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2021 Vintage

 
 
 

2021 Vintage Diary

For 2021 we're taking you behind the scences to see what really happens, and how our wines are made. For us the picking won't start & fruit won't start arriving at the winery until late February / early March the work has already started.

 

2021 Vintage Diary Entry #49

2021 Vintage Diary #49 Here is a very clever little tool we use twice a day measuring the progress of our ferments. It is as fragile as it looks and over a busy vintage there are always few lost in the battle (together with thermometers) - A good year so far with only 3 casualties. Cheers Matt #V2021 #vintage #winerylife #Montepulciano #SouthAustralia #mclarevale 

 

2021 Vintage Diary Entry #48

M2021 Vintage Diary #48. We're down to our last cheeky ferment so didn't wan't to miss showing you plunging vs pump overs. I use both to extract colours, flavours and tannins. Cheers Matt #V2021 #fleurieuliving #supportlocalmv #vintage #montepulciano  

 

2021 Vintage Diary Entry #47

2021 Vintage Diary #47 Pressing the Muscat - Delicious. This press load ended up taking 6 hours - squeezing out every last tasty drop! ๐Ÿท Cheers Matt #V2021 #vintage#mclarevale #winerylife #supportlocalmv #fleurieuliving 

 

2021 Vintage Diary Entry #46

2021 Vintage Diary #46 The last fruit for harvest 2021 is in the winery - Our delicious Montepulciano has been picked & put the receival bin and crusher๐Ÿ‡๐Ÿ‡ - it's all looking good. Cheers Matt #mclarevale #redwine #montepulciano #winerylife 

 

2021 Vintage Diary Entry #45

2021 Vintage Diary #45 Fortifying our small batch of what will become the 2021 Muscat, sourced from the three rows in front of the winery. The neutral spirit inhibits further fermentation and slowly rehydrates the sultana-like berries over a few days prior to pressing. Cheers Matt #winerylife #V2021 #supportlocalmv #supportlocal 

 

2021 Vintage Diary Entry #44

2021 Vintage Diary #44. Digging Deep inside our 6t fermenter. I've already filled 2 bins with our home block Cabernet with lots more still to come. Vintage Fitness is a thing! Cheers Matt #V2021 #mclarenvale #winerylife #redwine  

 

2021 Vintage Diary Entry #43

Muscat Cheers Matt 

 

2021 Vintage Diary Entry #42

Muscat Muscat Muscat - We're picking some delicious Fronti from the front of the Cellar Door. We'll get a wild ferment going before fortifying. After a long soak it will be time press...I'll keep you posted Cheers Matt 

 

2021 Vintage Diary Entry #41

I cover a few kilometres during vintage - Especially early in the morning - I find I get a better view of the true condition of the fruit and when it will be best to pick. Cheers Matt 

 

2021 Vintage Diary Entry #40

Our Last Shiraz has been pressed and it's time to get inside one of our open top fermenters - more #Jif required,
Cheers Matt 

 

2021 Vintage Diary Entry #39 - Part 2

Winemakers Friend #Jif. Cleans and decolourises perfectly #NotPeanutbutter!

 

2021 Vintage Diary Entry #39 - Part 1

Pressing Pressing Pressing. A quick 101 guide to the how and why of how I handle free run vs pressings. Cheers Matt #V2021 #mclarenvale #vintage #supportlocal #supportlocalmv #SupportSmallBusiness #shiraz

 

2021 Vintage Diary Entry #38

After the picking, the crushing, the plunging & pressing its time to put some of my babies to barrel. The yeast has done it's job and I'm racking off the clear wine from the lee's that has settled overnight. 1 more tank to go today [๐Ÿ˜] Cheers Matt

 

2021 Vintage Diary Entry #37

It's a game of Tetris today. Making sure the right batches and barrels are selected, ensuring no ullage and making sure there is nothing left over [๐Ÿ˜] - And that's only the Fiano! Am putting this to bed until the end of vintage and will check in again with it then. Cheers Matt #supportlocalmv #smidgewines #V2021 

 

2021 Vintage Diary Entry #36 - Part 2

If you've only got 20 secs, here's a short look at the Harvester in action. Cheers Matt 

