Day 18 8th March

Another quiet day today before the likely scramble through the upcoming week.

We’ve done the 10,000 step berry sampling dance across the vineyard again today and both the Merlot Noir and Cabernet Franc are ready to rock and roll.

The Riesling is being its usual touchy self. Even after the 28.9 mm of the last 7 days it is still holding its sugar and the pH is just above 3 so it may well meet its maker later this week. It is exhibiting all those talc dusted juicy citrus fruit aromatics we look for in this classic cool climate gem.

I have noticed over the decades of growing and making Riesling here at Bloodwood that it has a tendency to stagger as it approaches the end of its ripening cycle and it can even fall back a little in fructose accumulation. I posit without any actual science supporting me that the plant is sensing the end of the season and is beginning to accumulate any available nutrient into its roots and wood for over-wintering.

This may be 14 carat bunkum, but to this simple wine maker, this seems to be a signal that, like everything vintage, by this act of the circus, everyone’s had enough..

Speaking of clowns, we had a Marcel Marceau impersonator visit us today. He intimated that he wanted to know how wines were made from the inside, so I obliged.

We use swearing, shotguns, electronic bird scarers and exclusion netting to help manage the avaricious appetites of all manner of feathered fiends here at vintage but they all have their shortcomings. Even exclusion netting.

And for some reason or other, every year some of the netting decides to self elevate. This is today’s effort.

I don’t know how it happens but my 14 carat bunkum brain seems to insist that it is the wind.

I’m still working on why it is only one row of netting that decided to launch itself into that tree. Suggestions are welcome.

Look I know Thursday 23rd April is Bring Your Child To Work day this year but at Bloodwood we have to be flexible.

And as you can see, the bunch didn’t fall too far from the fermentation tank.

Cheers,

Stephen and Rhonda