By Sam (Vineyard Manager) & Dino (Winemaker) Sam here. There’s a particular stillness that settles over the vineyard just before harvest. The air feels thicker. The mornings a little cooler. The...
Harvest Is Calling
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Our Blog
The Long Dog Blog brings you stories from the heart of the farm, told by those who know it best. Expect vineyard updates and grounded reflections from Sam, bold opinions and cellar secrets from Dino, and plenty more from the rest of the pack. Together, they share a behind the scenes look at life, wine, and everything in between.
Nibby’s War on the Sweet-Toothed Horde
Right.Let me explain something to you. The grapes are nearly ready. The sugars are loaded. The Cabernet Franc is blushing beautifully, and if all goes to plan, we’ll be harvesting next week. The...
Enzo’s Summer Watch: Making Fire Work Harder
Howzit, friends.Enzo here. Farm Manager. Biscuit guardian. Occasional couch monopoliser. Summer in Stellenbosch is a beauty. Long light, hot days, vines stretching lazily toward harvest. But she’s...
Paws, Parades & Pure Harvest Magic
Darlings. If you heard squeals of delight, spontaneous applause and the relentless click-click-click of phone cameras on Saturday, that was us. Long Dog Wines took part in the Stellenbosch Harvest...
Reporting from between the rows.
Véraison has arrived at Long Dog Wines, and it’s one of those moments in the season where the vineyard quietly tells you how the year is really going. The berries soften, colour creeps in, sugars...
Holiday time on the Long dog farm
Holiday time on the farm sounds relaxed. Slow mornings. Long lunches. Feet up in the shade. That’s the idea, anyway. In reality, the vines don’t know it’s holiday season. They still need tending,...
Sam Says: How to Judge a Good Wine Without Barking Up the Wrong Tree
If there’s one thing I’ve learnt padding through these vineyards season after season, it’s how to judge a good wine long before it reaches your glass. Humans swirl, sniff and sip. Dogs? We observe,...
The Case of the Missing Meaty Goodness
Some days on Long Dog Farm are calm. The sun warms the vineyard, Dino hums his winemaker’s tunes, Sam inspects the rows like the queen she thinks she is, and Enzo pretends he isn’t asleep on the...
Nibby Takes Charge: Head of Pest Control
It’s official! I, Nibby, am no longer “the intern.” The collar’s off, the badge is on, and my new title reads: Head of Pest Control. A big job for a tall (and mighty) dog. Now, before you picture me...