At the truffle festival last weekend in Mundaring we were asked by many people what was happening at the winery at the moment.
Let me tell you, it is BUSY!!!!
Having taken a week off to judge at the Cowra Show last week, I am behind in the pruning. The aim is to get it all done by 1 September. It will be touch and go this year!
Just as important, if not more, is preparing all our wines for bottling. I have heat stabilised the Rose (ie, removed the unstable proteins which cause haze to form in bottle) and will be popping it on the back of my neighbour's ute - Nev and Cath would have to be the world's best neighbours - tomorrow and driving it down to a friend's winery in the Swan Valley where I will cold stabilise it before bottling on 17 August. Only 600L this year, sorry friends.
The reds are quietly enjoying their time in tank after a hectic weekend of pumping out of barrel early last month. I like to pull my wine out of barrel a month before bottling. Not only does this help settle the wine and reduce the need for a hard filtration, but philosophically I feel it allows everything to meld and join before bottling.
Next week I will gently gravity drain the tanks to eliminate any last sediment before bottling. When released in about 2 years time, there will be a 2011 Merlot Cabernet, 2011 Shiraz and 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon. The Merlot Cabernet is the first such blend I have created and it is to pay homage to my uncle and mother and their partnership as Piesse Brook Wines for over 20 years (the merlot comes from my uncle's block and the cabernet is from my mother's home block). The 2011s look elegant and are medium bodied, the style of wine I enjoy drinking.
What else?
I am getting excited about an experiment I have brewing at the moment. However it will be at least another 6 months before I will tell you what I am so excited about!
Other news is that word seems to have spread and we are now supplying wine to some of Perth's elite restaurants - Rockpool, Amuse, Dear Friends, Meeka, Red Cabbage and more recently, Heritage in the CBD and Swallow in Maylands. It is great that these classy establishments make an effort to include small relatively unknown producers like us on their list. I am very proud to support these places and it still thrills me when I see my wines on their wine list.
That's about it.
Go Australia!! Let's get some more golds on that Olympic tally board!
Let me tell you, it is BUSY!!!!
Having taken a week off to judge at the Cowra Show last week, I am behind in the pruning. The aim is to get it all done by 1 September. It will be touch and go this year!
Just as important, if not more, is preparing all our wines for bottling. I have heat stabilised the Rose (ie, removed the unstable proteins which cause haze to form in bottle) and will be popping it on the back of my neighbour's ute - Nev and Cath would have to be the world's best neighbours - tomorrow and driving it down to a friend's winery in the Swan Valley where I will cold stabilise it before bottling on 17 August. Only 600L this year, sorry friends.
The reds are quietly enjoying their time in tank after a hectic weekend of pumping out of barrel early last month. I like to pull my wine out of barrel a month before bottling. Not only does this help settle the wine and reduce the need for a hard filtration, but philosophically I feel it allows everything to meld and join before bottling.
Next week I will gently gravity drain the tanks to eliminate any last sediment before bottling. When released in about 2 years time, there will be a 2011 Merlot Cabernet, 2011 Shiraz and 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon. The Merlot Cabernet is the first such blend I have created and it is to pay homage to my uncle and mother and their partnership as Piesse Brook Wines for over 20 years (the merlot comes from my uncle's block and the cabernet is from my mother's home block). The 2011s look elegant and are medium bodied, the style of wine I enjoy drinking.
What else?
I am getting excited about an experiment I have brewing at the moment. However it will be at least another 6 months before I will tell you what I am so excited about!
Other news is that word seems to have spread and we are now supplying wine to some of Perth's elite restaurants - Rockpool, Amuse, Dear Friends, Meeka, Red Cabbage and more recently, Heritage in the CBD and Swallow in Maylands. It is great that these classy establishments make an effort to include small relatively unknown producers like us on their list. I am very proud to support these places and it still thrills me when I see my wines on their wine list.
That's about it.
Go Australia!! Let's get some more golds on that Olympic tally board!
