Yorkshire vineyards experiment with merlot as climate changes

Vineyards in Yorkshire are experimenting with the growing of grapes typically found in southern Europe as summers become hotter and longer.

Wineries in the region are set for a record-breaking harvest following a dry and warm growing season, after they produced more than 140,000 bottles in 2025.

This year, Wine GB anticipates Yorkshire’s producers will surpass that figure, with vineyards looking at ways of growing new varieties as the climate shifts.

About 100 vines of merlot have been planted at Yorkshire Heart near York, where owner Tim Spakouskas says: “If it does well, we’ll plant more of it, and hopefully rely on the summer that we’re getting to help produce a really good quality merlot wine.”

Merlot is the main grape grown in the French wine regions of Right Bank, near Bordeaux.

Italy, California, Australia, South Africa and Chile also produce merlot.

“This year we’re hoping for our biggest and best harvest,” says Tim, after helping to load crates full of grapes onto a conveyor belt at the family-run vineyard in Nun Monkton.

“It’s been a really good growing year. The hot, dry weather has been great for the vines.”