One of the biggest changes taking place in English vineyards is almost invisible to visitors.
Increasingly, vineyard managers are relying on technology to improve fruit quality while reducing costs and environmental impact.
Modern vineyards now use:
- drones to monitor vine health and identify disease before it becomes visible from the ground
- GPS-guided tractors to improve spraying accuracy
- weather stations positioned throughout vineyards
- soil moisture sensors that help determine when irrigation may be needed
- satellite imagery to identify differences in vine vigour
- AI software that predicts disease pressure from weather patterns
Across Europe, autonomous vineyard robots are becoming increasingly common for mowing between rows, under-vine weeding, canopy monitoring and data collection. Fully robotic grape harvesters have been used successfully in suitable vineyards for many years, although in England hand harvesting remains the preferred option for premium sparkling wine because whole bunches are gentler on the fruit and preserve quality.
As labour shortages continue to affect agriculture, many experts believe robotics will play an increasingly important role in vineyard management over the next decade.