Vineyard in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland isn't the first place most people imagine when they think of vineyards, and that's part of what makes this place feel a bit special to us. We've got just unde…

Northern Ireland isn't the first place most people imagine when they think of vineyards, and that's part of what makes this place feel a bit special to us. We've got just under four acres of vines on a south-facing slope, and on clear days the light across the rows in the evening is something you don't forget. The house itself is an older stone property that we've been gradually doing up since we moved in. It still has plenty of original character in the right places, and we've tried not to strip too much of that out in the name of modernising. Life here is seasonal and practical. Spring and summer are the busiest times out in the vineyard, with pruning, training, and general maintenance of the rows taking up a fair amount of the week. There's always something that needs attention: a post that's worked loose, netting to check, ground to clear. Outside of the vineyard itself, the house and its surroundings need regular upkeep too, the kind of maintenance work that builds up when your attention is mostly elsewhere. I'm happy to take anyone who's interested properly into the vineyard processes. How we manage the canopy, what we're looking at when we walk the rows, how we think about harvest timing. We don't expect people to arrive knowing anything about viticulture. Most of what matters here you can pick up in a few days.

The main help we need is with general upkeep across the vineyard and property: checking and repairing vine supports, clearing ground between rows, maintaining the site, and tu…

The main help we need is with general upkeep across the vineyard and property: checking and repairing vine supports, clearing ground between rows, maintaining the site, and turning your hand to whatever practical task is most pressing that week. There's no single role here, it changes with the season. For anyone interested, I'm glad to walk you through how we actually manage the vineyard, from how we read the vines to how we think about harvest. That's not a requirement, just something we enjoy sharing. No prior experience with vineyards or gardening is needed, only a willingness to work outdoors and do physical work in most weather conditions. Kathy and I are around most of the time, so you won't be left to figure things out alone.