Winter Vineyard Update
Winter has settled beautifully across the Barossa, bringing with it those heavy morning fogs that sit low over the vineyard before lifting to reveal crisp, icy starts and long, cool nights. It is a quieter, more reflective time of year, but an important one. As Conrad has shared in recent vineyard updates, winter is when the groundwork is quietly laid for the season ahead. After a dry start to winter, recent storms and rainfall have helped improve soil moisture across our sites, giving the vines a stronger foundation as we look toward spring.
Pruning has now started at Mengler Hill, with Greenock still holding some autumn leaves. Each vine is carefully cut back by hand, and last year we asked a little less of the vines by pruning to fewer buds than usual. Happy with this considered approach, particularly for our old premium vines, we allowed them to build reserves to better manage the demands of cooler or drier seasons. There is something particularly grounding about this work, especially among vines that have been nurtured for generations. It is a gentle reminder that the wines we share in years to come begin here, in the stillness of winter.
Conrad has also highlighted the importance of keeping enough irrigation water aside to fill the soil profile of our old premium vines, especially as winter rainfall becomes less reliable. The old vines are remarkably efficient at rationing this water throughout the growing season, helping us make thoughtful use of one of our most precious resources.
Across the vineyard, there is also a continued focus on soil health, mid-row and undervine growth, and the cover crops that support beneficial insects, pollinators and biodiversity. These are not always the most visible parts of vineyard work, but they are the quiet, practical decisions that help protect the long-term health of the land.
In fact, our biodiversity efforts reached a new milestone this month with 450 new native plants going into the old N21 block. That brings our total to about 1,500 natives at Nuriootpa, all working hard to invite a richer variety of birds and beneficial insects into the vineyard.
As the calm of winter begins to shift toward the first signs of budburst, the vineyard team will turn its attention to preparing the blocks for spring. For now, though, the vineyard feels beautifully still; resting and readying itself for another season.
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