January was a whirlwind, but we made it through — and February is already shaping up to be just as busy. Jamie is now almost a month into his role, and it looks like we like him enough to keep him! With Tour Down Under and Australia Day adding to the pace, much of the month here in South Australia was spent doing our best to dodge the heat.
Managing Extreme Heat in the Adelaide Hills Vineyard
In the vineyard, managing the heat was the number one priority. Mark and the team at Vitiworks worked tirelessly to keep the vines watered and protected as temperatures climbed. Even in the cool climate of the Adelaide Hills, we saw highs of 44°C, a serious test for both vines and vineyard crew.
Thankfully, the vines held up remarkably well, with minimal leaf and fruit burn across the blocks. Even our newly grafted vines, young and fragile as they are, came through the heatwave in great shape — a reassuring sign as we head toward vintage.
First Signs of Veraison in Pinot Noir
Alongside the heat, we began to see the first signs of veraison in our Pinot Noir, as the grapes transition from green to red, a clear indicator that vintage is approaching. This stage is always an exciting milestone in the growing season, marking the shift from canopy management to closely monitoring ripening and flavour development.
The Calm Before Vintage at the Winery
With vintage now firmly on the horizon, Josh and the winery team are making the most of this calm-before-the-storm period. It’s a time to tick off remaining jobs, fine-tune equipment, and prepare for the intensity that harvest inevitably brings.
Looking Ahead: Pinot Grigio from Newly Grafted Vines
We’re also excited to be expecting our first Pinot Grigio fruit from newly grafted vines this coming vintage. But before the grapes start to make their way from the vines to the winery we are tasked with the arduous job of tasting the market and understanding where our style of Pinot Grigio will best fit.
Sampling multiple Pinot Grigios on a sunny day might sound like hard work — but it’s a challenge we’re more than happy to take on!