The Wine

Wine Making Secrets Our practices... Don't make much: 300 cases of Shiraz and 300 cases of Shiraz/Viognier is enough for me and my friends. Keep your production small. Pick your fruit: Start with the best possible grapes. There really is a difference. Grape production is the only type of farming where there is a tenfold difference in price for quality- from $500 to $5000 per tonne. The key to making good wine is by selecting the best grapes. This is often quoted but rarely ever done in big production houses. The pressures of time and corporate expectations mean this step is often left to chance. Use an old crusher: If it is small and loaded by hand it is gentle on grapes (and sore on the back.) Ferment slowly: My wine was fermented to dryness- where all of the grapes sugar is turned into alcohol. It was hand plunged every morning and afternoon in small open fermenters . The temperature was allowed to build up to 28 degrees C before being tailed off for the finish of ferment. Making good wine takes time, Lazy Ballerina is left on its skins for 13 days in the case of 2004, and in 2005 14 days. Large wineries cannot afford to take this much time. They need to turn their wine over - get it in: get it out. Press softly: The wine is basket pressed just like in 1900. Very slow and very soft. This time honoured method allows the wine to have an intense flavour without any harsh tannins from squeezing the seeds. Get good oak barrels: Old and new for balance. Age the wine in 24 months in 40% new oak, ultra-fine grain French & American hogsheads- 300 lts and 60% in older French oak. This gives the wine some nice toasty characteristics and matures the wine so it will last a long time in the cellar. Another point of difference to the big wine factories- wine that is made in stainless steel with oak chips added to the mix- is not really natural is it?