 

2021 Vintage Diary Entry #36 - Part 1

Our biggest pick so far this year. On our home block following the harvester. It is always pleasing to see a good yield with grapes come off cleanly (cleaner than me!) Cheers Matt 

 

2021 Vintage Diary Entry #35

Threading the needle - putting some tasty carignan into a fermenter - will be a lovely blending component..  Cheers Matt 

 

2021 Vintage Diary Entry #34

Am knee deep in it - literally. Have pumped out the free run & now digging out the fermenter. Vintage fitness 101..  Cheers Matt 

 

2021 Vintage Diary Entry #33

Pressing out our Fiano after its time on skins. This component will end up being approximately 10% of the final blend.  Thanks Yasi for loading the press! Cheers Matt!  Cheers Matt! 

 

2021 Vintage Diary Entry #32

Its been one of those days - we lost a wheel on the trailer - lucky not fruit (or people) injured Cheers Matt! 

 

2021 Vintage Diary Entry #31

It's one of those days! I'm at least 3 hours behind and am starting to feel tired. Just doing a final check of the wines before bed and sneaky little taste of the Fermenting Fiano. 'Carbonic Maceration' is my term of the day. :-) Cheers Matt! 

 

2021 Vintage Diary Entry #30

Our first fruit from the Barossa Valley has arrived. Its 4:30am - we pick over night to ensure the berries come in cool and in the best condition possible & reduce the energy load on the winery! 

 

2021 Vintage Diary Entry #29

Under the bird nets in the Carignan Vineyard - looking good - probably pick in 10 days! 

 

2021 Vintage Diary Entry #28

It's not summer anymore - Its freezing as we pick our 1127 - R6 clones of Shiraz - Watch to find out why Matt loves these..  

 

2021 Vintage Diary Entry #27 - Part 2

OK, starting to get my geek on now ๐Ÿ˜ Have the hydrometer & thermometer out ensuring everything is ticking along the way I like. Am loving how the cabernet first pick is developing - it smells delicious & a little bit nostalgic!  

 

2021 Vintage Diary Entry #27 - Part 1

Doing my morning routine of checking the wines. Whites are looking good & plunging a small Malbec ferment. I do this twice a day to increase skin contact and get extraction of colour and flavour from all the berries.  

 

2021 Vintage Diary Entry #26 - Part 2

We've got Cabernet, Shiraz, Malbec & Fiano ticking away in the winery. Watch as Matt describes his approach to Fiano fermenting in 3 different ways!.  

 

2021 Vintage Diary Entry #26 - Part 1

We've got Cabernet, Shiraz, Malbec & Fiano ticking away in the winery. Watch as Matt describes his approach to Fiano fermenting in 3 different ways!.  

 

2021 Vintage Diary Entry #25

We've got Cabernet, Shiraz, Malbec & Fiano ticking away in the winery. Watch as Matt describes his approach to Fiano fermenting in 3 different ways!.  

 

2021 Vintage Diary Entry #24 - Part 2

Back in the winery crushing some cabernet. Its been a busy day already with 3 blocks coming in - Malbec, Shiraz and the Cab.  

 

2021 Vintage Diary Entry #24 - Part 1

Its early(ish) in the morning and we've got machine harvesting underway in our Estate Shiraz 

 

2021 Vintage Diary Entry #23

I'm out in our Fiano Vineyard sampling berries to see when we'll be picking - looks like it will be Tuesday. Cheers Matt 

 

2021 Vintage Diary Entry #22

Picking is about to start so final cleaning is underway with everything from the press, fruit bins, receival bin, crusher, fermenters, pumps, hoses and more. Iโ€™ll do several times a day over the next 6-8 weeks, itโ€™s a great way to keep cool when itโ€™s hot like this โ€“ towards the end of vintage โ€“ itโ€™s not so much fun! Cheers Matt 

 

2021 Vintage Diary Entry #21

Here's something you might not have seen before - SPF 50+ for plants ๐Ÿ˜‰! I'm out in the Barossa Valley at one of our growers' vineyards. It can get very pretty hot out here, with intense sunshine and this helps protect the leaves and grapes by cutting out visible, IR and UV light and reducing the surface temperature. It's a completely harmless clay based product and works very well. Cheers Matt 

