Watch this space!

Watch this space!

The 2024 vintage will be remembered for its fast pace, its early timing and its quality.

While all the forecasts predicted a return to an El Nino weather pattern, with drier conditions expected, the growing period between September and December 2023 saw above average rainfall and cool and mild conditions. We were certainly preparing ourselves for another cool, wet and late vintage.

Veraison commenced approximately 10-14 days earlier than usual, starting in late December in our early ripening varieties.  A 68mm rainfall event on Christmas Day 2023 created splitting in some of our more susceptible blocks, leading to leaf plucking and fruit thinning in order to protect the crop from disease.

Fortunately, January through to March remained dry and warm, without being excessively hot, seeing a rapid accumulation of sugar in the fruit, while also ensuring the fruit remained disease free.

Vintage commenced on the 13th February with Chardonnay harvested from our 44 year old vines from our Sunday Creek vineyard.

As we progressed through the vintage, it became clear that the quality of the reds were very strong, as well as our full bodied whites.    What is most exciting however, is the quality of our fortifieds, particularly our Topaques and Muscats, which are all outstanding.

Our 2024 Garganega was grown on the Box Grove vineyard in the Nagambie Lakes region of Central Victoria, by passionate vigneron Sarah Gough.

The vineyard was both shoot thinned and crop thinned to control the yield in this quite vigorous variety.

The fruit was hand harvested and whole bunch pressed to tank, combining the free-run and pressings components for juice fining and cold settling. The two juice parcels were then combined, taking some light fluffy lees from the free-run parcel.    Fermentation occurred in stainless steel tank at temperatures of 13-15°C for approximately two weeks.

The wine was matured on its yeast lees in tank for 8 months, with weekly batonage of the lees to build a gentle creaminess across the mid-palate.   The wine was then stabilized, fined and clarified prior to bottling on the 19th of December 2024.

Our 2023 Garganega is pale straw in colour.  The nose abounds with citrus fruits, baked green apples and a hint of toasted almond.   The palate is crisp and refreshing, with orchard stone fruits on the mid-palate and a gentle creamy texture gained from 9 months ageing in French oak barriques.

Chicken Risotto