The vintage here is getting stressful, not enough grapes to go around, and dozens of growers to coddle until the contracts are signed and the fruit finally arrives at the winery.
We work til our fingers bleed, then relax. And there is no finer breeze and light than in South Australia.
Viticulturists (those that prepare and select the vineyards for harvest) and the winemakers who choose the blends from these sites have a lot of pressure on them. The sea restores and refreshes the batteries.
There are men that define Australian machismo, and David Hickinbotham delivers in spades. Owner of the famous Clarendon Vineyards, David is a true sportsman and superbly frank. I can think of few men that so clearly portray the Aussie take-no-prisoners mentality. Had to introduce him to you. Imagine Andrew Carnegie with a dash of Brian Bosworth.
The work is picking up, chardonnay is in the fermenters (mostly from Hickinbotham’s Paringa Vineyard in remote Riverland). The reds, the true champions of this region, are coming up soon. Recent rains caused some splitting, and the drought dropped production by half. But it’s still beautiful here, and there will be wine.
We drink well.
