This Spring has had a difficult start, with just over 670mm of rain from the end of June to the beginning of October.
Temperatures have been slow to warm up with overnight temps below 10C and little sunshine in the last fortnight.
The overall effect has been to delay budburst and limit growth. Meanwhile…Sydney & Brisbane swelter…
Tractor work has been precarious and delayed due to the wetness of the ground. We will need some heat now in November & December to bring harvest dates into Autumn.
We have some very fine 2013 wines in barrel. The Pinot Noir & Gris that I feared may have had some raisined character from some shrivelling of the fruit, look ripe but fresh.
The Mattock, our blend of Merlot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc, looks exceptional with rich ripe fruit and silky tannins. The 2012 has been well received by a number of wine writers (see web page) and sparked some real interest in this blend, so a very strong follow up was needed to confirm its potential.
This year we are again taking part in Open Gardens Australia (OGA). We received so much positive feedback last OGA season, that we have planted out a new section of garden and totally revamped other areas. West Tamar Rotary will again be assisting us over our weekends and will be holding BBQs…soooo…mark the dates in your diaries:
Spring November 9 and 10
Autumn April 19, 20 and 21 (Easter)
10am to 5pm, Admission $7 Under 18 free
Come along and taste our wines, enjoy the BBQ (or BYO picnic) with a glass of wine and enjoy the garden and views over the valley.
Our share of the gate takings will go to West Tamar Rotary, so come and support them too
Now that we have both retired from our off-site jobs, we have decided to be open from noon to 5pm, Saturday, Sunday and Monday for the months of Summer (December to February), so we hope you’ll come and visit. We will still open at other times, By Appointment.
Cheers,
Bob & Rita
