Getting ready for the rush

Grapes are like honoured guests in the winery. When the first lot arrive at our winery a few weeks from now, we want to be ready to give them the welcome they deserve.

We’ve made sure there is ample space for them, with all but a few of the winery tanks empty and getting scrubbed clean, so we’ll be ready to receive the bounty that will come pouring in. We’re checking every piece of equipment to make sure no electrical or mechanical hiccup prevents us from giving our precious grapes the royal treatment. Every hopper and crusher, every press, pump and pipe need to be spick and span.

And we’re making sure we have the right people to welcome the guests. We’ve brought extra staff on board for harvest, with older hands showing the newbies how things should be done.

We want everything to run smoothly – not just because it’s stressful enough when your year’s production arrives at your doorstep all at once, but because we want to be able to able to preserve every bit of quality we get from the vineyard. We want to be able to crush, ferment or cool the loads that come in at the most appropriate time, in the best way we can. Our winemakers want to treat every batch optimally to preserve its unique characteristics at every step of the journey from vine to wine.

Having the winery fully ready gives our winemakers the options they need, so they can ensure that you get the best wine in your glass.