Ice Wine
Monday, 16 May 2011 10:18
Due to the humid growing season this year we were able to get some Botrytis Riesling from Portland. We lightly whole-bunch pressed the fruit then froze the juice in our refrigerated shipping container. As it thawed we collected the concentrated juice with its increased flavour, sugar and acid to partially ferment, leaving a desert wine with residual sugar and about 10% alcohol.
First Pinot of the Year
Saturday, 16 April 2011 08:37
The first Pinot Noir pressing of the year is always a much anticipated event at Lethbridge. As per normal the first Pinot is always from Hat Rock Vineyards on the Bellerine Peninsula. The slightly warmer daytime conditions and much warmer night time temperatures (being closer to the sea, less than 1km) than Lethbridge always mean that the grapes ripen 2-3 weeks earlier than our home blocks. This season has been unusually cool in Geelong so we have been harversting later than normal.