Vintage Report 2017
Published on August 25, 2017
About
Sarsfield Estate is a small farm in the Lakes and Wilderness area of
East Gippsland, in the South-eastern corner of Australia.
We use solar and wind energy and depend entirely on rainwater.
Our wines vary naturally as the seasons change, and it is a fascinating challenge to understand how a season is reflected in the wine it produces.
This is why we write vintage reports.
Vintage Report 2017
- Enough water for summer
Again we received well above average rainfall during winter and spring. One of the many east coast lows dumped more than 70mm of rain during bud break.
Spring again was very windy, but not as bad as in South Australia where several power pylons were blown over and power failed in large areas.
- pruning in the wet vineyard
Wet weather persisted into summer and temperatures were well below our average. Vines and wildlife thrived more than ever – the wallabies tried to help with vine management, but proved very poor viticulturalists, mainly eating the wrong shoots. The possums in the meantime tried to put us out of house and shed so they could find a dry place to sleep.
The last days of December finally gave us some warm weather, with a week of top temperatures in the low thirties.
- Ringtail Possum found a dry spot in the shed - it made itself a lovely twig nest later
- Teaching baby about chicken grain, apples and vegetables, very healthy for baby.
- Willy Wagtail nest in the vines. We never had so many, and welcome Willy!
- Perfect food for wallabies- if only they would learn which shoots to eat.
- vigorous growth
- tamed with foliage wires
- and tirimmed
- to let sun and air into the vines
- Bottlebrush flowering in November
- all still lush and green in December
- the dam was still full ...
The following weeks stayed cool compared to other years, but the constant rain stopped in mid December and everything dried off quickly.
Lush growth followed by very dry conditions always produces the highest fire danger. We had our new strike unit on constant standby, but fortunately these stinking hot and windy 40+ degree days didn’t happen.
- high dry grass means high firedanger
- our firefighting strike unit on constant standby
- bird nets going on
Taking off the bird nets for vintage has sometimes its moments. The problem is not to find a Red-bellied black snake caught in the net; and not the cutting it out so no netting remains on it; it is the releasing it unharmed and unharmed-by that is the challenge. As it was the third one this year we were practiced and had all the tools ready. Still....step back quickly!
- vintage is here:
- Pinot noir
- finishing for the day
Vintage started in early March, and with temperatures fluctuating madly, but generally above average. The Pinot noir came in quickly, in very good condition and with good ripeness.
Merlot immediately followed and Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon were picked in the first week or April, roughly a month earlier than usual. All the grapes were in very good condition and showed perfect ripeness.
One of the good vintages indeed! Very peaceful, busy but without stress.
