King Harvest

...has surely come.

So, autumn is truly with us: we have had one fall of snow already. We do grow cool climate wine, so no surprise there. And the fruit from Alex and Redbank is already picked (by hand of course) and is now in ferment at the winery.

The road to Redbank.

From Redbank we took 10 tonnes of Riesling, and about 23 tonnes of Pinot. This year Mike was particularly pleased with Dijon clones 115 and 777. Dean is considering 2 different Rieslings this year – our usual luscious Picnic Riesling, and a small amount of a drier Two Paddocks Riesling – for the first time.

TP Chevy '47 and the new Riesling block.

From Alex 11 excellent tonnes of Pinot, and here clones 5 and 115  again shone. We will pick at Gibbston after Easter, where we expect about 8 tonnes, looking good.

After the last grapes are in at Redbank, staff and pickers perform the ancient Harvest Line Dance, an 800 year old tradition handed down from Burgundy, and in time honoured fashion, to the music of Mademoiselle Shania Twain.