Some of you may remember the pace of the 2016 vintage. We started picking on 5 February with fruit for sparkling wine and finished by 17 March with Late Harvest Semillon. This season was very different.

On this particular morning, I was in the vineyard sampling Chardonnay for both our sparkling program and the Inara range. Based on the analysis, we were still at least two weeks away from picking. The following day, we planned to sample Layla and Alena Chardonnay, along with Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris.

Sampling is a slow process. It involves a lot of walking, but it provides valuable insight. It allows us to assess fruit development, monitor vine health and check for any signs of disease. At the same time, it helps us estimate yield for the season. As an added bonus, it contributes a few extra steps on the fitness tracker, which helps justify a third glass of wine later in the evening.

Alongside vineyard work, we were also preparing the winery for harvest. We installed two new 5,000 litre tanks and brought in a plumber to connect the system for refrigeration. This required a full reorganisation of the winery layout. Although space was tight, the new setup allowed for a more efficient workflow.

Once the tanks were in place and connected, we turned our attention to the processing equipment. Everything was brought out, cleaned and prepared for use. We then began setting up the crushing and pressing area.

The plan was to complete setup by early the following week. This would allow time for a full trial run of the machinery to ensure everything was operating as expected.

After that, all that remained was to wait for the fruit to reach picking condition.