The 2010 Harvest . . .
2010 wow what a great season. Cool, but warm, wet, but dry, just perfect!
Harvest started on the 21st of February with our first pick of Chardonnay Block 2b. It was good to get started, with now only 93 acres to go.
Our Sauvignon Blanc and Verdelho varieties were next in our sights on the 24th of February. Both were harvested during the night so as to keep the fruit as cool as possible to assist with both harvest and fermentation.
Between the 27th of February & 2nd of March Pinot Nior was harvested. Covering 26.1 acres this made for consecutive nights of solid harvesting. This week of harvest was extremely challenging for both man and machine, our harvester operator “Gary Grover” steered our Gregoir grape harvester better known as “Big Bird” expertly through the long nights.
Our award winning Shiraz was picked next on the 16th of March and Merlot on the 30th March, with both picks coming off clean and the fruit looking to be of excellent quality – restricted low yields and a long ripening period.
This year our Riesling has been grown to produce a Botrytis wine. This dessert style wine will be one to look out for – due for release late October 2010.
Finally on the home straight, our Cabernet Sauvignon was harvested on the 16th, 22nd and 23rd of April, and saw the last of our fruit safe and sound in the winery.
After in excess of 100 hours of harvesting and a pretty full-on growing season it was now time for my family and I to have a well earned holiday!
New to the Yarrawood Team . . .
On the 14th of May we welcomed Jamie Janda to our team. Jamie has joined us from the Granite belt where he was both tending the vineyard and winemaking at the boutique winery of Jester Hill. Jamie brings 10+ years of vineyard / winemaking experience and passion from the Granite Belt and Mornington Peninsula regions.
Pruning . . .
Pruning started on the 24th of May in our Shiraz, Jamie and I have to date pruned 37 acres ( approx 36,300 vines) vine by vine.
Looking Forward. . .
With both our storage dams full, some good weather on our side and a touch of hard work we should be on track for a great 2011 harvest.
I look forward to talking to you all again soon,
Stuart Elliott
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