Wolds Wine Estate Lights up the Night Sky to Protect Vines from Frost Damage

Scenes more usually associated with the vineyards of France were on display in Stanton-on-the-Wolds last night as Wolds Wine Estate fought through the night to prevent frost damage to the vineyard.

Frost candles, often referred to as Bougies, were placed along the vineyard aisles in rows and lit when the temperature dropped below zero. The hope is that the combined heat of the candles will be enough to heat the cold air and protect the young buds susceptible to the freezing conditions.

Late spring frosts can kill off the young shoots from the vines and have a significant impact on harvest volumes. An early May frost in 2020 left some vineyards with 90-100% frost damaged vines and meant a significant drop in grape volumes. It was therefore a long night for vineyard owner Rob and vineyard assistant Matt who both worked through the night to ensure that candles stayed alight and monitor the temperatures.

Estate owner and founder Rob Kalisiak says: “It’s an absolutely stunning sight to see the vineyard lit by the hundreds of candles. However, it is a very nervous time for us as we battle through the night to keep the temperatures up. We are hopeful that we’ve made the difference with the temperatures in the vineyard staying just above freezing whilst other areas dropped below -3 degrees celsius. We won’t be sure that the buds have survived for another few days.”

The recent warm weather and sun has helped the vines bud a little sooner this year and vineyards across the country now pray for a frost free May and a good summer ahead. The frost candles are made from 100% vegetable wax. 

If you’d like to learn more about English viticulture then please book onto one of our tours and tastings: https://woldswineestate.com/product/vineyard-tour-and-tastings or if you’d like to come and stay in our vineyard we offer glamping accommodation: https://woldswineestate.com/luxury-vineyard-glamping-pods