Sunday, February 24, 2008

This week: 22nd. Febuary 2008

Weather Report Week Ending 22/2/08
Maximum Temperature for the week 38.2C (100F) on Fri. 4 readings above our monthly average of 29.4C.
Minimum Temperature for the week 9.2C (49F) on Sat. 6 readings above our monthly average of 14.5C.
Rainfall for the Week 0mm (0 points) 0 days of rainfall recorded.
Weather data thanks to BOM & Nuriootpa Viticulture Research Centre.

A 3 day heat wave early this week. The remainder of the week has been fairly mild, with quite warm nights. Still no rainfall recorded.

This week in the vineyard:
The end of vintage is now in sight for us. Most of our major varieties have now been picked or are booked to be picked in the next week. We have now got nearly 70% of our grapes picked. After this week there will only be small blocks and minor varieties for us left to go. In the last week we have picked Shiraz and Merlot for Yalumba and Riesling for Peter Lehmann. Our Mad dog Shiraz will be picked this coming Monday morning.
I have not got a photo today as I am in Melbourne taking part in an international Nuffield conference. So I am trying to manage our harvest at long distance. It is only for a week, then I will be back to see to the end of a very fast and furious harvest for us.

Sunday, February 17, 2008

This week: 15th. Febuary 2008

Weather Report Week Ending 15/2/08
Maximum Temperature for the week 31.7C (89F) on Fri. 1 reading above our monthly average of 29.4C.
Minimum Temperature for the week 9.0C (48F) on Sat. 0 readings above our monthly average of 14.5C.
Rainfall for the Week 0mm (0 points) 0 days of rainfall recorded.
Weather data thanks to BOM & Nuriootpa Viticulture Research Centre.

A very mild week again this week. We have had quite cool conditions all week with all minimums below our average and only one day over our average maximum. Again no rainfall recorded all week.
This week in the vineyard:
Vintage continues at a frantic pace. This week we have been picking Riesling, Semillon, White Frontignac and Cabernet. We have now finished all of our Semillon and White Fronti. We will pick the last of our White grapes this coming week. The Cabernet was picked very early by Peter Lehmann for a Rose’ product they are planning. We have the first blocks of Shiraz booked to be picked early next week, in fact Yalumba will be picking all of their blocks of Shiraz this coming week. The mild weather has meant a fabulous ripening period for our grapes and should mean very good flavour profiles for all of the varieties so far picked. There is some hot weather coming early this week, and potentially some rain later, from a tropical cyclone currently off the West Australian coast – so we will be trying to get as much off as quickly as we can. This week’s photo shows a bunch of Shiraz grapes, ready to pick in the next week or so.

Saturday, February 09, 2008

This week: 8th. Febuary 2008

Weather Report Week Ending 8/2/08
Maximum Temperature for the week 35.2C (95F) on Mon. 3 readings above our monthly average of 29.4C.
Minimum Temperature for the week 8.4C (47F) on Fri. 3 readings above our monthly average of 14.5C.
Rainfall for the Week 0.4mm (1 point) 1 day of rainfall recorded.
Weather data thanks to BOM & Nuriootpa Viticulture Research Centre.

We have had very mild conditions again this week, almost cold for this time of year. It was warm for the start of the week, but from then on it has been quite cool. Excellent weather for ripening grapes and maintaining maximum flavour potential in our fruit. Again no worthwhile rainfall recorded this week.



This week in the vineyard:
Harvest continues and is building in pace. We have most of our white varieties picked or booked to be picked this coming week. We have not yet harvested any red grapes, but we may be starting on them in the next 7-10 days, I suspect. This last week we picked Chardonnay for Peter Lehmann wines. Coming up in the next few days we have Semillon for Peter Lehmann and Yalumba wines. Yalumba will also be taking their Chardonnay and Riesling. So we will be having a very busy week. The photo tonight shows one of our contractors grape harvesters in our vineyard ready to pick Chardonnay and Semillon on Sun night (10th).

Sunday, February 03, 2008

This week: 1st. Febuary 2008

Weather Report Week Ending 1/2/08
Maximum Temperature for the week 34.5C (94F) on Wed. 5 readings above our monthly average of 29.4C.
Minimum Temperature for the week 12.7C (55F) on Mon. 4 readings above our monthly average of 14.5C.
Rainfall for the Week 2.2mm (6 points) 2 days of rainfall recorded.
Weather data thanks to BOM & Nuriootpa Viticulture Research Centre.

A carbon copy of the last 3 weeks, weatherwise in the Barossa Valley. We have been having warm but not too hot days and relatively warm nights, just what the vines need for maximum flavour accumulation. No useful rain to speak of – most of what was recorded came overnight Sat. and was all evaporated the next day.
This week in the vineyard:
As I reported mid week we have now commenced our harvest. In only one night’s picking we got approx. 12% of our crop off. All of our Sauv. Blanc and Pinot Noir has now been picked and we have also picked all of our Chardonnay for Barossa Valley Estate (we have Chardonnay for 2 other wineries still to be picked). We will be picking Chardonnay for Peter Lehmann wines early this coming week. We continue to sample all of our grape varieties to determine the optimum time to pick. We have even already sampled Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. The next few weeks will be the busiest of the year for us in the vineyard, but I will endeavour to post whenever possible to keep you informed of any developments. The photo shows a harvester working in one of our neighbour's vineyards.