The pre vintage trip that turned out to be a little different than expected. I was expecting extreme heat, but the weather was stunning on my arrival, mid 20s (after 40 the day prior). The mild summer continues. The vines are in perfect condition, great canopy with good water retention. Some minor stress in the Grenache and Mataro, but that is probably what we need at this stage. Vintage is probably running 4 weeks behind 2016, perhaps a return to the norm, the first of the shiraz is probably due mid March assuming no major weather change.  I suspect we will be still picking the Shiraz into late March and run through to the last Mataro in late April. Vintage does look good though, so cross your fingers it stays that way.

I had another formal taste of the 2016 wines in barrel with Andrew and a few others, they look extremely good. We will be bottling the 2016 Mataro, Grenache and blends in March, the Shiraz and Mataro Shiraz still in need of a long rest. Will revisit later in the year.

Barossa Valley (March 13, 2017)         

The weather in South Australia, and the Barossa in particular, has continued to behave itself - cool nights, warm days. Across the valley, the whites have in most cases been picked with the first of the red varieties well under way. For us in Ebenezer, Greenock and Stone Well, vintage draws nearer and we would expect that we will commence picking sometime next week -  initially with the Greenock Shiraz, followed by Stonewell and Ebenezer, and then the Grenache and the Mataro well into April. The fruit looks in great shape as the picture below highlights. 

Barossa Valley (March 13, 2017)