‘As the 2024 harvest got under way here, back on February 19, the grass was just starting to brown off, but the property was still looking healthy and green. That’s kind of unusual at this time of year, but we had plenty of regular rainfall, interspersed with calm, warm weather over spring and summer. The vines set a lovely crop, and the multivarietal cover crop that we planted four years ago between every second row to explore the joys of regenerative viticulture, have thrived.  

‘Keeping up with the mowing in time to get the nets on at veraison was a challenge, but we made it (we have so many hungry birds here in Victoria that no nets would mean no grapes). The Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Shiraz are all looking terrific in the McIntyre Vineyard, and our not-so-secret Nebbiolo trial vines (we have ten, planted six years ago) are ripening apace with the Shiraz. As vintage began, the sunflowers around the edge of the vineyard were smiling, the cockatoos were enjoying the plethora of seeds, and the occasional kangaroo was enjoying the shelter of the cover crops.  

‘But after the lovely, mild summer, we’re seeing a bit of more dramatic weather coinciding with the start of vintage. The sun is fierce and a particularly hot week at the onset of harvest evolved into violent electrical storms, meaning high fire danger across Victoria. We’re all enduring strong, hot northerly winds, which is making things rather uncomfortable in the vineyard and the winery.  The grapes ripen fast in this weather, so we’re picking quickly every day. Our picking team (everything is hand harvested) is amazing, and the fruit that has come in so far is looking terrific. The winery team has their work cut out just keeping up!’

ON

THE

LIST|

Elton

Muco

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WHAT I’VE LEARNED |

Sebastián

Zuccardi

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UNDER

THE

SURFACE |

Australia’s

fine-wine

ambitions

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