The old bush Mataro vines just up a slight rise from the winery are the foundation of our much loved Bull’s Blood and Heinrich blends and their progress is something I watch with loving care. I’ve kept photos of the progress from pruned canes onwards so you can share the journey with me. I’ll continue to snap away until the harvest and I trust the accompanying notes give you an insight into the process that will end years down the track when the 2006 vintage is ready for release. Last year, incidentally, I recorded the progress of Hanisch to Harvest and that pictorial history is available on the right.
Friday, 2nd September, 2005
The buds are just starting to swell. Must soon get the tractor out and turn the cover crop into the soil to provide mulch. Been a mild winter with the mean daily maximum temperature over a degree above average in June, July and August. Only three times has the overnight minimum at Nuriootpa, the closest weather station to us, gone below zero and each time it was just in the negative. We normally get nine really cold ones. The rain has been consistent and the dams are filling.
Saturday, 10th September, 2005
Have chosen a bud whose progress we’ll follow over the coming months. Weather still delightfully mild and the ground is still moist.
Wednesday 26th October, 2005
The rain has been tumbling down. Five wet days in a row and as these vines are dry grown, this type of weather will ensure a good growing season. This picture was taken after an 80 millimetre fall in two days.
Wednesday 26th October, 2005
The 116mm in October was more than double what we average around here and with temperatures around the normal 20 degree level during the day the growing conditions have been excellent and the vineyard shows it. I could not be happier with the way things are shaping up. The clusters are growing and about to separate.
Monday, 19th December, 2005
The ideal weather has continued. Warm days and above average rain spread out through November. The vines have finished flowering and we have an even set of grapes. God is in his heaven and the berries are about to go in to rapid cell expansion.
Friday, 30th December, 2005
The year is coming to an end and my optimism about the vintage continues although today is a scorcher to be out in the vineyard. Over 40 degrees in the shade at Nuri so we can add a few degrees to that. Just as well the rain has continued to be higher than in a normal year. Our cluster has grown considerably in two weeks as this picture shows.
Tuesday, 10th January, 2006
The benefit of those good spring rains is shown in the strong cane growth evident in our happy snap. The couple of really hot days that marked the end of 2005 did no damage. Everything still looks rosy. The good healthy growth has led to a doubling in berry size over the two weeks.
Saturday, 14th January, 2006
Just four days since I was last out in the vineyard with the camera and even in that time the grapes have grown in size! Took a picture of a cluster from a Mataro vine planted in 1996 some 30 metres from the old vines to show the different form and type of cluster that is formed under different micro climate conditions.
Thursday, 19th January, 2006
Our Mataro vine is showing that it has nearly reached maximum cell size and is filling out quite nicely. All the indications are good!
Thursday, 26th January, 2006
There is no day of rest for wine makers. Australia Day and still in the vineyard! I am overjoyed as I see the first red berry. Another great Aussie red is about to be born! My thoughts about making the 06 Bull’s Blood have started. I hope, though, that the really hot weather has ended. For three days in a row. 20,21 and 22 January, the maximum was over 40 degrees with a peak of 42.6. Thank goodness that I can escape from the vineyard to the coolness of the winery on days like those.
Thursday, 2nd February, 2006
The colouring has well and truly come. The veraison is in full swing and all the signs are still good.Wednesday, 8th February, 2006
We have had fabulous steady weather and this shows in the very even ripening. Compare this picture to that taken on the 2nd. All looks good at this stage.
