Saffron Grange: Bumper harvest ends a vintage year for Uttlesford vineyard
A bumper harvest has boosted an Uttlesford vineyard’s plans to become a leading tourist destination.
Thanks to the support of a team of volunteers, Saffron Grange at Little Walden has 25 tonnes of hand-picked “exceptional quality” grapes including Seyval Blanc, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier and its first ever crop of Pinot Gris.
The impressive haul means the growing vineyard has increased its yield eightfold in just five years.
Despite a late harvest and a challenging growing season, the 2021 vintage will enable Saffron Grange to launch a new range of distinctive wines.
The vineyard – which recently welcomed its 1,000th visitor through its gates – has been heavily investing in state-of-the-art equipment to enable it to process all the grapes on-site.
Director Nick Edwards said: “We couldn’t be more grateful to our fantastic community for all its support since we launched in 2019. And 2021 is a momentous year for our vineyard, as we bring some of the production of our wines in-house.
"It's incredible to reflect back to five years ago when we completed our first commercial harvest and see how far we have come as a business.
"The winery is the latest development in a long-term plan to turn the vineyard into a leading tourist destination, creating jobs, prosperity and a lasting legacy for the local community for many years to come.”
The winery boasts a new café selling sparkling wines by the glass, coffees and teas with a range of locally-sourced snacks. An on-site shop offers gifts and treats, many inspired by the vineyard’s symbol, the woolly mammoth.
The vineyard, which has seen healthy growth in sales over the past 18 months despite the coronavirus pandemic, offers tours and tastings from April to October.