WEATHER CONDITIONS (AND CONSEQUENCES):

WINTER 2008
RAINFALL 290mm, TEMP 18 – 20 DEGREES CELSIUS, STRONG DRY NORTHERLY WINDS.
VERY DRY THEREFORE VINES COULDN’T BUILD UP RESERVES

SPRING 2008
RAINFALL 160mm, TEMP 20 – 22 DEGREES CELSIUS, STRONG NORTHERLY WINDS.
LOTS OF RAIN. VINES GREW VERY VIGOUROUSLY

NOVEMBER 2008 - JANUARY 2009
RAINFALL 160mm, TEMP 22 – 24 DEGREES CELSIUS, STRONG NORTH AND SOUTH EASTERLY WINDS.

HARVEST 2009
NO RAIN AT ALL, VERY HOT TEMPERATURES – HOTTEST IN 15 YEARS, STRONG SOUTH EASTERLY WINDS.

THE YOUNG VINES TOOK STRAIN DUE TO THESE WEATHER CONDITIONS

HARVEST 2009:

CHALLENGES (IN VINEYARD AND CELLAR)
Brand new cellar, just getting to grips with how everything works and flows.
The younger vines took strain due to the Feb./ Mar. heat and one needed to exercise serious crop loading and patience to get optimum ripeness.

POSITIVES
First time in my own cellar, extremely good colour on red varietals.

BEST-PERFORMING WHITE AND RED VARIETIES
Shiraz

LESS WELL-PERFORMING WHITE AND RED VARIETIES
We only make Shiraz!

CROP SIZE - OVERALL AND VARIETIES WITH SIGNIFICANT LOWER OR HIGHER YIELDS
Overall lower but good, small berries.

OVERALL QUALITY (WHITES AND REDS)
Good