OATLEY VINEBLOG
OATLEY VINEBLOG
After the Madeleine Angevine, another successful harvest day for the Kernling on 22nd. As with the Madeleine, we’d dithered over the harvest date for ages. It was our earliest ever season and we wanted these end-of-season-ripening Riesling-cross grapes to take full advantage. The ripening curve had been saying 22nd Oct from the off which should have been quite comfortable. After all, for years we normally picked them on the Halloween weekend, a week later. But a touch of downy mildew in that wet spell back in July had left some of the grape skins a bit scarred and we were fearful of botrytis starting in these weaker skins, so spent ten days wondering whether to cut and run on the 15th, by which time it was already obvious the sugars would be 80-ish. In the end we gathered our courage and gambled on 22nd, invited the pickers before we could chicken out, and so the die was cast. Nearly all our regulars said yes so all was looking good, with sugars projected to top 80 Oechsle.
But then suddenly it was autumn and two big storms, Ophelia and Brian, were forecast for that last week. Grapes started to look more fragile. Had we blown it? But actually the chilly breezy showers and sunny spells blew away the botrytis starting down in the bottom block. And the grapes were fine. Very handsome, in fact. Sugars still rising over that last week.
Harvest day itself, last Sunday, was one of blustery showers on the tail of Brian, but for the picking time of 9.30 to 1.30 we were lucky. Just a couple of squalls that drove pickers to huddling in the tent, one of them at coffee time when everyone was up there for pizza and cake anyway. We’d got that tent up before the storm. Mainly to shelter the grape tubs as they were stacked on the trailer. Iain had thrown ropes over the top, anchored to the vine posts. It had danced a bit in the wind, but held up undamaged. It’s one of the ones that we got for the wedding table, back in july and serendipitously just fits neatly over Farmer John’s 3-ton trailer with a bit to spare at the back.
All done and loaded by 1.30, 60 tubs, some not full, so a moderate 2+ tons off our acre and a quarter of 31 year old vines. And they looked brilliant! Should make about 2000 bottles.
Lunch for 21 was cosy, inside out of the wind. Bit short of kitchen help, just daughter Liz and me, and our spare stove went phut in the Madeleine harvest so just an ordinary 4 ring stove to cook on. Much juggling of pans! I have made a resolution. Simpler menus in future! I like to be able to join in the ceremonial tasting of last year’s wine in the field towards the end of the picking, and the last couple of harvests I haven’t made it. So next year it’ll be something I can have ready simmering. Maybe I’ll even get some picking in.
The hour long journey to the winery on Monday morning is always nervous, with the whole year’s work on the trailer. But all went smoothly and the grapes still looked wonderful. Clever old vines! The free-run juice was 83 Oechsle. The acid, slightly disappointingly, had hung at a high 12g/l so Steve will be sorting that out in the winemaking.
Now the tent is stowed, the nets are rolled and tub washing is us. The Kernling vines are doing their golden autumn colours so walking in the vineyard is a joy. The earlier Madeleine Angevine lost most of its leaves in the storm and already I am eyeing them up to position imaginary pruning cuts every time I walk past them.
It’s vinegrowers feet-up time! Big thanks to everyone who helped, to Farmer John of Secret Valley Vineyard for the loan of his big trailer and Steve and Harry up at the winery, whose work starts as ours ends.
Not much time for photos I’m afraid. Thanks to Howard and Rosie for theirs. Full set on our gallery here>>. There is a slideshow of the same ones but also including sone video clips on YouTube here https://youtu.be/0CY8alry6wo
KERNLING HARVEST: The Wait paid off
Monday, 30 October 2017