Report from La Mare Wine Estate
La Mare Wine Estate has announced that this year’s grape harvest is set to be one of the most successful in the wine estate’s history, marking a milestone moment for Jersey’s only commercial vineyard. Adding to the celebrations, the Estate has just achieved full Soil Association organic certification for its apple orchards and meadow.
The 2025 season has been nothing short of extraordinary. Record-breaking sunshine, warm temperatures, and low rainfall combined with careful vineyard management by Head Winemaker, Jordi Sanvicens Moreno, and Vineyard Manager, Andrew Smith, have created the perfect conditions for both grapes and apples.
A critical factor was the warm, settled weather during flowering in June, the short two-week window where the flowers open and set as grapes. The potential crop volume is decided at this stage in the growing cycle, and the rest of the summer determines the grape quality. Too much rain or wind can devastate yields, but this year’s conditions were ideal throughout, ensuring a near-perfect fruit set and excellent quality grape bunches, resulting in a potentially record-breaking harvest.
The results speak for themselves:
Around 20,000 bottles of wine will be produced this year – double the previous year.
The Estate’s apple orchards also produced a bumper crop, providing an exceptional base for La Mare’s new range of apple beverages, including a sparkling apple wine, brandies, and an apple apéritif.
This is in stark contrast to last year, when volume was below average, demand outstripped supply, and the Estate temporarily ran out of wine.
Jordi Sanvicens Moreno, Head Winemaker, said: ‘We made a conscious decision three years ago to move towards more sustainable farming, introducing disease-resistant varieties and nurturing the soil. Achieving organic certification this month feels like the natural culmination of that journey.’
Tim Crowley, Managing Director of La Mare Wine Estate, added: ‘This is shaping up to be one of the best vintages in the estate’s history. We’re on track to produce double our usual number of bottles, and the quality of fruit has excellent potential for our wines. To pair this record harvest along with the organic certification is a proud moment for us. None of this would have been possible without the dedication of our incredible team, led by Jordi and Andrew.
‘I also wish to acknowledge the support and direction in recent years from the Rural Economy Team and The Minister for Sustainable Economy. The government’s clear policy on sustainable farming has guided our path, helping us achieve Red Tractor, LEAF Accreditation, Green Tourism Gold certification, and now Soil Association Organic certification for our Orchards. We are showing that it is possible to achieve record-breaking harvests without compromising our long-term commitment to sustainability.’
