A visual diary: Winter 2018

We surely live in one of the most beautiful places on earth, I find myself taking so many photos that it's now serving as a diary of sorts. With the arrival of Spring it's an opportune moment to reflect on the Winter of 2018, and I thought you may enjoy it too...

The barrels have piled up high from harvest 2018 with much work to do in the cellar as Hendry checks the ballings of the Chenin Blanc. Our reds undergo malolactic fermentation in the barrel over the winter months and each barrel must be carefully monitored and checked. The bungs need to be loosely on so we don't have explosions, and not too lose or the bugs and bacteria move in! Winemaking of the highest quality is really more about housekeeping and letting the wines develop themselves and express the vineyard. Things looking very promising at this early stage.

Rainy days are spent labeling, still by hand! It's always exciting when our labels arrive, especially when the artwork is by your wife and daughter. We've now released our Chenin Blanc 2017 & a once-off Old Vine release as well as our Cabernet Sauvignon 2015, Elevation 393 2012 and our 19th vintage of Straw Wine 2015.

We finished pruning and have packed away the Felco's for another season. We had a normal cold, wet winter after several years of below average rainfall.

While our focus is always on producing the finest wines possible, we so appreciate the people that are in this with us. Both those enjoying the fruits of our labour, and those helping us get there. We opened our doors for the annual Upper Blaauwklippen Vintners open day, celebrated women's day with the ladies that keep things going, Lamla, Xenia & Gertie; and received many interesting and enthusiastic visitors at the tasting room, the Vino Vixens pictured here.

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Kind regards, David