Behind the winery grows one of our most important assets, the block of old vine Mataro (Mourvèdre). The age is uncertain though two sources suggest they were planted more than 100 years ago. Along the road from the winery and next to Peter Lehmann lives ‘Snow’ Andretzke who is now 80 years old and he says the vines have been there all his life. David Stoll, an old school chum, lived directly opposite the winery, in the Seltzer homestead, and he tells me that his mother remembers the vines as being old when she was growing up. More evidence of the Mataro being over 80 years old. The vines are unirrigated and have settled into a sense of place, if you like.

I first pruned these vines in 1978 and learnt from Vic Kraft who was very strict about the pruning cut being very clean, picking the best shoots for the basket (see later), making sure the buds point inwards so the growth of the new canes is towards the centre of the basket and not in a way that allows the canes to sprawl into the cane rows. Mataro is an erect grower so its suits this form of pruning. You do not have to grow Mataro this way as it can be trellised like any vine in which case you would spur prune and there would be no basket. We could re-trellis this block but the method of pruning opens up the vine and the fruit ripens beautifully. Mataro is a heavy bearer normally though these vines just coast along in old age.

The idea is to select two canes on opposite sides of the bush and prune these back to about 10-12 buds. These are then interwoven and as they will bear most of the fruit, the fruit hangs in the middle of the bush while the foliage is spread around the bush. The rest of last year's canes are pruned back to one or two buds. These may bear some fruit and they become the canes from which the best two will be selected next year. Recall that most of this Mataro goes into Bulls Blood.

Step 1

I survey the job. All these canes would have produced fruit for the 2005 vintage. This fruit would have been at the base of the canes you see and within the first half a dozen nodes. Note the basket formed from last year’s pruning arching across the centre of the photo. The vine had been well pruned last year as the vines are well spaced and have had good growth.

 

Step 2

I select the two canes to be used for the basket. You want canes that are roughly in line with the vine row. I am holding one of the selected canes. I quickly assess which two I choose to make sure they are healthy, the distance apart is suitable to form the basket and the canes are strong enough to be wrapped.

 

Step 3

The first canes removed are last year’s basket as this opens up the vine for pruning. Remember the basal buds are the most productive and these will be preserved.

 

Step 4

I continue to remove canes from the centre of last year’s basket though I keep the basal two bud spurs.

 

Step 5

Here the cane cuttings are being pulled away and the first of the two arms takes shape. This cane will be left with 10-12 buds.

 

Step 6

The first basket cane takes shape and is on the left and the second cane is being isolated by removing all the shoots around it however I always seek to leave one or two bud spurs below the cane. I do this because next year I will cut out the basket cane and may use the buds left this year for next year’s basket cane.

 

Step 7

I continue to discard the pruned canes. Incidentally all the green shoots that look like weeds around are a form of barley and will be turned into the soil to build up the organic matter.

Step 8

Here I am tipping the second cane to leave 10-12 buds.

Step 9

Both canes are now tipped and I continue to prune leaving two bud spurs on suitable shoots and completely remove weaker shoots.

 

Step 10

Removing all of the remaining canes and leaving a spur with two buds which will provide the canes for next years selection.

 

Step 11

So the fruit for vintage 2006 will come from the two basket canes and an amount will also come from the spurs.

 

Step 12

Cleaning up.

 

Step 13

When pruning you need to be systematic and work say from left to right. A quick check of the vine to make sure I have cleaned it well as I can still hear my pruning mentor Mr. Kraft whispering in my ear, 'a clean vine this year is an easier vine to prune next year'.

 

Step 14

The pruning is complete.

 

Step 15

The two canes are formed into a basket.

 

Step 16

The job is finished and all we now want is a good harvest. This is the joy of wine making. Working the vineyard, pruning the rare old vines, being part of their history and making sure they are preserved and well cared for.