Weather Willing
Vintage season is here, and it’s all hands on deck at Red Hill Estate. First, the chardonnay and red varieties are filtered in preparation for bottling, and then the team turns its attention to the vineyard itself. Pruning and wiring branches, and trimming leaves gives the fruit the best chance to ripen. Just the right weather is paramount, and the team hopes for the ideal combination: lots of sunshine, a little rain, but not too much, some wind, and no humidity. If these specific conditions proliferate, the fruit ripens perfectly. However, even small changes in the weather at this stage can produce interesting variations in the flavour of the vintage. Meanwhile, Red Hill Estate’s cellar door and the neighbouring Max’s Restaurant are the perfect place to spend the last of the warm weather.