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Nearly 20 new rows of vines are being planted at La Mare Wine Estate in St Mary this weekend – replacing the former Phoenix and Seyval Blanc varieties that were over 50 years old.
The project, led by Head Winemaker Jordi Sanvicens Moreno and Vineyard Manager Andrew Smith, will see the planting of 12 rows of Solaris vines, a variety of grape used for producing white wine, with five rows of Regent, a red grape variety.
The new vineyard will be over half a hectare in size, with the planting by hand due to be completed on Sunday.
The Solaris grape is an early ripening, hybrid grape variety developed to resist disease, and is characterised by lush green, circular disk-like leaves.
This grape requires around 90 days to ripen enabling it to thrive in cooler, damper climates such as Jersey.
Pictured: Vineyard Manager, Andrew Smith (left) and Head Winemaker, Jordi Sanvicens Moreno (right).
The Regent grape is a red grape that produces wine that similar to that which is produced in the south of Italy.
In good growing years, the Regent grape is sweet enough to be eaten as a dessert variety.
To begin the planting, a team of labourers took four days to dig the six-inch-wide and 15-inch-deep holes to plant the posts necessary for the vines to grow.
Steel posts are used rather than wooden ones as they have lower breakage rates and are more sustainable as they can be recycled after use.
Pictured: The new rows of vines are being planted at La Mare Vineyard.
Head Winemaker, Jordi Sanvicens Moreno said: “The careful planning and timely application of each step in the process of vineyard establishment is important not only to hasten the onset of vineyard productivity but also to ensure its long-term productivity.
"Every single one of the vines will be planted by hand and lovingly cared for.”
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