The Wine Blokes

By Jon F.

Vintage is well underway now and it looks as though things will get even busier if the warm weather keeps coming and grapes get ripe all at once.

On a technical note, I intended to post a video diary along side my normal posts, however the poor internet technology here means I can’t upload the videos, however I’m still making them and will be posted on my return to Adelaide.

Here are some photos of last nights pick and explanation of the process from vineyard to winery for the uninitiated:

1. Harvesting:

 

The majority of the vineyard is harvested by machine, howerver the best blocks destined for the super premium wines are handpicked. Although now globally accepted as the most viable and fasted way to harvest grapes, initially harvesters were viewed with disdain due to the perception that they do irreversible damage to the grapes. This may have been true with the earlier models, but now days they are such high tech machines, that most of the fruit ends up in the bins as whole berries with very limited change to the integrity of each berry.

The harvester works essentially by vibrating the berries off the stalks, where they are captured and conveyed into a bin along side the harvester.  Smithbrook runs a French Model Gregoire G65 tow behind harvester.

 

 

2. Crushing:  Once the grapes arrive at the winery, they are tipped into a recieval hopper at the winery, where they are deliverd into the crusher. The crusher essentially removes all stalks and other debris such as canes and leaves, and only allows berries and juice into the must pump below.  The must (berries and juice) is then pumped to the press.

3. Pressing: The Must is then pressed out via a grape press. There are many types and styles of press, but Smithbrook uses a Miller Airbag Membrane Press. The juice is forced out into a juice tray through screens that don’t allow skins or seeds to pass. A membrane inside the press is inflated with compressed air to press the juice out. A typical press program takes between 2 and 3 hours to complete.

Last nights crush went very well. The new winery set up means that efficiency is king and it’s much easier to keep thing clean and tidy, ensuring our hygiene is up to scratch. 

The Sparkling Base Chardonnay came in a little less ripe than expected, so we may be holding off a day or two before we harvest again.  50 tonnes down, only about another 650 tonne to go.

To put that into prespective, Smithbrook is a very small winery in global terms. 700 tonne of grapes is equivalent to approximately 525,000 litres, or 58,000 cases, or 700,000 bottles of wine. 

The global wine market is massive.

Time to get some sleep.