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As the long days of summer begin to mellow into golden September light, the vineyard at Lympstone Manor comes alive with a quiet sense of purpose. The air is tinged with the scent of ripening fruit, the vines hang heavy with promise, and every step we take now is focused on one thing, the harvest.
Harvest time is the culmination of an entire year’s worth of care, attention and effort. From pruning in the frostbitten winter months to canopy management and pest control through spring and summer, every stage has been a careful balance of science, instinct, and stewardship of the land. And now, in this brief and beautiful window, it’s time to gather the rewards.
The process begins with precision. In the days leading up to the harvest, our Vineyard Manager, Steve Edwards, carries out essential foliage clipping and final leaf thinning to optimise sun exposure and airflow. Steve begins testing grape sugar levels using a handheld refractometer, followed by sending bunch samples to Lyme Bay Winery for a full analysis of sugar and acid levels. These findings help us determine the perfect moment to pick, striking the critical balance between ripeness, flavour, and structure.
Once the decision is made, a professional team of experienced grape pickers carefully hand-harvests the fruit into small, hygienic plastic containers to prevent damage. The grapes are then transported swiftly to Lyme Bay Winery to ensure they arrive in peak condition for pressing and processing, an essential stage in creating award-winning English wines.
The harvest is more than just the final step in the growing cycle, it’s a moment of celebration, connection, and gratitude. In Devon, harvest festivals are long-standing traditions that bring communities together to honour the land. At Lympstone Manor, we uphold this spirit in our own way with our Celebratory Harvest Lunch, a highlight of the season.
Our Celebratory Harvest Lunch is an opportunity to mark this year’s harvest and honour the fruits of our labours from the vineyard. Guests are invited to join us for our Celebratory Harvest Lunch with an alfresco BBQ, hosted by Michael Caines, that celebrates this season, perfectly paired with Lympstone Manor Estate English wines.
There is so much to celebrate this year. We’re proud to share the success of our recent award wins: a Silver Award for our Estate Gin and a Bronze for our Eau de Vie at the International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC), and a Silver Medal for our 2022 Edwards Chardonnay at the WineGB Awards. And of course, we’re thrilled to introduce the latest release of our Lympstone Manor Estate Classic Cuvée NV, a sparkling English wine that represents a new chapter in our winemaking story.
The harvest is the crescendo of a year of passion, precision and patience. Through this special celebratory lunch, we welcome our guests not only to enjoy the season’s bounty but to become part of our vineyard journey, to raise a glass of English wine to the land, the vintage, and the future to come.
Join us as we celebrate our 2025 vineyard harvest, where tradition meets innovation, and every grape tells a story.
The Celebratory Harvest Lunch will be held on Saturday 4th October.  Reserve your place today and join us in celebrating the season.
Visit the Lympstone Manor Estate wine shop to browse our full range of English wines and estate products.
