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Could the north-east of Scotland become the next Bordeaux? Perhaps, with a little help from Russia...

11 October 2017

We’re used to drinking vino from France, Spain and even further afield, but could we soon be filling our glasses with Scottish wine?

These trenches help protect the vines from the worst of the weather

The home-grown British wine industry is mostly located around England’s southern counties where warm weather encourages abundant grape growth.

So it may be something of a surprise to learn that the country’s most northerly outdoor vineyard is located in deepest Aberdeenshire.

Despite it being further north than Moscow, entrepreneur Alan Smith believes his site in Strathdon is the right location.

, because they’re hardy and ripen quickly.

But even these must be protected from the north-east’s cold climate.

He told Radio 4's , “We grow the vines in trenches that are two feet wide and one foot deep so we can cover them on days when you get frost”.

“You can get frost down to about minus seven here.”

Alan also grows grapes in a polytunnel, sheltered from the frost.

However, some purists aren’t too keen on this method and claim that they’re too warm, resulting in the wrong balance of acids and sugars in the grapes.

But this is where Alan’s vineyard has an advantage over others in the UK.

“Here it’s colder. It was half a degree Celsius last night, even in the polytunnel.”

Grapes aren’t the only unlikely item currently being grown in Scotland.

Crofters Lucy and Chris Williams have just started their own tea plantation in Bonar Bridge.

They’re part of a small network of growers stretching from the Borders to Sutherland.

Chris told Radio Scotland's that the Scottish climate is surprisingly well suited to growing tea.

“The tea that we’ve planted comes from China, and the climatic conditions are actually very favourable.

“Although we don’t have a lot of strong sunlight, that’s actually not what you want to produce a premium primary leaf tea.