This week: 1st Sept.

Weather Report Week Ending 01/9/06
Maximum Temperature for the week 24.0C (75F) on Fri.
Minimum Temperature for the week -0.7C (31F) on Sat.
Rainfall for the Week 0.2mm (1 point).
Weather data thanks to BOM & Nuriootpa Viticulture Research Centre.


Still no rainfall to report. This week I have seen the first signs of covercrops dying from lack of moisture. A couple more frosts this week, although not severe enough to damage the new buds that are starting to burst now. Last month was one of the driest Augusts on record for the Barossa Valley and that follows the previous two winter months also being well below average. Overall probably our driest winter on record.

This week in the vineyard : Our new block of Sauv. Blanc. has now been put in growtubes (as the picture above shows). We have also been out mowing down our cover crops, to reduce our frost risk and also to preserve the little bit of moisture we have in our soil. Below is a picture of one of our 16 year old Shiraz with it's first shoots just starting to burst. We also have young Chardonnay now at second leaf stage.