Saturday, April 25, 2009

Doing the tests

I've started the tests on the grapes. They are getting there slowly :-) Take a peek into my refractometer This is the sugar (measured in Brix) for the Gewürztraminer. 2 more weeks to picking. The pH is dropping fast but still within good parameters. If need be, Paul said he'll blend it with some Chardonnay to give more acidity but due to our climate down here, we never had problem with acidity. If anything, it used to be way too acidic then not enough :-)
We are very proud parents this week!!!! :-))) Eszter was nominated for the biggest award in her industry and Janos signed the papers with Rachel for their very own first house :-)

Friday, April 17, 2009

What has been sold out

Just a quick note that the 08 Gewürztraminer, the 08 Possum Piss and the 07 Tiger Blood has been sold out.
The 08 Tiger Blood is expected to be available from June.

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Happy Easter !!!!

We wish you a Happy Easter ! with the bounty of this basket, picked this morning.

We hope the Bunny brings plenty of colourful eggs and you will have a happy holiday spent with family and good friends :-)
Outside, in the bay many small boats litter the water. It's the annual Dover Regatta.
The boys nearly finished the roof of the builder's shed, only the ridge is missing yet.
We had a function last week to celebrate the Far South Tourism Network's effort in promoting our area. This is the display rack and the FSTN website that the group commissioned with the help of the Tourism Promotion Plan grant.
Jody from England arrived last night and we planted out the pencil pines under the windows.
Cheers and happy holidays...

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Roof structure and walls for shed

The roof rafters are up and the boys finished cladding the wall. Paul used cement sheets for the walls, they are the ones you commonly use for bathroom floors. Cheap... -ish, durable, not flammable, waterproof and a nice smooth platform for the paint.
I've plucked off a bit more leaves from the Chardonnay rows. See how the grapes compensated for the already picked leaves? They grew small side shoots and turned their leaves outward to cover the fruit. Now I've exposed them again With this current rainy, gloomy, no-Sun days Paul thinks they need to be exposed more to ripen the fruit. Meteo predicts SNOW for tonight! Down to 600 meters. It'll be a far way off from us but it'll be COLD tonight.
We used little clips this year to connect the netts. It made the job easier, quicker and only the outside rows had to be pegged to the ground.
Mili gave birth to a healthy calf! The new "teddy" calf already runs around the neighbour's HUGE paddock like a gazelle :-)) I have no idea how we'll be able to catch it to ring him...now this IS a boy. Or so Paul thinks :-)
And just a pic of one of our little tree in flower.