More surprises

I have to add to the previous post. When claiming the harvest to be lighter, I hadn't included the surprising volume of the Ruby Cabernet block that produced 11 tonnes (still low yielding at 5,5 tonne/ht) of best-quality grapes.

The cellar space was getting cramped with open fermentation happening in all available kuipers (open vessels or tanks to ferment open). Sydney became all excited to detect a wild yeast self-ignited fermentation in one of the kuipers (normally one would start the fermentation with cultivated yeasts for predictable results). The smells and colour extraction (the red colour originates from the grape skins) are very promising so the decision was made instantly to let the fermentation go on its own and see where it leads to.

The harvest has been a success and the hick-ups within the "normal scale". Punctually after the last grapes came in the weather changed and mother nature provides us with a free after-harvest irrigation of the vineyards. The vines are stressed after the harvest and need nutrition and water immediately. I'll keep you posted about our wild yeast wine.

More good news came from Macintosh computers who agreed to repair my computer under extended warranty.

Are you wondering what the peacock is all about? Well, he is the culprit ransacking the garden and attacking all the flowers and has lately found a liking to grapes.

Last day of harvest

What a week this has been! Our contractor couldn't make it this week to help us harvest the Cabernet and Ruby Cabernet. But the grapes were ripe, the sugars (one way to detect ripeness) perfect and the acidity in its prime. Cue the frenzied telephone calls to find a harvesting team at short notice. After dozens of calls and recommendations within the industry we finally managed to get a team. At cut-throat prices at that. But on the other hand, this is also their best time to make some money and us farmers with small permanent labour forces have to pay the price one way or the other. Mechanical harvesting is not the answer at the tonnage we produce.

On a positive note, I must say the harvest went smoothly and professionally. Today is our last day of harvest. We bring in the Ruby Cabernet and only leave a few rows of Chardonnay for a special late harvest wine. To all our surprise we learned that the organic Cabernet vineyard yielded better then the traditional block. The grapes were all together healthier and richer in flavours and it promises to be a good wine. Sydney, the new winemaker, whizzes between cellar and vineyards; up and down.

My truck had a breakdown, so the good old Massey Ferguson tractor (it is ripe for the museum by now) did the job with Hendric the old farmhand at the helm. Trying to stay sober after 10:00 is a real challenge for him these days. He really tries, but the temptation is difficult to manage.

While the cellar was busy, the guesthouse was fully booked and that of course is the moment my new Mac computer had to give in. Motherboard failure, said the technician (the second time in under a year... I'm starting to like my >&^#@#$ Windows again!).

The post-harvest watering of the vineyards proved to be another challenge as the main water pipeline decided to spontaneously jump out of the ground and create a nice water feature in the middle of the vineyard. On Wednesday we had 100-odd students from the local Wellington college for an informal gettogether at our dam and I must say they behaved extraordinarily civilized. I was wilder in my days. ;)

This year's harvest has been lighter than last year's. We're almost 20% down in volume, but we make up for it in good health and strong flavours.

As you can see on the photos we have repaired the forklift damage and built in the new distillery door.