   | HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE 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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