2024 Vineyard Season Well Away – 3

Jun 2, 2024 | Organic vineyard, Vineyard

2024 Vineyard Season Well Away – 3 This session looks at how the seeded rows of cereals, clovers & legumes are grown to a height and then rolled over to lay flat in the row. This is to provide moisture retention, encourage micro-organism activity and...

2024 VINEYARD SEASON WELL AWAY -2

May 12, 2024 | Blog, Vineyard

In the earlier vineyard update I touched on managing vineyard growth. Maintaining the vines in hedge-like rows ensures even sun exposure and airflow to the vines. Our rows are 2 metres wide and planted north to south allowing the vine canopy to maximise their...

2024 VINEYARD SEASON WELL AWAY -1

May 12, 2024 | Uncategorized, Vineyard

The year has begun with much more rain than normal making it challenging for organic farmers. We are into Spring and with 3 warm sunny days in May growth has been outstanding. It is now about protecting the vines into flowering (early June) with regular treatments for...

Bottling!

Mar 16, 2020 | Vineyard

Rosé was the first wine to be bottled at the Château for the Cook family. It was made using the organic wine making process so as to learn how. Bottled under cork with a shot of nitrogen it is ready to drink….and it is not all that bad. It was reviewed by...

2019 Harvest

Mar 16, 2020 | Vineyard

Second harvest for the Cook Family and it was a big one. The vines flowered in early June and followed with a very good fruit set. It was to be a strong crop but it also meant bunch thinning (green harvest). This brings tears to your eyes seeing bunches cut away...

Maintaining the vineyard and going organic

Mar 16, 2020 | Vineyard

As is the case all over the world grape vines need preventative maintenance against disease and pests. This primarily involves spraying of chemicals. The two types of mildew (fungi) require spray treatments soon after bud burst to just before the grapes change colour...