27 January 2004
Harvest started today, with the first load of Chardonnay being welcomed at the crusher by a ceremonial drizzle of sparkling wine over the grapes (the balance was shared between cellar and marketing staff).

Everything seemed to be going well, until the chassis of one of the picking wagons carrying a two-ton load of grapes bent while the hydraulics were at full stretch above the crusher. With the whole arrangement doing a passable Pisa impersonation, John (now known as Twee Ton John, or Two Ton John) was sent up with a spade to off-load the grapes. The job was completed without incident, but certain marketing personnel were heard to be making appalling jokes about the wine already being unbalanced.

Our Chardonnay block is the only trellised vineyard on the farm, and without the benefit of irrigation does struggle a bit towards the end. Hence relatively early harvesting so as not to run the risk of excessive sun damage. As far as the wine is concerned, Christopher is giving it fairly straightforward treatment in the cellar. After fermentation with French yeast in stainless steel it will be allowed several months of lees contact to develop a richer feel in the mouth. Malolactic fermentation will be inhibited, so as to preserve the wine’s freshness. The aim is to get a zesty, flavourful wine that will be brilliant with anything out of the ocean. That’s the plan – we’ll have to see if nature plays ball.

Tomorrow we start with Pinotage.

(No pictures due to abovementioned marketing person’s failure to charge the camera’s battery).