This year, our 22nd, was again distinctive and
again it was early and some serious rainfall at
veraison meant that the berries were bigger this year, so the crops were slightly higher.
Starting on March the 10th we harvested
quickly and finished the earliest ever. It was not a hot vintage, so the flavours were retained, but we felt the grapes were fragile so picked quickly as things ripened.
We saw early on that it was a bigger year and, with cooler easterlies winds predominating, we
decided to drop some bunches early, up to 18 bunches a vine in one parcel!? This really
helped as the vines managed to get the
remaining bunches ripe and we were happy
with the health of the fruit.
April saved us also as it only had 19% of normal
rainfall and we nearly had the last month of no rain, which was so good.
Slightly lower sugars this year means the wine is perhaps more elegant and refined but it still
shows the texture we are looking for.