The brand which is based in southern England, near Littlehampton, has declared that the quality and volume of the 2012 harvest does not meet the required standard because of this year’s unusually poor weather conditions.

The company says: “Given that we grow 100% of the grapes that go into Nyetimber wines on our estate, we are able to make the choice of whether or not to harvest. We would like to thank all those people who put in months of hard work into this growing season.

“We focus not on years, but on generations. Nyetimber remains committed to creating the finest sparkling wine in England, one to rival the very best in the world, including champagne, and continues to look to the future with excitement and confidence,” says a company spokesperson.

Nyetimber winemaker Cherie Spriggs said:“The decision to not make wine from 2012 is a difficult one, not just for me but for our whole team. However, we all know that maintaining quality is paramount. My first obligation as the winemaker is to ensure the quality of Nyetimber’s wines, and we have collectively come to the decision that the grapes from 2012 cannot deliver the standards we have achieved in the past and will again in the future.”