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New Release - 2017 Rosé

4/12/2017

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We are pleased to release our 2017 vintage Rosé.  We call our Rosé the "oh dear" wine - At the end of the day, we have a glass on the verandah, we look down and find the bottle is empty… "oh dear"... 

This Saignée style Rosé has a light red brick colour with a sparkling crimson tint.  Aromas of strawberry, raspberry and flint burst from a glass of this barrel fermented Rosé.  On the palate the red berries show through again and integrates well with a meaty, textural finish.  Perfect wine for a summer slurp and that delicious Frosé…
Full Release Newsletter
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New Release - 2016 Chardonnay

30/11/2017

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GOLD MEDAL at the 2017 National Wine Show of Australia


We can now say… WE ARE MAKING ONE OF THE BEST CHARDONNAYS IN AUSTRALIA!​

"The National Wine Show of Australia is Australia’s premier national wine show.  The purpose of the Show is to judge and promote the best of the best Australian wines.  Wine classes are open to award winning wines and on invitation basis only".

"To qualify for the National Wine Show is a great achievement in its own right.  To be recognized as you have against Australia's very best wines is simply outstanding."

The Whimwood Estate 2016 Chardonnay has surpassed our expectations and continues to bring us accolades and unsurpassable joy!
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We are very pleased to release our signature 2016 vintage Whimwood Estate Chardonnay.
Full Release Newsletter

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Update on 2015 Chardonnay

2/11/2017

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​We don't put all our wines into wine shows and if we do we are selective with which shows.  We challenge ourselves and select the more prestiges shows so that we can seriously assess our wine.  Some shows can have 3000+ wines entered and 35+ top leading judges in an event that holds national and international recognition.  The results and judges comments gives us feedback, direction and a great opportunity to benchmark ourselves against our counterparts in the industry.  So when you win an award, it truly is fantastic feeling!  The 2015 Chardonnay has just finished her final run in entering shows and like a good mare, we have 'retired' her to the cellar to sit and wait to be devoured… We thought we might re-capture her achievements...

AWARDS:
TROPHY - 2016 Best Blackwood Valley White Table Wine
GOLD MEDAL - 2017 Perth Royal Show
GOLD MEDAL  - 2017 Timber Towns Wine Show
GOLD MEDAL  - 2016 Blackwood Valley & WA Boutique Wine Show
94 Points & Special Value Rating - Halliday Wine Companion 2018
SILVER MEDAL - 2017 WA Boutique Wine Show & Blackwood Valley Wine Show
BRONZE MEDAL - 2016 Perth Royal Wine Show
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​Full Release Newsletter
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New Release - 2016 Shiraz

25/10/2017

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​We are pleased to release our 2016 vintage Shiraz sporting a new label design.  It's a 3/4 wrap around label with a beautiful drawing of a 'whim' and a team of horses dragging out a log from the forrest; capturing our past history.  Find below all the technical specifications and tasting notes for this wine.

This Shiraz was produced from 100% Nannup fruit.  The fruit was allowed to ferment naturally then macerate on skins for 21 days to extract all the natural colour and tannins possible.  This has produced a wine with dark berry fruit and floral aromas with subtle spice and toasty oak characteristics.

AWARDS:
91 Points & Special Value Rating - Halliday Wine Companion 2018
BRONZE MEDAL - 2017 Western Australia Boutique Wine Show
BRONZE MEDAL - 2017 Wine Show of Western Australia
​Full Release Newsletter

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October/November 2017

15/10/2017

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​A cold and wet spring has persisted, but we may finally be getting into some warmer weather and as a result the vine growth has powered on.  The vineyard is pruned, raked, mulched, wires dropped and the vines have been shoot thinned...

So what is shoot thinning and why do we do it?

​It is the first practice of canopy management we conduct for the season and is done when growth is at about 10-20cms.  You can easily 'flick' off unwanted shoots.  We shoot thin to help improve sunlight exposure and air movement through the canopy.   We shoot thin to adjust the crop load by thinning fruitful shoots and we increase the leaf to fruit ratio by thinning non-fruiting shoots.  Shoots in the crown, truck and base of spurs (along the cordon) are all removed, unless needed for next seasons cordon framework.​
​October/November 2017 Newsletter

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September 2017 - Special JH Release

20/9/2017

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​We got invited by James Halliday AM (from now on known as 'God') to submit our wines for rating and possible inclusion into the Halliday Wine Companion 2018 (otherwise known as 'The Bible' and an excellent wine reference book).  The Bible is 776 pages of information about 9769 wines that were tasted for the 2018 edition.  The wines are given ratings (if warranted) and collectively the ratings determine the "winery" rating.  Our first ever entry into the book and we are delighted.  Our rating… 4.5 STAR WINERY
Special JH Newsletter
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August/September 2017

