North Yorkshire vineyards report on 2026 harvest prospects

New and existing vineyards have been expanding their operations to cater for growing demand for English wine and a warming climate which is more suited to grapes.

Tim Spakouskas, managing director of the Yorkshire Heart Vineyard and Brewery at Nun Monkton, says the 2026 harvest “is shaping up very well and looking good.”

Tim said: “After a good early spring the vines were active and growing well, we avoided any frost incidents during a cold snap in May, which was a worrying time as a frost at that time of year can have a catastrophic impact on the crop.”

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“The summer has been great for the vines so far, they love the hot sunny weather. Vines have deep roots, the older established vine roots could easily be 20 metres or more deep, so they get all the moisture they need.”

Yorkshire Heart expects a bigger harvest this year, due in part from the number of the ripening grapes on each vine and the vineyard having 2,500 extra vines ready to produce wine this year.

Tim continued: “The vines are all in good health and the bunches of grapes are ripening more and more every day. We could be on for another early harvest.”

Peter Townsend and his father Ian at the Dunesforde vineyard in the Vale of York. (Image: Darren Greenwood)

Like other English vineyards, Yorkshire Heart uses what are known as ‘piwi’ wines, which have been specially developed for cooler climates, rather than traditional varieties like chardonnay and pinot noir.

Tim added: “The reds will definitely improve with the summer weather like it is, they will get more flavour, body and sugars in there to hopefully make a fuller bodied red wine.”

Dunesforde Vineyard at Upper Dunsforth, between York and Boroughbridge, says 2025 was “probably its best growing season” and “this year is shaping up to be remarkably similar, which has us cautiously optimistic.”

Head of Wine Peter Townsend said: “If conditions continue as they have, we’re expecting both excellent quality and, potentially, a larger crop than last year.”

Peter says the weather has been on side this year, with the grapes thriving on the warm, dry conditions, which has reduced disease pressure, allowing the vines to focus on ripening the fruit.

However, some vines would appreciate a little rain, but he says his vines are well-established, with deep roots, coping well in the drier conditions he had ever imagined.

Peter says the quality of English wine continues to improve, with Yorkshire part of that story and Dunesforde winning medals in various awards.

Paul Chasney of the Goose Beck vineyard with daughter Antonia, who is the principal winemaker. (Image: Darren Greenwood)

He added: “Every vintage tells its own story and so far, 2026 is looking like it could be another very good chapter for English wine. Here’s hoping the weather continues to smile on us for a few more weeks!”

The newly-opened Goose Beck Vineyard at Bilton-in-Ainsty, between York and Wetherby, produced its first commercial harvest in 2025, with 4,500 bottles on sale now and 1,000 bottles undergoing a secondary fermentation to make a sparkling wine. Goose Beck will also have more vines producing wine in the coming years as more vines mature.

However, the vineyard’s Paul Chasney cautioned: “It is too early to state with confidence how the 2026 harvest will turn out but despite frosts, fruit set seems to have gone well and grapes are developing well.

“The worry now is that when rain comes later in the year it will start and never stop. Wet harvests are particularly difficult. An overlay to that is that wet weather in the run up to harvest is likely to encourage mildew which in turn will affect the wine.”

A spokesperson for industry body Wine GB told the Press the UK now 1,100 vineyards and 280 wineries, with the sector going global and winning international awards.

They added: “It’s too soon to say the weather’s overall impact on this year’s UK harvest, but we’re optimistic. As you’d expect, hotter growing seasons have driven rapid expansion of UK viticulture, which last year saw us having a vintage of outstanding quality.”