So it is all over for another year! All our grapes are safely in the winery, and just before the most significant rain that we have experienced since the spring!
Having picked Mourvedre for rosé we carried on and brought in our Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Both varieties had reached phenolic maturity earlier than previous years with wonderfully concentrated fruit flavours. A few days later the 7 remaining rows of Mourvedre were picked for red wine and it was over. That weekend we received 70mm of rain, which is about 12% of our annual rainfall! We were hugely relieved not to have any more grapes in the vineyards!
The final varieties will be taken off their skins this week having enjoyed a slightly longer maceration time. They have almost completed their primary and malolactic fermentation so will be literally finished by the end of next week. It has been a good year, a big year for us and a successful vintage. Thank you to those who have followed our vintage videos and blogs, we look forward to showing you the finished product in due course!