January 2010

Mid-January and we’ve made it through the festive season as well as the first really hot days of summer. Spring rains have seen a healthy growth in the vines and a bit of colour is now showing in the grapes. We're looking forward to harvest at the beginning of March. Note to family & friends – we’ll be in contact with dates for picking & our harvest party.

We recently welcomed a new addition to the vineyard - our Maremma pup, Lumen (aka Louie). He’s a fine looking dog with a gorgeous nature, already taking on his role of ‘livestock guardian’ with assorted sheep, chooks and small children.  In a couple of weeks we’ll be taking delivery of some Olde English Babydoll Southdown sheep. Commonly known as Babydolls, these sheep are a heritage breed that originated in the UK and are known for their small size, hardiness and docile demeanour.  At a height of 42.5 to 60cm at the shoulders, they can’t reach the vines so we can leave them in the vineyard for an extended period to manage the weeds and fertilise the soil. We’re looking forward to expanding the flock so we can eliminate tractor powered mowing and reduce our carbon footprint.

Finally, our cellar door is mostly open in January, unless it’s too hot and we’ve headed off to the beach with the rest of the population. Drop by if you’re down on the beautiful Bellarine Peninsula!  Cheers, Tracey x