The grape harvest has come in surprisingly early at a vineyard in East Devon. Last week the Lily Farm Vineyard near the seaside resort of Budleigh Salterton gathered in its crop of red rondo grapes, which are normally harvested in early October.

Vineyards all over England and Wales are reporting early ripening and good quality grapes for both red and white varieties. The season got off to a flying start when the scorching heat of March and April set vines growing some four weeks earlier than usual. However, the rains in June and July slashed the numbers of grapes that formed, and vineyards also had problems with mould in the wet conditions. But temperatures held up well over the summer, and the remaining fruits grew well. The warm, sunny weather in late August and this month helped to ripen the grape, and this year promises a vintage yield, although far fewer bottles of wine will be produced.

The Lily Farm vineyard also enjoys a wonderfully mild micro-climate. Budleigh Salterton nestles inside a ring of high ground, stretching from Dart-moor to Exmoor and the Black-down Hills, which gives shelter from most winds. The area is also bathed in mild air off the North Atlantic Drift, often called the Gulf Stream, which runs along the South Coast.