Vintage 2023 update
With a long and cool spring with good rainfall and a mild summer, the Barossa has seen a slower start to vintage than normal. At this stage we are currently two to three weeks behind our average picking date. The long, slow ripening period has ensured that the grapes are accumulating great colour and flavour ripeness and our yields are looking to be only slightly above average.
The first of the whites, Marsanne from the sub-region of Marananga, was picked in early March. Roussanne from the Kalimna sub-region followed last Friday and is looking sensational in ferment. To complete our Plexus White trio, Viognier from the cooler Eden Valley will follow in a few weeks. Each of these varieties will be fermented separately, with a portion of the wines finishing fermentation in new French oak to help build texture, length on the palate and spice notes.
We will receive our first red for the vintage this week, some Shiraz from the Krondorf area kicking us off as has been the case in previous years. We will then work our way to the northern end of the Barossa Valley and then up into the Eden Valley.