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It is spring 2011 the time grape growers in many wine regions particularly the inland ones keep alert for frost, with the Melbourne Cup run for another year we can breath a bit easier, as a rule of thumb the Cup marks the period when the frost risk is practically over. It is uncommon to get frosts from now on. You may have heard various reports about the 2011 vintage, for many growers the wet spring and summer brought Downy mildew several in the Grampians lost all the crop as a result. My spray program and precise timing of the application of Sulfur and Copper ensured we harvested grapes the worst mildew I found was confined to a few rows where the water did not drain away, fortunately Downy mildew is easily recognized by the presence of 'oil spots' on the leaves preceded by corresponding 'down' patches on the leaf underside. Immediate spot spraying combined with leaf removal is warranted.
We harvested 4 tonnes of lovely Shiraz which presented a reasonable sugar level after several weeks of it going up and down, this was frustrating as the window of picking opportunity narrowed as the season became longer, just when things were looking fine some more rain and cooler weather came. There is no way to stop the vines taking up water so the sugar level waxed and waned several times. What is being described generally as a poor season ended up being pretty good at our vineyard. The Shiraz from 2011 has a lively colour and the typical spicy character expected from Western Victorian red, currently the wine is in a stainless steel tank undergoing malo-lactic fermentation nicely ticking along by the resurgence in warmer spring temperatures.
The 2010 Shiraz is still in French and American oak hogheads it will soon be blended and prepared for bottling, my intention is to release some of the wine as a Clayfield Moyston Shiraz 'single' vineyard. This wine is an elegant wine and has more in common with the beautiful previous vintages of 2001, 2002 and 2004 Clayfield Grampians Shirazes. The 2010 Massif Shiraz will be bottled just before vintage time 2012 and the 2009 Clayfield Grampians Shiraz has been blended at this stage it looks pretty good and a worthy follow on to the 2008.
Previously I wrote before this current update of 'Latest Musings' that in 2009 we kept the front block Shiraz and Merlot separate from the back block Shiraz to make a Shiraz/Merlot blend (65%/35%), this wine is totally different from our usual wines understandably because of the percentage of Merlot, well I can report that this wine will be bottled as such. The palate is dryer and the tannins a little grippier than usual, a good mate tried it with me recently and after a little while in the glass the aroma showed floral characters like violets and subtle rose like fragrance we both liked it very much albeit different to my other wines, I'll let you know when it becomes available.
The harvest this year from Mt. Ararat didn't fair very well, the heavy rains in December 2010 wiped out the grape flowers and therefore no fruit developed. Sometimes it difficult and frustrating to have these events, but I like to be pragmatic and rather dwell on all the good years we have, after all there is always next year.
Of the Durif vines we planted in late 2009 about half are growing well, it will still be a couple of years before we get to play with some Durif grapes but the is hope on the horizon. I saw a rabbit near the vineyard the other day, haven't had these pests for several years mainly hares cause some concern here with the young vines. My sight is getting worse and the other day a big hare presented itself when I actually had the .22 rifle in hand.... Hare 1 Simon 0.
Stuart our trusty old friend and resident hound dog (see gallery page) sadly passed away a while ago but not before he was able to pass his 'dog' skills onto Ernie (Jack Russell X) now 2 years old, Ernie isn't the fastest dog so he's mainly in for the chase. Ernie got a new friend several months after Stuart went, Lucy is a little Jack Russell and hare mad.... trouble is she barks and barks if I could teach her to be silent I reckon she could surprise one and get close enough to chase it down, here's hoping.
Ladies how about a relaxing beauty treatment at Kaye Poyner Beauty Therapy and Day Spa, 64 Barkly Street, Ararat (phone 53525297) or visit www.kayepoynerbeauty.com.au Kaye apart from being my wife and vintage time assistant winemaker runs her beauty therapy business aided by her lovely staff Naomi, Erin, Niomi, Athalie and Darcy. Their depth of experience and skills ensure that all of your beauty requirements can be catered for with care. Kaye and I are currently working on her website some of the services offered are facials, nails, aromatherapy, hot stone massage, massage, hydrotherapy and Vichy shower, Tuscan spray tanning, Intense Pulse Light treatment and electrolysis. While the ladies are being pampered the guys could visit the winery pick up a few bottles or just stroll down the main street of Ararat. The Vines Cafe is a few doors down from Kaye's shop why not drop in an enjoy their lovely food with a glass of our Massif Shiraz or other local wine.
Since 1999 we have purchased Shiraz from Ted & Helen Robinson. Their Mount Ararat vineyard is situated on the eastern slope at about 500 metres above sea level and grows in the most amazing soil and rocky ground in this area. The vines are practically dry grown simply because there is hardly any water available and when it is available after a good rain it must be used sparingly. I really like this vineyard because the grapes have a spicy aroma and the wine is never too tannic, pH and acid levels are fine and the grapes are always nice and clean. The Massif is blended from Mount Ararat Shiraz and our own fruit, and the Black Label Grampians Shiraz is blended using about 30% from this site. It is from on top of this site where Horatio Wills rested in August, 1840 viewing the rolling downs extending westward to the Grampians calling the peak on the slopes 'Mt. Ararat' - 'because, like the Ark, we rested there'. Horatio settled at Lexington near Moyston and managed 120,000 acres where young Thomas Wills lived and played ‘Marngrook’ with the local aboriginal people.
Clayfield Wines is located at Moyston ‘the Birthplace of Australian Rules Football’ in the beautiful Grampians Region of western Victoria. The winery is just a stones throw away from the historic Lexington property. Thomas aged 14 attended Rugby School in England from 1850 where he learnt to play rugby and cricket. He was a fine natural sportsman and by 1855 was captain of the cricket team. Thomas returned to Australia in 1856 the news of his cricketing brilliance preceded him and the local cricket fraternity eagerly awaited his return. In 1858 he led the Victorian team to their first Inter-Colonial cricket victory over NSW, it was also the year in which he publicly advocated a winter sport for the cricketers. In May 1859 the Melbourne Football Club was formed and captained by Thomas Wills, the new game was widely accepted and soon enjoyed great popularity. The rest is great Australian history.