The 2021 vintage has commenced and after severe drought for the past two years, nothing is being left to chance or taken for granted! Vineyard sampling and testing grapes for ripeness and flavour means that we can harvest at the optimum time to produce premium wines.
Initial vineyard checks involve checking ripeness with a refractometer to measure ºBrix (sugar content).
As the grapes ripen the ºBrix increases and as they approach ideal ripeness more comprehensive testing is undertaken. Berries are plucked from bunches along each side of the rows to obtain a representative sample then taken back to the lab where they are juiced and tested for pH, Brix, acidity, tasted for flavour and the seeds are inspected as they change from green to brown as they are ripening. When optimum ripeness is reached they are harvested!