Nyetimber, based in West Sussex, is set to begin the first stage of its harvest next Monday, 14 September, making it the earliest picking ever.
According to the producer, best known for its English sparkling wine, the harvest was initially scheduled to begin the following week but was pushed forward because certain vines had already reached optimal ripeness.
The rest of the harvest will continue from 21 September, with the estate anticipating between 425 and 430 hectares of vines across West Sussex, Hampshire and Kent.
Nyetimber said that it expects the yield to reach 2,500 tonnes of grapes, resulting in approximately 1.5 million bottles of sparkling wine from the 2026 vintage.
On the early harvest, Nyetimber added that the unusually hot weather was responsible for the quick ripening.
It continued that the heat had allowed vines impacted by late spring frosts to develop, and that while quantity was likely to be slightly diminished, quality was expected to be strong.
The team said that 2026 could become a vintage year, in which they could produce some or all of: Blanc de Blancs, Tillington Single Vineyard, 1086 by Nyetimber and 1086 by Nyetimber Rosé.
Nyetimber CEO and owner, Eric Heerema, said: “This is my 20th year of owning Nyetimber, and as ever the growing season has offered many ups and downs.
“At Nyetimber we own 100% of our vineyards, meaning that we have complete control when faced with viticultural obstacles such as frosts and drought.
“Our vineyard team has done a fantastic job of protecting our vines throughout the seasons, and now that we enter our earliest ever harvest, our winemakers will begin to get a picture of what this year’s fruit could bring.
“We are expecting great quality from the 2026 vintage, which could lead to more award-winning wines in the years to come.”
