Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and other stories
1 March 2014
Well, shed building continues apace, with the newest part of the winery going up very quickly – once we had got over the planning application…
Can you dig it?
17 January 2014
Vintage (or harvest) is just around the corner so of course what better time to start expanding the winery. I can’t blame Joch entirely for…
2013 Bushing Lunch at Penny’s Hill
2 November 2013
It was a big day yesterday, as 650 or so winemakers, grape growers and assorted hangers on flocked in their finest (some in their finest…
Spring Vineyard Operations
24 September 2013
It’s all go in the vineyard at the moment, after a pretty wet winter. Joch’s father Peter gets drafted in to do the all-important dodge…
August Rains
20 August 2013
Blimey, we’ve had some rain this winter. I think the figures show we’ve had the wettest August on record here in South Australia, or maybe…
April Showers
30 April 2013
Well, vintage – or harvest – is finally over for 2013. The guys picked the Petit Verdot up on the hill on a balmy April…
The Final Countdown – #v13
21 March 2013
It gives me great pleasure to reference Swedish band Europe’s track ‘The Final Countdown’ in relation to the remaining few weeks of vintage (‘V13’) here…
The Halfway Mark
28 February 2013
Well, Joch reckons he has ‘broken the back of vintage’ – or he will have done by the end of the week. Smaller than anticipated…
First Crush at Battle of Bosworth Vintage 2013
14 February 2013
We had an exciting start to the week, with the first crush of grapes at our new winery shed. The winery shed was built by…
High Rollers
16 January 2013
Well it’s nearly that time again. Vintage, or harvest, either term will do. It’s so close we can almost hear the old UR harvester starting…
October in McLaren Vale
31 October 2012
October in McLaren Vale is jam-packed with activities. We have the McLaren Vale Wine Show, the Winemakers Bushing Lunch (where we find out the best…
London May 2012
3 June 2012
England in spring is delightful, in spite of the 8 degrees and rainy weather conditions I encountered in the first week of my trip. It…