4/9/2017

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Cane pruning (Guyot) is where the cordons/arms are cut off minus a single cane (or two) either side of the crown.  These canes will have about 6 to 10 buds and will be trained along the fruiting wire, these buds will produce shoots that will be next season's production.  Come the next winter, that cane will be removed and replaced by a new one year old cane and the cycle continues.  This technique limits the lignified growth (wood that becomes 'woody') to just the trunk and seems to be a better technique for older vines (that incur wood/insect diseases), or those in cooler/wet climates (that incur winter damage), or where cordons are damaged and beyond repair (from machinery).

​Spur pruning (Cordon) is more common in warmer climates growing regions like Australia and in "middle aged" vines.  The Cordon is a horizontal extension of the truck and remains in a permanent position year after year, growing thicker and thicker each year.  While the vine is in dormancy, we prune the canes from last years spurs to be next season's production.  The spur positions (about a hand width apart) support one cane that is pruned short and in our vineyard to two buds.  These two buds will grown into canes and each bud will bear two bunches of fruit.  We also grow a 'reserve' cordon just below the crown in case we need to replace one of the main cordon arms.

​Then of course there is the really technical reasons:
Why cane prune?  Because spur pruning is too difficult.  Why spur prune?  Because cane pruning is too difficult.
August/September 2017 Newsletter
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June/July 2017

16/7/2017

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​I said I would be back in June, where did that month go?  Certainly it is full swing back in the vineyard, the barrel prune is done (equivalent to going along the vines with a chainsaw) and I have followed with hand pruning and fine tuning of the Shiraz.  Waiting for the risk of frost to pass before pruning the Chardonnay; (if you prune too early you will promote bud burst which will 'burn' with frost).  So the time spent between prunes is taken up by raking under the vines, fixing posts, cleaning wire, mending wires…
June/July 2017 Newsletter
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April 2017

12/4/2017

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Did I mention the weather!!!  Well, it has certainly played a big part this year.  The slow coolish summer has made it perfect for whites but the reds are taking their time to get ripe and with rain events and cool days/nights, it was touch and go if we would even get to pick the Shiraz.  But we finally did yesterday 11 April (the latest we have ever picked).

Meanwhile the 2017 Chardonnay has finished it’s fermentation and going through the wine process nicely.  Our winemaker said… “I don’t know what you guys are doing; I didn’t think we could beat the 2016, but you have…”  So winemaker and vigneron’s are very happy and will wait patiently for the next 11 months while she works her magic on oak.

But for now, Vintage is over, the sheep are in the vineyard, the vines will move into the Senescence phase.  This is where the canes maturation is complete; the cane cells cannot grow or divide anymore.  The vineyard goes into dormancy, the leaves will fall and the vineyard will rest until June when we start all over again… 

In the meantime, we can concentrate on farm jobs and have a little holiday!

​I will be back in June 2017….
April 2017 Newsletter
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March 2017

2/3/2017

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It seems to be that the weather is all I talk about!  The Blackwood River flooded from rains up North of Perth but fortunately no damage to us not like our friends in the Swan Valley and even down the road here!  With all that water comes humidity and that can play a big part in the grapes developing Botrytis, which is grape rot.  So all vineyards were busy monitoring the fruit and dropping any that may show signs.  We hand pick our fruit, so we can pick the best bunches.  Our rule is, if you wouldn't eat it then don’t pick it!!  Not the case for machine harvests, whereby everything, including whatever is crawling along the vines is shaken into the bins!!!

We have completed the dropping of slow ripening fruit in the Shiraz and the grapes are looking good.

We test the grapes Baume which is the sugar content of the juice by its density.  We pick a representative number of berries from all rows taking a berry from different spots on the bunch, crush it (with a very technical piece of kit – a potato masher) and strain the juice.  We then measure the temperature, taste for flavour and use a refractometer to test sugar levels.  When we reach an ideal Baume we pick the fruit!

And as such Vintage has commenced in the vineyard with the picking of the 2017 Chardonnay yesterday.  Winemaker is happy and using the word 'awesome'… which he uses very sparingly…  Great day, great fruit so very pleased.

The Shiraz will be another 2-4 weeks before it is ready for harvest.

Another GOLD medal at the Timber Towns Wine Show for the 2015 Chardonnay!!  That is 2 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze and a Trophy Award for that vintage.

​What a joy it is to make a great Chardonnay!
​March 2017 Newsletter
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