Vintage 2018 has begun in the vineyard

After a cold and moderately wet winter, vintage 2018 has begun with the first shoots appearing across all varietaries in the vineyard. The vines enjoyed a nice rest after the late finish to the 2017 vintage, with temperatures dropping as low as -8C in July. Most of the old vines seem to have made it safely through, although a few lost a limb (due to the dreaded Eutypa - see below) and one or two have not made it through to start the new vintage. But renewal has begun with a neighbour vine lending a cane to begin the cycle again. 

The old Shiraz at the home block in stone well with the first signs of budbirst

Soldier down, after 70 odd vintages, 2017 was this one's last

and the process of renewal begins