We moved through to early November without any frost events, and the vineyard remained in excellent condition.

At that stage, the early-season varieties, including Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay, were approaching flowering. This is one of the most important periods in the vineyard calendar. Ideally, flowering is followed by dry and mild weather, which supports healthy fruit set.

However, extended cold and wet conditions can lead to poor fruit set, often referred to as “stuck caps”. This prevents flowers from developing properly into berries.

The last significant occurrence was during spring 2016, when yields dropped considerably. Pinot Noir was particularly affected, with production reduced by around 30 percent.

New Pinot Noir Plantings

By late October, we had completed our vineyard replanting program for the year.

Over two days, 1,800 new vines were planted, including Pinot Noir clones MV6 and 667. These vines were grafted onto phylloxera-resistant rootstocks to support long-term vineyard health and resilience.

Each vine was then placed into a protective grow tube. This encourages strong early growth while helping protect young shoots from kangaroos and rabbits.

These new plantings were expected to begin producing fruit in their third growing season.

Meanwhile, vines planted the previous year had established strongly and were already showing early signs of fruitfulness. Their first small crop was expected in February 2021.

Water Supply Returns to the Vineyard

Water availability also improved significantly during spring.

Late winter and spring rainfall helped refill the dams, which were close to full for the first time since 2015. In recent years, the vineyard had relied heavily on bore water to maintain supply.

Eventually, the original bore failed, which is not uncommon over time. As a result, a new bore was installed and sunk to a depth of 115 metres.

Water was struck at around 85 metres, delivering a flow rate of approximately eight litres per second. This provided a reliable long-term water source for the property.

Wildlife in the Vineyard

There was also exciting activity in the bushland surrounding the vineyard.

A pair of wedge-tailed eagles had nested in a messmate tree within the bush block. The birds had remained on the nest for more than a month, suggesting chicks had hatched, although they had not yet been seen.

Wedge-tailed eagles hold important cultural significance for the local Wurundjeri people, making the presence of a breeding pair on the property especially meaningful.

A Busy Season in the Vineyard

Spring is always one of the busiest periods in the Yarra Valley vineyard calendar. At this stage, however, all major vineyard tasks were up to date.

With the key work complete, attention could finally turn to less urgent decisions, including trying to find a winner for the Melbourne Cup.

Cheers,
Jamie