VILLAGE INFORMATION
VILLAGE INFORMATION
NEWS
Celebrate 50 Years Since the Judgement of Paris at Bride Valley
a Picnic in the Vineyard
Join us at Bride Valley Vineyard for a very special afternoon celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Judgement of Paris
Tasting - the wine competition that changed the world of wine forever.
Sunday 24th May | 1pm – 4pmBride Valley Vineyard, Litton Cheney
Hosted by Bella Spurrier, this relaxed vineyard gathering will celebrate the legacy of Steven Spurrier through stories,
memories and reflections on one of the most influential wine tastings in history.
On 24th May 1976, Steven Spurrier organised a blind tasting in Paris between celebrated French wines and emerging
Californian wines from Napa Valley. Against all expectations, the Californian wines achieved the highest scores - a
moment that transformed the global wine industry and became famously known as The Judgement of Paris.
Pack up your favourite picnic and join us amongst the vines for an afternoon of wine, stories and celebration. Your
ticket includes a glass of Bride Valley sparkling wine on arrival, with additional wines available to purchase by the glass
or bottle throughout the afternoon.
We’ll have tables and chairs available in the Tasting Tent, but we also encourage guests to bring picnic rugs and settle
out amongst the vineyard to enjoy the views.
Please note:
• Please remember to bring your own picnic
• Dogs are welcome on short leads only
• Parking at the vineyard is limited
• If you live locally, we encourage you to walk from the village - we are approximately a quarter of a mile up the track
from Litton Cheney’s thatched bus stop
We would love for you to join us in raising a glass to Steven and this remarkable moment in wine history.
Please note:• Please remember to bring your own picnic• Dogs are welcome on short leads only• Parking at the
vineyard is limited• If you live locally, we encourage you to walk from the village - we are approximately a quarter of a
mile up the track from Litton Cheney’s thatched bus stop
We would love for you to join us in raising a glass to Steven and this remarkable moment in wine history.
The Vineyard Journal
Spring Edition
April has brought the vineyard back to life, with one of the most exciting moments of the year now underway... bud
burst. After months of dormancy, the vines have begun to wake as the buds push through their protective caps,
triggered by a steady rise in temperatures. It’s the first visible sign of the season ahead, and a reminder that everything
is now in motion.
With this fresh growth comes a flurry of careful, hands-on work in the vineyard. Throughout the month of May our team
will be busy bud rubbing - removing any unwanted shoots emerging from the trunk and crown so that the vine’s energy
is focused where it matters most, on producing healthy, fruit-bearing growth. Sometimes the team have to bud rub 3-4
times throughout May, which is a lot of back-breaking work when you have 50,000 vines to do!
At the same time, the team will begin shoot thinning. This involves selecting the strongest shoots along the canes and
removing weaker or excess growth, ensuring the vine channels its resources efficiently. It’s a crucial step in setting the
foundation for quality grapes later in the season.
Alongside this, early-season disease control is underway. As the weather warms, so too does the risk of disease, so
we’re taking a proactive approach to keep the vines healthy from the outset. We’ll continue with careful spraying,
protecting against disease - mainly Powdery & Downey mildew which thrive in damp warm conditions and can
seriously affect grape yield and quality by infecting leaves.
Vineyard floor management also comes into focus, with cultivating beneath the vines to control weeds and maintain
soil health. In keeping with No Mow May, we’ll be leaving areas of wildflowers to flourish, encouraging biodiversity and
supporting beneficial insects throughout the vineyard, while still maintaining the rows to allow us to work effectively.
Another important task is our worm counts - a simple but valuable way of understanding the health of our soils. By
monitoring worm populations across the vineyard, we gain insight into the structure of our soil as worms enhance the
porosity and aeration, as well as the fertility of the soil by breaking down organic matter.
Of course, our much anticipated and prettiest month in the vineyard is June, when flowering takes place. Good
flowering is essential for inflorescence formation - the early stages of what will become this year’s grape clusters. We
hope that the weather will remain sunny and dry for the rest of spring - heavy rain during flowering can knock of those
valuable flower heads.
As always, this time of year is about balance - guiding the vines, protecting them, and setting the stage for the months
ahead. We’re excited to watch the season unfold and look forward to sharing more with you soon.
More from Bride Valley Vineyard
An Invitation to a Picnic
Vineyard Journal May 2026
Cow Lane Closure 28th May
