2007 Vintage Report

A vintage that one needed to experience but hopefully only once in a lifetime.

The extended dry over the last few years and the certain drought through the latter part of 2006 and into early 2007 had dire effects on yields and maturity. Yields down and ripeness early. So early in fact that we crushed our first grapes 6 weeks earlier than we would normally expect, and as at time of writing (04/04/2007) we have crushed our last.

We expected that flavours and balance in the grapes may have been a problem but we waited (a lot longer than some) until ripeness was where we wanted. Rieslings are looking very very good some parcels of Shiraz exceptional whilst across the board Cabernets are very good.

The fascination of winemaking, nothing is ever the same and the seasons continually surprise.

Neil Paulett