions.
Cladding from eaves down completed in vertical AS24 1000W Posco 0.5 wall classing, plastic coated with forward box profile in Posco Olive Green.
We raised the bottom of the wall sheets to accommodate a 225mm high course x 100mm thick concrete block to the perimeter with drop flashing over the top of block.
Door furniture was upgraded for additional security with floor locks to the roller shutter and upgraded personnel door to a security rated model.
The DPL team provided an end-to-end service, from design to groundworks, building supply and construction.
The works included footings, concrete floor and drainage channel to the front elevation and additional concrete hard standing; as well as the erection and cladding of the building.
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