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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! We are very pleased to release our signature 2016 vintage Whimwood Estate Chardonnay. Full Release Newsletter
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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  HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE
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 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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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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