Good winter rainfall refreshed the soil and delayed bud burst. Balanced and attentive hand pruning set up open canopies with the right crop levels for the cooler year that unfolded. Rain events meant that timely decisions and precise application of protective strategies were essential. I commend the Shingleback vineyard team for nailing every critical decision!

Clean healthy vineyards allowed us to be patient and let the cool summer and slow true ripening of the grapes work its magic on the flavours and tannins. The first Shiraz was picked on March 12th, just a few days after finishing the whites, and the last Cabernet picked on April 14th. A generally orderly intake at the winery allowed the full expression and depth of the fruit to be captured during fermentation. The result is ripe fragrant wines with structure and depth which will be exciting to craft into the Shingleback and Red Knot expressions of our vineyards.