Home
Weather London
WeatherRadar
RainfallRadar
TemperatureRadar
WindRadar
LightningRadar
Weather News
Editor's Pick
Discover the app
Weather widget
Contact us
Apps
Career
    Home / Editor's Pick /

    British vineyards thrive: How did summer 2023 impact our wine?

08:00
29 October 2023

British vineyards thrive
How did summer 2023 impact our wine?

Vineyards across Britain are thriving amidst the warming climate, placing new wine regions on the map. But how did summer 2023 impact our wines?

As a result of the warming climate, winemakers are able to produce varieties of wine that are more traditionally accustomed to France, such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, perhaps soon to be Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, as our climate continues to warm.

Meteorologist and Reporter Tamsin Green went to visit Fairmile Vineyard, in Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire, to speak to Owner Jan Mirkowski about the impacts he's felt from the heat, particularly from summer 2022.

Pinot Noire picking at Rowley Farm winery, East Ilsley, October 17th 2023.
Pinot Noire picking at Rowley Farm winery, East Ilsley, October 17th 2023.

One Weather & Radar user even sent us in an action shot of Pinot Noir grapes being picked in Berkshire just the other week for this year's harvest.

Research by the University of Reading has shown that over one-fifth of the UK may have suitable weather by 2050 to grow Chardonnay grapes for still wines.

Taittinger and Pommery have already established vineyards in England, while the Champagne region itself is growing uncomfortably hot.

But how has the summer of 2023 impacted the crops? With an above-average June, but a below-average July and August in terms of temperatures, it wasn't exactly the record-breaker that we saw in 2022.

Although two out of three of the summer months were below-average in terms of temperature, the warm June meant that the summer has a whole averaged a fraction above-average still, accompanied by around-average sunshine.

The summer as a whole was also wetter than normal, particularly through July and August when successive low pressure systems spun in off the Atlantic, including two named storms, Antoni and Betty.

That being said, the harvest each year relies a lot on the previous year and vice versa, based on the conditions that the vines had to deal with prior, as well as the growing conditions. So this year's or next year's batch could still produce a decent harvest.

We'll just have to wait another two to three years for the wines to reach our shelves to know just how much impact the summer held.

More on the topic
A varied week of heat and rain. Your weather - Your shots. . . Sunday, 21 June 2026
Split image showing a stone cottage glowing in warm sunset light beneath dark storm clouds on the left, and a lighthouse silhouetted against a a golden seaside sunset with reflections on calm water on the right.
Sunday, 21 June 2026

Your weather - Your shots

A varied week of heat and rain
50 years since historic 1976 heatwave. Three-month hot spell. . . Tuesday, 23 June 2026
Black-and-white photograph from the 1976 UK heatwave showing a crowded outdoor swimming area packed with people bathing, wading, and sitting along the water's edge during extreme summer heat.
Tuesday, 23 June 2026

Three-month hot spell

50 years since historic 1976 heatwave
The longest day of the year. Summer solstice. . . Sunday, 21 June 2026
Split image showing crowds gathered at Stonehenge at dawn beneath a hazy sunrise sky on the left, and a UK and Ireland temperature map on the right with temperatures reaching 30 °C near London and a thermometer icon highlighting hot conditions.
Sunday, 21 June 2026

Summer solstice

The longest day of the year
All weather news
This might also interest you
Mixed conditions on an unsettled week. Your weather - Your shots. . . Sunday, 2 November 2025
plit image showing a double rainbow over a rocky shoreline on the left and sheep grazing in a green field under stormy clouds on the right.
Sunday, 2 November 2025

Your weather - Your shots

Mixed conditions on an unsettled week
Turbulent weather in the Canary Islands. Storm and rain. . . Friday, 12 December 2025
Weather graphic showing rain and wind fields over the Canary Islands and a central warning symbol.
Friday, 12 December 2025

Storm and rain

Turbulent weather in the Canary Islands
Historic Storm Éowyn arrives. On this day.... . . Saturday, 24 January 2026
Split image showing a person in a yellow jacket struggling against strong winds and heavy rain on a street at night on the left, and an Irish wind forecast map on the right with red and purple shading, gusts up to 75 mph, and a wind warning icon, divided by a curved white line.
Saturday, 24 January 2026

On this day...

Historic Storm Éowyn arrives
All articles
Weather & Radar

Weather & Radar is also available on

Google Play StoreApp Store

Company

Contact us Privacy Policy Legal info Accessibility statement

Services

Uploader

Socials

facebooktwittertikToklinkList