Grapes grown

• Madeliene Angevine
• Schonburger
• Findling
  Soil Loam over clay
  
  Wines produced
  
• Medium-dry white wines

  Facilities

  
  
• Wine sales/ Visits by appointment 10.00-17.00 daily
• Wine Maker: Mumford's Bath

The town of Bradford-on-Avon has historic connections with viticulture being one of 42 sites mentioned in Domesday Book. Currently there are 3 vineyards in the vicinity. Nearby is the restored Kennet & Avon canal with popular marina facilities.

Little Ashley vineyard was planted with 850 vines in 1986 on the gently south-facing slope of a field bordering the 17th. Century farmhouse and buildings at Little Ashley Farm.

All vines in the vineyard are grafted on S04 phylloxera resistant rootstocks which improves their disease resistance but shortens their life from their normal 100 years to about 20.

The vineyard year
The year in the vineyard starts with cutting out the canes on the vines with the exception of the 3 nearest the crown. In April 2 of these are tied down in the form of a bow onto the bottom wire of the trellis - the Double Guyot system - and the third is reduced to a couple of buds to provide fruiting laterals for the following year.

In the Spring the buds burst producing the fruiting laterals which grow at an alarming rate and have to be kept in trim throughout the season. Flowering usually takes place in June with the wind providing pollination.

In the past years the early ripening grapes have been harvested in late September and the late ripening ones - Schonburger- in early November. The exact date of harvesting depends upon the grapes' sugar content and acidity. Once the wine has been produced, it is transferred to a cool wine store where it is kept in bins for 6 to 12 months before before it is ready for drinking.