We’re very excited to be delivering a Pellenc Grapes’ Line 80 trailed mechanical harvester to a family-run vineyard in East Sussex for the 2022 harvest.
Last October we held a machinery demonstration day with contractor and our specialist sales advisor Sam Barnes so that vineyard managers and winemakers could see the Pellenc in action.
Following this event, we have continued conversations with a number of leading still and sparkling English wine producers, including the Sussex-based producer we are delivering the new machine to, on the considerable benefits of mechanically harvesting fruit here in the UK.
The Pellenc Grapes’ Line 80 is the perfect harvester for our English vineyards as the trailed machine features a hydraulic tow bar for better manoeuvrability, meaning it can cope with the tight headlands we normally see in vineyards which have been planted with hand harvesting in mind.
We also believe that the Pellenc has an unrivalled sorting table which carefully removes unwanted matter (MOG) and diseased fruit on the go. According to Sam, who travelled to New Zealand to research the different makes and models, it is far more selective than the other mechanical harvesters.
It is very effective at ensuring only the best sample of fruit ends up in the bins as you are not just relying on a de-stemmer and fans to remove leaves and debris. And it also has a much gentler cleaning method, which will be important for those looking to use mechanically harvested fruit for sparkling wine production.
Demand is certainly increasing for machine harvesting solutions in the UK. Last year SJ Barnes invested in a second Grapes Line 80 to ensure that the contracting company could fulfil growers’ needs.
“Anyone with over 60Ha would find it justifiable to invest in their own Pellenc,” said Sam. “But it is not just about buying the equipment; you need to ensure that you have a skilled operator to drive it and the infrastructure in place to cope with the logistics.”
For more information on the Pellenc range of mechanical harvesters, as well as the other grape picking products NP Seymour offers, please phone the office on 01580 712200 or email sales@npseymour.co.uk.
