2021 Harvest
The 2021 harvest I would say was one of the better ones we’ve experienced in recent years. In our fabled zone of Heathcote, the ripening season appeared to be slow and steady like 2017. Then as it’s so often the case, it was all hands on deck.
Baume is there so hurry up! For those that avoided the large rain event in March the berry quality was on the money. So keep an eye out for vintage 2021 throughout most of the Australia’s well-known wine regions – it’s a cracker! We decided to ferment the skins a little longer because we had a good vibe (as they said in the movie ‘The Castle” – “its Mabo…the constitution”). That’s what Charles and I often do as winemakers, who are not afraid to try something a little different from the previous year. You have a go and see what eventuates…true learning does occur on the edge of ones own experience. As you can see, we’re old school fellas who still use a simple basket press to lightly press our skins after primary fermentation. The vintage is now shooting the breeze, chill’in so to speak on French oak.