After 11 long weeks I can finally say that vintage is over! February 4 seems like a distant memory when the first grapes started coming into the winery. Almost 9 weeks followed before we crushed our last grapes on April 5, and this week the last of our red ferments were pressed to tank. Thankfully the long days are over and my weekends will return (in full) this week.
Despite its duration, vintage ran smoothly with few hiccups. There were plenty of hot days (and cold beers) and only one major rain event (in early February) to cause a few groans among local winemakers. Unfortunately the timing of this rain event was not ideal for Grenache grapes with botrytis taking hold in many vineyards. With some selective harvesting some quality fruit was salvaged and the resultant wines are looking the goods albeit in smaller than preferred quantities.
On a more positive note, the quality of McLaren Vale Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon was superb and yields are up on recent vintages. This all bodes well for the consumer as many local wineries are near bursting at the seams with quality reds.
As Autumn colours begin to take over the region, my attention is now turned to Semprevino’s 2016 wines and what we have in store for our beloved customers. There are whites to be filtered and reds to be barrelled down so I’m not putting my feet up just yet. As these wines come together I’ll be sure to bring you another update in the near future.
In the mean time, there’s a chill in the evening air and winter is just around the corner so I’d suggest you consider what red wines you have in your “drink now” cellar. As previously mentioned a few 2015 GSM bottles (cases for some) is strongly recommended, and for some variation you could also try our 2014 Shiraz and 2013 Nebbiolo. All of these wines are drinking really well at present.
Salute! Russell
