We owe you an apology, dear friends.
This blog is a little late… but from where I’ve been sitting, watching the world go by in a warm patch of sun, I can assure you — it’s not for lack of effort. The farm has been wonderfully, gloriously busy.
If you’ve ever been through harvest on a small, hands-on farm, you’ll understand why. The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of early mornings, long days, and the kind of work that leaves you smelling like grapes, sun, and just a hint of chaos.
The good news? It’s been worth every second.
Did you know?
Once bottled, wine continues to evolve, just more slowly. The 2024 vintage may be sealed, but its story is still unfolding in every bottle.
Harvest is officially done. The 2024 vintage has been bottled, always a proud moment, rows of glass filled with a year’s worth of patience and care. Meanwhile, the 2026 vintage has already begun its journey. Primary fermentation is complete, and the young wines are now resting quietly in barrels, settling in for their two-year maturation. From frenzy to stillness… that’s the rhythm of the farm.
But before the calm, there’s the storm.
Harvest time here is truly an all-hands-on-deck operation. And by “all hands”, we do of course mean all paws too.
Sam has been in full vineyard-manager mode; watchful, focused, and quietly making sure every bunch comes off at just the right moment. Dino has been loving life in the cellar, getting stuck into fermentation with his usual enthusiasm (and a bit more mess than strictly necessary). Enzo has been everywhere at once, keeping things moving, lifting, carrying, checking, the glue holding it all together.
Did you know?
Harvest timing is everything. Picking grapes just a few days too early or too late can change the entire flavour of the wine, which is why Sam watches the vineyard so closely before giving the final “all paws on deck” call.
Noodle, as expected, has taken his role very seriously. Security, logistics, quality control… and the occasional unnecessary barking at passing shadows. Someone has to keep standards high.
Ziggy has been less interested in the grapes and more interested in making sure the “story” of harvest is well documented; popping in for cameos, charming the team, and reminding everyone that even hard work deserves a bit of sparkle.
And then there’s Nibby… running laps between vineyard and cellar, trying to help everywhere, succeeding sometimes, and mostly just being loved by everyone regardless.
And me? I watch.
Because beyond the rush, beyond the noise, there is something rather beautiful about harvest. It is a moment where everything comes together; the work, the weather, the waiting, all culminating in something you can hold, bottle, and eventually share.
Did you know?
Wine aged in barrels can spend years developing flavour, structure, and character. The 2026 vintage is already settling in for a long, quiet rest, something I highly recommend.
And now… the farm exhales.
Things are quieter. Slower. The wines are resting where they should be, the vineyard has given what it needed to give, and the long days have softened into something gentler.
But not for long.
I can already feel the shift in the air. The mornings are cooler, the shadows stretch a little further, and there’s a certain kind of preparation beginning to stir beneath the surface.
Winter, you see, has its own work.
And while the others may not have noticed just yet… I have.
I’ll keep my spot in the sun a little while longer, but soon enough, we’ll all be getting ready again.
We’re back, ready to share it all with you a little more regularly again.
Lots of love
Lassy
