OUR VINTNERS LIVE WITH DEVOTION TO THEIR PASSION:
TO CULTIVATE A GRAPE THAT ALLOWS FOR
THE BIRTH OF A GRAND WINE.
Spring: Rebirth
Spring in Barossa Valley begins in September. We begin the vintage with soil management, like mulching and the pruning of grapevines. All vines at 1837 BAROSSA grow on their own roots, because unlike Europe, vine pest (phylloxera) is non-existent in Barossa Valley. In October, we begin with selection – the breaking away of excessive shoots. Next, the stems of the vines are polished, and new sprouts are carefully positioned. The health of our vineyards in the spring is of critical importance. In caring for our vines, we respect the environment and care for the vines with an absolute minimum of treatments against potential disease in the vineyard. Our goal is to achieve a product as close to nature as possible. The spring is one of the most beautiful times in the vineyard. Within a few weeks, the woody vine stocks with hardly a sign of life transform into splendid, vibrantly growing vine stocks. One warm spring day is often enough to completely change the picture on the wine estate, as the buds shoot up and develop sprouts which grow at an almost imperceptible pace. In order to give the extra strength that the buds need, we give the vines additional water, mostly in the warm pre-summer days of November. For this reason, 1837 BAROSSA is the co-owner of Barossa Infrastructure Ltd. (BIL), which enables the vintners of Barossa Valley to water the vineyard during hot seasons.
Summer: Growth
The warm summer begins in December, when the berries are in full growth. The grape closing is next, the moment when the individual berries touch each other. The change in colour typically takes place in January. Chlorophyll is broken down, and anthocyan builds up, which leads to the red colouring of the Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. From this point, the phenol components – tannins and antioxidants – evolve. The Mediterranean climate in Barossa Valley, with its warm days and cool nights, promotes the balance, and allows for a gradual maturation. Malic acids in the grapes break down in this period, sugars builds up and the acidity of the wine remains more or less constant. Cell enlargement causes a gain in weight. Xylems are no longer active, and the vintner exploits the effect of watering in the dry period during this phase, which promotes sugar storage. Toward the end of the summer, we continuously check the acidity and sugar level of the berries as well as the quality of the phenol components in the skin. Other factors for the grape harvest include the tasting of the grapes from each section of the vineyard, the colour analysis and the grape seed inspection, which collectively provide the vintner with important indicators of the right time for the grape harvest.
Autumn: Coronation
The beginning of the autumn in the Barossa Valley, in March, is often the time period for the grape harvest. The Shiraz grapes of 1837 BAROSSA reach physiological maturity about two weeks before the Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. The grape harvest is the crowning moment for any vintner. Now all the hard work from the entire year pays off; on the date of the grape harvest, all the hard work is manifested. While harvesting, careful effort is made not to injure the berries. Once harvested, all of our grapes always reach the wine cellar within less than a half-hour. By doing so, this prevents fermentation of the berries from setting in during this period, despite the hot weather, before the wine maker has started with his work. The autumn in all of Barossa Valley is an eventful period. This season goes hand-in-hand with vintner festivals, gourmet markets, classical music events and jazz concerts. Always an excellent moment to reflect on the year past, and to be grateful for being able to spend these timeless moments here in Lyndoch.
Winter: Rest
The vines have done their work, and it is now time for the winter break, until August. While the winter may be a quiet time for the vintner, this is not the case for the wine maker. The first weeks and months of wine production are the most intensive, and are decisive as to whether or not a grand wine will come from the grapes. During the winter, the grape grower takes time to prune the vines. A labour-intensive effort conducted by hand at 1837 BAROSSA, pruning can often last until August.
A timeless cycle at 1837 BAROSSA: year after year, decade after decade. During the break, the wine estate prepares itself for the next rebirth, so that the vines are again prepared for the upcoming cycle in the next spring.