A vintage defined by light, balance and precision — with Pinot Noir at its absolute best.
The 2025 vintage will be remembered as one of the warmest and most complete growing seasons we have experienced in recent years — a year defined by sunshine, early development, and remarkable fruit quality.
Harvest at Fox & Fox - September 2025
From the outset, the season showed its intent. An unusually warm March, preceding the official growing season, accelerated early vine activity and effectively brought the vineyard forward before April had even begun. While our formal Growing Degree Day (GDD) accumulation (April–October) reached 1025, the influence of these pre-season conditions was significant and clearly expressed in the pace and uniformity of development across the vineyard.
The growing season that followed was notably hot, with periods of drought stress emerging during the height of summer. Here, our Wadhurst clay soils proved invaluable. Their natural water-retentive properties provided a crucial buffer, sustaining the vines through dry spells and preserving canopy function at key stages of ripening.
Sunshine levels were also notably strong. Using output from our south-east facing barn solar panels as a practical proxy for solar intensity, 2025 ranks among the brighter recent vintages — reinforcing the consistent ripening conditions observed in the vineyard.
As a result, fruit development progressed steadily and cleanly, with excellent bunch health and concentration.
Harvest commenced on 26th September, at a GDD of 948, placing it among our earlier harvests in recent years and notably ahead of cooler vintages such as 2021, while aligning more closely with the structure of warmer years such as 2020 and 2023. At this point, the fruit had reached a rare alignment of maturity metrics: phenolic ripeness, sugar levels, and natural acidity were in balance — the hallmark of a truly high-quality sparkling wine vintage.
Particularly noteworthy was the performance of Pinot Noir, which delivered exceptional depth, structure, and purity. The quality was such that we have taken the unusual step of producing a limited-edition Blanc de Noirs, released exclusively in magnum — a format befitting the scale and character of the wine.
As ever, harvest is not only about conditions and numbers, but about people. We were once again supported by a wonderful group of Fox & Fox customers and friends, whose energy and enthusiasm are an integral part of the vintage each year.
In summary, 2025 stands as a warm, early, and highly successful vintage — combining technical balance with expressive fruit character, underpinned by both favourable conditions and the resilience of our site.
Seasonal Comparison: Growing Degree Days, Harvest GDD, Harvest date
|
Vintage |
Season GDD |
Harvest GDD |
Harvest Date |
|
2025 |
1025 |
948 |
26 Sep |
|
2024 |
896 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
2023 |
1051 |
996 |
9 Oct |
|
2022 |
1007 |
919 |
1 Oct |
|
2021 |
865 |
839 |
16 Oct |
|
2020 |
1050 |
1001 |
6 Oct |