Vintage 2009 at Mandalay Road.

Well, almost over. I spent yesterday perched on the back of a wine trailer trying to guide the chute, through which all the grapes flow, into the bin. For those not familiar with mechanical grape harvesting the grapes are harvested by this  machine that sits over the top of the row.  Giant beaters knock the berries off  the bunch into a shute which passes over the top of the row , depositing its load of grapes into 2 wine bins which are on the back of a grape trailer, 2 rows away from  the harvester. The trick is to get the tractor driver and the harvester driver in synch. This is where my problems start as I had 2 geriatric tractor drivers who would start off OK but then start dreaming about another life. I'd be hanging out the back trying to direct the shute into the bins. However often the grapes went all over me, off the back or front of the bins.   No amount of yelling to the bald head driving the tractor would work as the noise of all the machines drowned me out . Anyway, it's over now and enough of our Shiraz got into the bins I think.

The Chardonnay was hit by frost so reduced to about a quarter of what it should be. Very good quality though. The Cab is all sold to another winery and the Zin is still to come off. Climate has been fairly mild and we are later than last year. Haven't had scorching heat at the end which has been a great bonus. I'd say it will be a "good year".