Tim's Ravings

Winter is an extremely busy time in the vineyard at Huntington Estate. The work is physically and mentally tough, but critical to set up the next season's growth.

Our sustainable vineyard is regularly renewed, to ensure a healthy balance of old and new vines for optimal quality - now and into the future.

OLD VINES: The original plantings are 52 years old. These gnarly vines have deep and thick root systems to access water, even during dry, hot spells, and store large reserves of carbohydrates. They are carefully managed to produce low yields of around 3 to 4 T/ha of intensely flavoured top grade fruit.

MATURING VINES: 12 to 25 year old vines are hitting their peak, with an optimal balance of vigour/productivity and quality. With root systems and the 'wisdom' to manage tough conditions, they won't over-crop in good conditions. Yields around 10 to 15 T/ha of super premium fruit.

YOUNG VINES: Typically the year after the vine is planted, it is 2-budded (cut right back down) for long-term strength. In year 3 the arms are tied down and it starts to bear fruit (which is either thinned or entirely dropped to let the vine focus on growth). In year 4, with fruit-thinning, the grapes can make the grade for the Estate Range. As a general rule, the vines will not make Reserve Grade fruit until they are at least 10 years old.

JUNE

Pruning began with the Chardonnay - the first variety to lose its leaf - in mid May and is now well underway.

Our team of in-house vineyard experts start work at first light, often in sub-zero temperatures. They prune every dry day (cutting wet vines invites trunk disease). They prune to a brief (bud count) from Vigneron and Chief Winemaker Tim Stevens, based on desired yields per block.

Block 9 had the only vines affected by downy mildew - vigour was impacted and cane selection will be more challenging. Everywhere else, the vines are in rude health and looking fantastic for 2022.

JULY

Pruning continues throughout July. The mornings are getting colder. The Cabernet and Grenache are slow to lose their leaf. The new plantings of Chardonnay, Grenache and Shiraz are trained - a time consuming and back-breaking process involving the removal of guards, tidying up the trunk and tying down arms to the guide wire.

The solar pump will extract bore water to gradually fill the dams for growing season ahead. Slashing the mid-row cover crop from a warm and comfy tractor provides welcome relief from pruning. Paper, scissors, rock for that job!

AUGUST

Weather permitting, the pruning will be completed early this month. Broken posts and wires will be replaced. Irrigation will be checked and repaired. We need to fix up a leaky dam wall. Tractors, spray carts and slashers will be serviced in readiness for the growing season.

In an ideal world the team have a week or two off to rest in preparation for the next season. Towards the end of the month, sap will start to flow in the vines. Budburst is just around the corner - usually in early September. Off we go Vintage 2022!

The winery is a hive of activity as we barrel-down the reds and prepare the whites for bottling. 

The whites are looking excellent this year, with lively natural acids, vibrancy and lovely elegant fruit. Bottling began mid-June, and the whites will be ready for release in spring. It's been wonderful having 2 year old whites on current release this year and they are drinking beautifully.

2021 WHITES

The Dry Rosé is undoubtedly our best ever, pale pink with elegant fruit and length. The Semillons are pure and varietal. The Chardonnay is look superb and are resting on lees in oak, stirred twice weekly. The Barrel Fermented will be released in the Summer Newsletter.

We've sourced small parcels of Central Ranges Sav Blanc and Traminer for a classic White Bordeaux blend with Semillon. It's delightfully aromatic, smooth, fruity and pleasingly different.

It is so good to have reds back in the winery. 263 French and American premium oak barrels (hogsheads and barriques) full of goodness line the walls of the Barrel Hall.

The reds are all through malolactic fermentation now, and are beginning their journey to maturity. We don't sugar-up or strip our wines to make them soft - we prefer to let time work it's magic. They will typically spend up to 2 years in quality oak before bottling and at least another 2 years in crates in our temperature controlled cellars before labelling and release.

It's too early to say much about the 2021 reds, other than that the colours, chemistry and fruit are all looking great. The cool, extended ripening period after a wet growing season promises wonderful and distinctive fruit flavours and elegant srtuctures.

Repairs and maintenance will take up the remainder of our time over winter.