With the current vintage having sold out online, our attention goes out to the next vintage ...
Walking the vineyard rows as the vines flower and subsequently set fruit, one is always acutely aware of how often we are counting our blessings that the weather has allowed us safe passage through the early season of growth and our forward journey is that much clearer.
Budburst this year was early and came on the back of the warmest of Springs, something of a double-edged sword as we found out in mid-May, when an extremely late frost descended on fruit-growers (some two weeks after what is considered safe).
Thankfully, with one eye on the weather and the other on past experience, our frost candles were still in place for a final burn! (for those of you that missed the video email, you can see the frost candles in action here)
The flowering has been well-balanced despite the stress of the frost and the bunches are now well into their initial period of growth – each individual grape the size of a small pea!
Now to keep an even keel and hope for fair winds!