 

2021 Vintage Diary Entry #20

Barrel work today - more specifically racking some Cabernet off lees, then cleaning the barrels, before putting the wine back to bed. Cheers Matt 

 

2021 Vintage Diary Entry #19

Back in our Cabernet block checking verasion and overall consistency of the crop. In this entry I'm talking about 'a second crop' and going through dropping a few bunches. Cheers Matt 

 

2021 Vintage Diary Entry #Week In Review

It's been another busy week of Vintage 2021 from deliveries, tastings & barrel topping & looking at vineyards after all that rain. 

 

2021 Vintage Diary Entry #18

Having a look at the vineyard infront of the cellar door after recent rain. Splitting is a risk for us at the moment so will be keeping a close eye across the board - so far so good! Cheers Matt 

 

2021 Vintage Diary Entry #17

Looking at our estate Cabernet sauvignon. The weather so far this season has been pretty mild and dry. After walking through the block, things are lookimg good and I am quietly confident that we are in for a cracker vintage! Cheers Matt 

 

2021 Vintage Diary Entry #16

Today its cleaning and topping barrels. Cheers Matt 

 

2021 Vintage Diary Entry #15

Trying some old white wines out of the cellar. Always interesting to see what I find and see how gracefully they age. Cheers Matt 

 

2021 Vintage Diary Entry #14

There's a bit of an eerie feeling in the air - and certainly a very strong smell of smoke which is a reminder of just how close this fire is.  We're hoping for rain & a bit luck with the wind. For me it's too smokey to be outside so I'll be doing an admin day working from home - and there is plenty that needs to be done. Cheers Matt 

 

2021 Vintage Diary - Week 1 in Review

 

 

2021 Vintage Diary Entry #13

I did this video last night just as this fire was starting. It was approximately 60km North of where I was and has since gone on to threaten many towns & properties. Thanks to all the firefighters and first responders, We're thinking of Hills residents, businesses, farmers, wineries and grape growers - it has been just over a year since the devastating fire at Cudlee Creek. Cheers Matt

 

2021 Vintage Diary - Entry #12

 

2021 Vintage Diary - Entry #11

 

2021 Vintage Diary - Entry #10

 

2021 Vintage Diary - Entry #9

 

2021 Vintage Diary - Entry #8

 

2021 Vintage Diary #7

 

 
 
 

2021 Vintage Diary #6

 

 

2021 Vintage Diary #5

 

 

2021 Vintage Diary #4

 

 

2021 Vintage Diary #3

 

 

2021 Vintage Diary Entry #2

 

Another day in the vineyard checking drippers. Versaison is underway, & the vines are working hard- We need to give them all the help we can. Cheers Matt

 

 

2021 Vintage Diary Entry #1

As vintage 2021 approaches, I thought that it would good to document a bit of a diary. Just a quick snippet day to day of things behind the scenes. I hope that you enjoy the ride, so here we go! [๐Ÿ˜] [๐Ÿท]

 

Vintage 2021 - Starts Here

Join us for the journey by liking and following the Smidge Wines page on Facebook. You'll see all the updates, diary entries and everything we can show you of the Vintage journey on the page here and also at: /Winery-Diary

 

The Prequel.....

A delicious & enjoyable wine starts in many cases years before the grapes in that special bottle are even picked. from careful soil management & long term pruning regimes & vineyard health
 

 

 
 
 

Cheers!
Matt

 

ABOUT SMIDGE WINES

Smidge Wines is the passion of Matt Wenk, one of Australia's most acclaimed winemakers. It has been a James Halliday Australian Wine Companion Five Red Star winery since 2017.

Our key varieties are Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon, with Sauvignon Blanc, Tempranillo, Grenache and a range of Italian varieties such as Fiano and Montepulciano also in the portfolio. Smidge Wines are sold exclusively through fine restaurants, selected independent bottleshops and our Cellar Door รขโ‚ฌโ€œ both online and onsite. To see more wines, please visit our website
smidgewines.com