Autumn Harvest
A tropical sea that once covered France and southern England has left a shared bountiful geology: grapes grown in this seam of chalk.
What an incredible transition to autumn; a glut of berries, apples and PYO vegetables to enjoy during the warm days before we really feel a change of seasons.
The Chilterns are located in the space between London and Oxford, two big and busy urban conurbations, yet it’s still possible to be remote. The Radnage valley is just that: accessible down windy, tree-covered lanes, you’ll find Daws Hill Vineyard at the very end of the longest and narrowest of these.
Not to be rushed
This valley settlement is not typically clustered around a village green. Rather it’s as if a child has thrown marbles and the resulting scatter of pubs, church, village hall, vineyard and farmhouses are Radnage. It makes for confusing navigation along the narrow tunnel-like lanes, unable to see over the top, nor what’s coming around the bend. We squeezed past a little girl on her pony with escort, Ridgeway National Trail hikers and so many men in lycra whooshing past! But it’s not to be rushed.
Plump grapes will do
20 volunteers gathered for tea and biscuits and the safety briefing from Holly: “please don’t cut your fingers (or anyone else’s for that matter), as you work diagonally across from one another, looking for the bunches of plump grapes, leaving the shrivelled and un-ripe behind.
A touch of France
The vines at Daws Hill were planted by Holly’s father, Nigel Morgan in 2004 upon discovering the farm was perfect for grapes. They grow the traditional champagne varieties, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, along with Auxerrois for their sparkling wines. They also produce a variety of ciders from locally picked apples.
I wasn’t there for the cider, I was back to help bring in the autumn harvest of Auxerrios and Chardonnay grapes that will become their 2024 sparkling wine.
Radnage is renowned for its red kites, mewing loudly as they circled overhead. The sun was warm and we picked in pairs, careful to not snip each others finger tips off as we peeled back the leaves to expose the bunches of grapes.
I chatted with my fellow pickers, some of whom have been volunteering through the year to see the process through from pruning to picking. A loyal and tight-knit community who live in the village, High Wycombe, Tring and from London.
I was reminded that wine making is a process that relies on human senses; touch, taste, smell, sight and sometimes, pounding power. Of course mechanisation makes for better efficiency, but the wine maker is still in control. Daws Hill is the real deal, a small producer heavily invested in bringing to market a product nurtured from the chalk, but influenced by an international industry. We are privileged to have them creating their wines here in the Chiltern hills.
“the domestic industry produces 12 million bottles per annum.” Wow! But only as long as you know that this represents just one day of national consumption. Source: Daniel Lambert wine broker.
Legs tingling from the nettles, early autumn sunburn, a delicious picnic lunch and a cheeky glass of pinot noir sparkling wine, our work was done.
If the quirky and local is what you are interested in, subscribe to my weekly ‘Micro Travels with Mary’ newsletter.
Links you will need
Talk to me if you’d like your business to be featured in a future Micro Travels.
Holly would be delighted to welcome you on a tour and taste at Daws Hill Vineyard and winery throughout the year.
It’s that time of year when we can expect visitors hanging about our homes and scuttling along the skirting boards. But what if we were to see instead, what they do outside in the meadows, surrounded by the chirping of unseen crickets?
I am still feasting on the foraged devils fruit picked from the brambles in the quarry.
The Ridgeway long distance National Trail goes past all the best bits in between Avebury in Wiltshire and Ivinghoe Beacon in Buckinghamshire.
The circular walks are superb: climb to the top of Chinnor Hill with fine views over the Vale of Aylesbury before following quiet rural paths to pretty Radnage.