A vineyard of your own

I once drove through a string of pretty little villages in Bulgaria where every garden sported a row or two of vines. Sandwiched in between rows of cabbages and onions, the vines were as much a part normal as raspberry canes in our own country gardens.

You can, of course, plant up to an acre or more of vines if you want to join the growing number of small, commercial vineyards, but I am writing for those who see themselves making wine or, indeed, juice for their own table.

No matter where you live I would suggest that you contact the UK Vineyards Association (VA) who will be able to put you in touch with your Regional Chairman who, in turn, can offer expert advice on your particular site. As a rule, if you live over 200m above sea level or in a frost pocket, then a vineyard is probably not for you.

Chairman of the UK VA Roger Marchbank suggests that you plant your young vines in April just as they are coming into life. Fifteen years ago, when his own one-acre site was planted, Bacchus and Reichensteiner were the most favoured varieties, but he suggests that anyone planting today should look at four new varieties, the previously mentioned Phoenix and Regent, together with Orion and Rondo which are all mildew and fungus resistant.

Plant your vines a metre apart and tie each plant to a post to support it during the first year or two before a permanent framework is erected. As with all young plants that are establishing themselves, vines shouldn't be subjected to draught and a sharp eye has to be kept to deter pests such as slugs and rabbits.

In the third year you can begin training your vines in the classic Guyot system. Drive in a stout post at each end of the row and attach three or four training wires beginning at the height where you wish your vine to be stopped. As a guide, many vineyards stop the vine at 60cm, placing the first wire at that height to tie in the two lateral bearing canes and then continue with three or four wires at 30cm intervals to tie in the vertical fruiting spurs. Any flowers that are produced in this third year should be rubbed out, for with vines patience is essential for strong vines and quality fruit.

The system is almost identical to that given for training a vine against a wall, the only difference - and it is an important one - is that the two laterals that run along the wire to produce the horizontal bar in the classic T-shape are replaced every year. The old lateral bearing canes are cut off in the middle of winter and the new laterals, which have been allowed to grow freely the previous year, are tied in to produce new fruiting spurs.

It is worth noting that all vines fruit from last year's wood, so if you prune back to the main trunk you will produce new shoots but no fruit that year.

Vines may not be for the impatient, but they will repay you handsomely for years to come.

Further information

UK Vineyards Association, Church Road, Bruisyard, Saxmundham, Suffolk IP17 2EF, tel: 01728 638 080.

The wine trail

Our English and Welsh vineyards are basking in the success of last year's long, hot summer and autumn. If you want to find out just how great last year's harvest was and how our wine industry has grown, then take the wine trail to one of the many wineries that are open to the public. The following is just a sampling of vineyards that welcome visitors - for information on other vineyards contact Julia Trustram Eve at English Wine Producers (tel: 01536 772264).

North

Leventhorpe Vineyard (tel: 0113 288 9088) in Woodlesford, Leeds is our northernmost commercial vineyard. Both the vineyard and winery are open to visitors.

South

Biddenden Vineyards (tel: 01580 291726) near Ashford, Kent offers vineyards tours and has a shop stocked with its wines as does Bookers Vineyard (tel: 01444 881575) at Bolney in West Sussex. Denbies Wine Estate near Dorking (tel: 01306 876616) is one of the UK's wine giants. You can learn about wine making in the 360º cinema before taking a guided tour around the vineyard and winery that ends in a tasting. There is also a restaurant, wine bar, shop and bed and breakfast if you are touring. The English Wine Centre (tel: 01323 870164) at Alfriston has a History of English Wine museum and offers tastings in its elegant shop.

Tenterden Vineyard (tel: 01580 763033) Tenterden, Kent is owned by the English Wines Group, which includes Chapel Down Wines, and besides tours of the vineyards and winery you can visit its cafe and shop. Wickham Vineyard (tel: 01239 834042) at Shedfield, Southampton is owned by Angela and Gordon Channon who offer audio tours of the vineyard and winery, together with a shop and restaurant.

East

Carters' Vineyard (tel: 01206 271136) at Boxted near Colchester offers tours and tastings after which you can buy the wine in a fully stocked shop. Chilford Hundred (tel: 01223 895600) also offers tours and tastings and you can stop for lunch in its restaurant.

South West

Camel Valley Vineyard (tel: 01209 77959) Nanstallon, near Bodmin, Cornwall is owned by winemaker Bob Lindo who offers vineyard tours and later you can visit the shop. Sharpham Vineyard (tel: 01803 732203) near Totnes in Devon also specialises in cheese-making, so a visit here will give you an insight into wine and cheese-making.

West Midlands

Three Choirs Vineyards (tel: 01531 890555) spreads itself around Newent in Gloucestershire and after looking round the visitors' centre and shop you can eat lunch in the vineyard's fine restaurant; you may even stay in its hotel. If you go to Astley Vineyards (tel: 01299 8220907) near Stourport-on-Severn you can stay in their self-catering cottages; they offer tastings too.

Wales

Llanerch Vineyard (tel: 01443 225877) Pedoylan lies in the Vale of Glamorgan. It has tours and a shop and self-catering cottages.