Wine makers are predicting this year's harvest could be one of the best yet.

Sugar levels in a number of varieties of grapes at vineyards across Sussex are the highest in years.

This means very little extra sugar will need to be added to produce the required alcohol levels.

Vineyards have put the success down to the large amount of sunshine enjoyed in Sussex during September and the summer months.

Roy Cook, owner of Sedlescombe organic vineyard, near Robertsbridge, said sugar levels in recently picked Solaris grapes are the highest in 23 years. He said: "I am confident the 2005 vintage will be one of, if not our best ever.

"The late summer conditions have been superb with a good level of sunshine continuing into October but we will now have to work very hard to get all the grapes in before acid levels fall due to lower night-time temperatures."

The rest of the harvesting gets underway in mid-October when the main grape varieties, including Bacchus, Reichensteiner, Pinot Noir and Regent, are picked.

In the past the vineyard has been awarded Best Dry White for its 2003 vintage and highly commended in the English Wine of the Year competition for both white and rose 2004 sparkling wines.

Mike Roberts, wine maker at Ridgeview Estate in Ditchling, South Downs, said his vineyard's three Champagne-style of grapes, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier, were growing extremely well.

He said: "We've had plenty of long sunny days. We've also had the right amount of rain.

"Plants can cope with dry summers like in 2003 but with the right amount of rain you get a bigger crop.

"We are 88 miles north of Champagne. We get very similar weather to Champagne and most people believe that is the best weather to make sparkling wine."

Ridgeview's 2002 Bloomsbury sparkling wine won best sparkling wine in the world at this year's International Wine and Spirits Competition.

Another vineyard celebrating a bumper crop this year is Bookers Vineyard in Bolney, near Haywards Heath, which recently built a new winery with four top-of-the-range German plunging vats.

Sam Linter, who runs Bookers, said sugar levels at the vineyard had been their highest for at least seven years for Rondo and Pinot Noir red varieties as well as Pinot Gris white grapes.

She said: "Other areas such as Hampshire and Isle of Wight are two weeks behind us. The dry summer in Sussex has meant a really healthy crop.

"September year-on-year over the last four years has been getting warmer, and August this year was outstanding. Global warming is good for English vineyards."

Friday, October 7 2005