Welcome to Levels

Welcome to our vineyard of two halves, the levels. This is our largest vineyard split into two plantings, upper levels which is 4.6 hectares and low levels which is 1.5 hectares. Together they count for approximately 27,500 vines.

Upper levels hold three of our champagne varieties, the Chardonnay planted to the west of the vineyard and the Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier planted central and east of the vineyard. This site has an elevated and easterly aspect and is nestled by surrounding woodlands and native hedgerows creating a warm and more protected site.

This helps protect against frost, increasing the vineyard temperature during the season and consequently improving ripening throughout the season. Each vineyard creates its own unique environment and consequently character within the fruit.

All three varieties thrive on this site and with the Pinots being a true standout of the variety with clones such as the 777 being used for very special and specific wines. Lower levels, which sits and gets its name by being nestled towards the lower parts of the slope to the south of the wildlife windbreak, is dedicated to our Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.

Although this vineyard is slightly cooler, it bud bursts later keeping it safe from the frost and matures at a slower rate improving the phenolic and aroma compounds produced in the fruit. Late summer is a hive activity in the vineyard and as all the canopy management and maintaining is tidied up.

With tasks such as mowing, under vine streaming and spraying that are part of the husbandry cycle to reduce the diseased risk and promote good health and ripening. Additional de-leafing of the canopy around the fruit zone where the bunches hang is vital to ensure good airflow and excellent exposure to sunlight to increase sugar development of the fruit whilst also reducing the acids.