‘We were really pleased’: Leeds wine producer hails ‘fantastic turnout’ at first harvest festival

A Leeds wine producer has hailed the “fantastic turnout” at its first-ever harvest festival, held on Saturday (September 19).

Around 65 volunteers gathered at Knotfield Vines in Rawdon to help with the vineyard’s annual grape harvest, which, for the first time, was celebrated as a community event.

Speaking to the Yorkshire Evening Post, co-owner Sophie Ellis said the turnout was much better than expected.

“It was really great - we were really pleased,” she said.

“Everyone seemed to have a lovely time. We had the harvest done within about two hours.

“Around 65 people came to help with the picking, and then in the afternoon the bar was open, so plenty more people turned up for that.

“We’d hoped for 50, so it was a lovely surprise and a really great turnout. We’re really pleased.”

The business was founded in 2022 by Sophie and her best friend Laura Tillotson.

They produce traditional-method English sparkling wine and have already received critical acclaim, including two silver medals from WineGB.

Sophie said the ambition is to be recognised nationally, but emphasised that the business is firmly rooted in Leeds.

“We want to be nationally recognised, but we are homegrown, and so much of what we do relies on the support of people who live nearby and are our neighbours,” she said.

“We want people to come and enjoy the space - that’s what it’s for - and to be part of the story.

“There’s nothing that makes you more part of the story than literally helping to pick the grapes that, in two years’ time, will arrive in a bottle that you’ll hopefully drink.

“Being part of that process just makes it feel more rooted in where we’re from.”

The hot weather means the grapes are smaller but more concentrated.

“The actual weight of grapes going to the winery is lower because they’re less swollen with water after such a hot, dry summer,” Sophie explained.

“The grapes themselves are smaller, which means they’re going to be packed with really concentrated flavour, which is fantastic.”

The grapes picked will become a 2026 vintage wine, ready to enjoy in two years’ time. The smaller grapes have a higher sugar concentration, which can result in a higher alcohol content and give each vintage its own unique flavour and character.

Sophie said: “It’s just a different year to last year, and we’re excited to see, when we taste the base wine in February, what kind of exciting flavour expressions we’ll get.

“We’re a vintage grower, so each vintage is different depending on the growing season, and that’s part of the joy of it. Every year is different.”

After the harvest was completed on Saturday, volunteers and guests gathered at the Cabin bar, where they got to enjoy a few glasses of the 2024 vintage.

“It is a celebration - it’s the culmination of a whole year’s work. People’s time is precious, and people coming down to help us is something we really wanted to acknowledge,” said Sophie.

Following the success of its first harvest festival, Sophie and Laura said they want to make it an annual event.

“The appetite for it was fantastic and people were really complimentary,” they said. “Hopefully, as our yields get bigger, so will our footfall and our harvest festival.”