Jonathan’s Vineyard Blog - December

Jonathan • December 16, 2021

Terroir!
Terroir is a French expression which means “a sense of place”, therefore when someone tells you a wine displays terroir they mean that the wine they are drinking tastes the way a wine grown and made in the region where it was grown and made should taste.

We like to think that Godstone wines have their own terroir - what you taste is a reflection of our upper greensand loamy soil, our steep south facing slope on which the vines are grown, and the typical English cool climate.


I was mulling over the nature of our terroir whilst planting 200 new hedging plants and trees last week ! Whatever anyone tells you this is not a romantic job - on the day of planting it was cold and wet to the point that I became so drenched as to require two changes of clothing during the day. 


Hedge planting is not cheap either - the cost of the new plants, rabbit guards, and supporting wooden posts came in at £1,300. Any economic benefit is unlikely to be seen within a decade. 


So why stand out in pouring rain, planting hedges, for no obvious financial benefit ? I do it because every handful of soil, every tree, every vine, means something to me. It is a personal love affair with the environment. It is about loving our landscapes, improving and preserving them, and leaving a legacy for future generations to enjoy.


I love Godstone Vineyards. I love the texture and smell of the soil ; I love the views across the Weald of Surrey and Kent ; I love our resident pheasant population ; I love sitting amongst the vines on a beautiful Summer day enjoying a glass of our Sparkling Wine; I love planting new trees and hedges which will still be there in a hundred years time. I love the part which I am playing in creating “terroir”.


Wishing you all a very happy Christmas and a healthy, prosperous New Year.



Jonathan’s Vineyard Blog - April 2025

By GODSTONE • April 4, 2025
April is a wonderful month when nature bursts into life after the dormancy of winter; one of my personal highlights is the sight and aroma of wild garlic in the woodlands on the approach to our vineyard. This bulbous perennial, with its distinctive and pungent garlicky smell, is common and widespread across the UK, most widely in deciduous woodland and on chalky soils. Wild Garlic is not to be confused with ‘Lily of the Valley’, especially since the latter is poisonous. Wild Garlic is an ancient woodland-indicator plant and its presence is a sign that you are in a rare and special habitat; it flowers early in Spring and is therefore an important early bloom for the bees and other insects which pollinate them. The bulbs are also a source of food for wild boars, not that I have ever encountered one in East Surrey! Wild Garlic was traditionally used in medicine - its bulb being a key ingredient in tonics for rheumatic problems and high cholesterol. It is nowadays a popular foraged ingredient (my brother makes an excellent wild garlic pesto!) - its leaves can be eaten raw in salads, blanched and used in place of spinach, or made into an interesting soup. April and May are the perfect months to view Wild Garlic and we will be open on one Saturday each month; you can also undertake our ‘Champagne Challenge’ where we see if you can taste the difference between Champagne and a glass of Godstone’s finest ! We’d love to see you. Book for Saturday 12th April https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/springtime-means-wine-time-at-godstone-vineyards-tickets-1128653175029?aff=oddtdtcreator Book for Saturday 17th May https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/a-summer-of-wine-at-godstone-vineyards-tickets-1250415659899?aff=oddtdtcreator Kind Regards to you all Jonathan

Jonathan’s Vineyard Blog - February 2025

By GODSTONE • February 24, 2025
We have passed “Candlemas Day” - 2nd February - traditionally the midpoint of winter, halfway between the shortest day and the spring equinox. In bygone times “Candlemas” was the day of the year when all candles that were to be used in church during the coming year, were brought into church and a blessing was said over them; candles were very important, especially pre-industrial revolution, and some people believed that they gave protection against plague, illness, and famine. However, in reality, candles were important because there were no electric lights ! Snowdrops appear in February. According to legend, the snowdrop became a symbol of hope when Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden. When Eve was about to give up hope that the cold winters would never end, an angel appeared. She transformed some of the snowflakes into snowdrop flowers, proving that the winters do eventually give way to the spring. We have now settled upon opening one Saturday per month throughout the year, and, these are the dates from March until August should you wish to plan ahead: https://www.godstonevineyards.com/contact If you would like to come and admire the snowdrops in our woodland then we would be delighted to see you on Saturday 15th March. We will be offering tastings and wine sales, alongside platters of local cheeses and charcuterie (perfect for sharing over a bottle of our wine). Please book for Saturday 15th March using the link below: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/springtime-means-wine-time-at-godstone-vineyards-tickets-1128641620469?aff=oddtdtcreator Kind Regards to you all Jonathan