Working the soil

We are now cultivating the soil in our vineyards for the first time this year.

 

Earth is massed around the vines. This actuates the flow of nitrogen so the vines can grow better,

as well as reducing the danger from cutworms, which are fond of devouring the young shoots and buds.

 

The warm temperatures encourage rapid growth of the shoots, and with this the vines grow away, one might say, from the cutworms.

 

Greencover in the vineyard is loosened with the harrow – flexibly banked steel pins – and little uneven patches are smoothed out.

 

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Pruning comes to an end

Our last Chardonnay vine in Ried Gloria has been pruned, and the sun reaches through the morning fog.

 

Now only two days to go and we'll be done with the Cabernet Sauvignon as well.

We customarily finish with Cabernet, since this is the last variety to sprout at our estate in the springtime.

 

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Biting and bitter cold

The temperature over the next few days looks to be -10°C and lower.

 

We are taking advantage of this to facilitate tartaric stabilisation.

 

Tartaric acid tends to form supersaturated solutions – which means that it should precipitate crystals (Weinstein), but thus far has not!

 

With a proper reduction in temperature this becomes easier.

 

Footnote: the bit of water standing on the bung has already frozen, and shows the logo of Tonnellerie Berthomieu in relief.

 

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Bottling Steinzeiler 2015

For twenty-four months now, the '15er Steinzeiler has matured in oak – now it is being bottled, and will subsequently rest for half a year in the cellar.

 

In terms of style, this Steinzeiler falls somewhere between 2009 (fully ripe, rich in extract) and 2002/2006 (silky & elegant).

 

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Pruning our Sauvignon Blanc in Ried Steinmühle

We have been pruning the vines now since the start of the year.

Here with the four-year-old Sauvignon vines we are pruning to shape, in order to create a cordon.

After the rather labour-intensive first couple years' work, the procedure becomes less complicated as the years go by.

The purpose of this is to develop cordon arms of old wood, with short shoots of fruit-bearing wood.

 

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Rounding up the harvest with Cabernet Sauvignon

Our brilliant autumn sunshine held through to the end of the harvest.

The Cabernet grapes are fully ripened, and despite the high tannin content
very sweet on the palate.

This much is clear: 2017 will be great - magnificent ripeness, with
perfectly healthy grapes and marvellous fruit aromas!

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Heading for the finish line with Blaufränkisch!

Saint Peter has us in his good books, and we are taking advantage of the
marvellous autumn weather to pick our Blaufränkisch.

The clusters are perfectly ripened, healthy through and through – and the
harvesting crew is working accordingly, at a brisk tempo.

In the cellar we barely have time to execute the usual tasks, but as my
Auntie always says: 'It's often like that, this time of year…'

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