A snapshot of vintage 2015 - or #v15 as you'll see it in all the social media tags such as Instagram (wantirna_estate) and Twitter @wantirnaestate.
Like every vintage it is a story of doing one thing, then reversing it. Nets on, then nets off. Clean the equipment, dirty it, clean it up. Empty barrels, refill them and so it goes.
The nets went on early January because it doesn't matter how sour those grapes are, the birds still seem to want to sneak in early and start eating. The fruit so far has been beautiful after such a mild summer. All the chardonnay and pinot is picked and processed and now in barrel or tank finishing up. Probably we will start the merlot and cabernet franc early next week, with the cabernet sauvignon to follow quite soon after with the 4 rows of petit verdot to be the last to get picked.
So the grapes have been terrific, the quantities a tiny bit better than last year but still a bit low unfortunately but that is life in a vineyard that is ageing. More inter planting of young vines to be done this winter
Like every vintage it is a story of doing one thing, then reversing it. Nets on, then nets off. Clean the equipment, dirty it, clean it up. Empty barrels, refill them and so it goes.
The nets went on early January because it doesn't matter how sour those grapes are, the birds still seem to want to sneak in early and start eating. The fruit so far has been beautiful after such a mild summer. All the chardonnay and pinot is picked and processed and now in barrel or tank finishing up. Probably we will start the merlot and cabernet franc early next week, with the cabernet sauvignon to follow quite soon after with the 4 rows of petit verdot to be the last to get picked.
So the grapes have been terrific, the quantities a tiny bit better than last year but still a bit low unfortunately but that is life in a vineyard that is ageing. More inter planting of young vines to be done this winter