Geoff Buckingham

English Wine, Bacchus, Solaris

[Geoff Buckingham @DOUBLE_HEDGES]

Referring to this: https://t.co/RStnDufv8C

[Geoff Buckingham @DOUBLE_HEDGES]

A note for @ShippersUnbound , rosé does not attract the same level of duty as fortified wine with 50% more alcohol:
https://t.co/6kvSNLMpuL

Wine duty is not determined by colour, only ABV & sparkling/still

[Geoff Buckingham @DOUBLE_HEDGES]

I'll be chatting with @hawkinsbros this evening at 6pm on Instagram https://t.co/FbtCs3kCr0

[Geoff Buckingham @DOUBLE_HEDGES]

Yesterday's improved weather allowed for better assesment of the #hail damage. Closer inspection reveals #vineyard floor under Solaris littered with individual tiny flowers, each a potential grape, knocked out of the clusters🙁. Damage hopefully less the 20% so not a complte loss

[Geoff Buckingham @DOUBLE_HEDGES]

@dcorfan Thankfully we only had very minor frost damage.

[Geoff Buckingham @DOUBLE_HEDGES]

Yesterday’s ferocious hailstorm was a first for us since planting. Lots of damage to exposed foliage & fairly widespread loss of growing shoot tips in the Bacchus (which is very 'brittle' at this time of year). However, flowers look to have escaped damage. #vineyard #englishwine

[Geoff Buckingham @DOUBLE_HEDGES]

Our only #frost defense is mowing & topography of #vineyard to allow dense cold air to drain away down hill. This week it's thankfully worked. Photo shows whats happened in un-mowed corner of vineyard to surplus bacchus vines heeled-in there:

[Geoff Buckingham @DOUBLE_HEDGES]

So again we seem to have escaped significant damage to the commercial crops of Bacchus or Solaris. 40-50% hit to tiny experimental quantities if Dolcetto, Marechal Joffre & Castel 19637.

[Geoff Buckingham @DOUBLE_HEDGES]

Rather worryingly overnight minimum is forecast to be (+)1 degree, a degree lower than the +2 minumum forecast that brought the #vineyard #frost on Tuesday & Thursday mornings. Hopefully not too much more of this to disrupt the production of our trophy winning #englishwine.🤞

[Geoff Buckingham @DOUBLE_HEDGES]

@MuleFreedomPR @LGDreamers @Spotify @ViveLeRock1 @TigersSmall @BLACKBOMBERS_ @DaveKusworth Loving The Favourites cover of ABBA's S.O.S. from this while worrying about another potential #frost in the #vineyard this evening.

[Geoff Buckingham @DOUBLE_HEDGES]

A very little more damage from last nights #frost in the #vineyard. 1st photo Bacchus shoot frosted Tuesday morning, 2nd today (both photos taken this morning)

[Geoff Buckingham @DOUBLE_HEDGES]

We seem to have had a lucky escape from the #frost of the night of the 11th/12th with only limited damage to experimental red plantings at the lowest point in the #vineyard. This is a Marechal Joffre vine, damage is where it's turning brown. #englishwine

[Geoff Buckingham @DOUBLE_HEDGES]

At this time I'd like to point out indipendants @hawkinsbros & @WoburnWines who carry my wines offer online sales. They both have an excellent range of wines.

[Geoff Buckingham @DOUBLE_HEDGES]

@BBC6Music @steve_lamacq @IVW_UK @LGDreamers & @theboysuk at the @100clubLondon (& Con Club Lewes too)

[Geoff Buckingham @DOUBLE_HEDGES]

@SmellyHeir @jamiegoode @spskelton *2018/2019 Bacchus yields were so high that PDO/PGI status is not possible and it will be labeled "Wine of England" analagous to table wine. https://t.co/BDdZBZ1AVa

[Geoff Buckingham @DOUBLE_HEDGES]

@SmellyHeir @jamiegoode @spskelton That would depend on where and when "table wine" was defined, but most likely, no. Europe did away with term in 2011, but prior to 2018* my wines were all PDO, which wouldn't have been table wine in pre 2011 naming. US meaning problematic as 14%ABV often exceeded by one varietal.

[Geoff Buckingham @DOUBLE_HEDGES]

@jamiegoode @spskelton Thank you, that's very gracious, however what gave offence is the wholesale dismisal of a sector that extends beyond Bacchus.

[Geoff Buckingham @DOUBLE_HEDGES]

@spskelton He is literally advocating ignoring the product I produce, dismssing it as lower quality niche not to be mentioned, while encouraging overproduction of ESW. He's not on my side! In encouraging more exclusive sparkling production since 2016 he's likely damaged ESW producers too.

[Geoff Buckingham @DOUBLE_HEDGES]

@jamiegoode @spskelton Because you are wrong and confidently wrong about the quality of English still wine. While demonstrating no awareness that that quality alone in any commodity is no remedy for oversupply.

[Geoff Buckingham @DOUBLE_HEDGES]

@jamiegoode @spskelton You are awfully confident for someone who appears to have not done any research or put any thought into their opinion.