August 2018
In spite of 15mm of rain over the last two days we still suffer a green drought with hardly any grass and needing to give the grapes a little water from time to time.
We have nearly finished the winter prune, mulching the prunings and putting some lime and dynamic lifter fertiliser on the rows.
Its been a somber winter with little bird life , insects or spiders to show that the country is not completely dormant, holding it's breath...
We had a great june and july on the sales and publicity front

starting with the Bathurst Winter Winery Wander in June and followed by two Saturdays of the Bathurst Winter Festival with hundreds of cheerful visitors.
Our 2018 vintage is coming along well and our Chardonnay and Pinot are already Quite palatable!

MAY 2018
Still waiting for rain here. Sold 90 cattle to de-stock the pastures and preparing do do some direct drilling and seeding to remediate the farm. Even the eastern grey kangaroos have to go elsewhere for food now...
However the harvest although smaller than normal seems to be producing wines with concentrated flavour and colour, maturing in our oak barrels in the winery as we watch the vines drop their leaves in the vineyard below the winery.
We are looking forward to the Bathurst Winter Winery wander on 17th May 2018 where we are at BoxGrove reception centre with Al Dente catering and expecting 200 visitors over the day.
Look out for us at the Bathurst winter festival from 7th to 14th July when we shall be serving our famous Gluhwein made form 2010 Pinot Noirand our secret spice recipe.

FEB18TH 2018

We put the nets on yesterday. Its been a very dry summer after a late budburst, but our biodynamic soil has retained moisture and there is no mildew this year. Thanks to Kith and Tim and Doug and Helen for getting it all done in one day. Here's hoping for a good vintage!
Luckily we can swim in the dam after the days work.

On sept13th with the moon and saturn in opposition we sprayed our biodynamic soil preparations just before the heaven sent 20mm of rain and snow. Stirred for 1 hour back and forth for the vortex to absorb human and cosmic energy. There are more things in heaven and earth..........

september 2017

We are having a green drought now, not like these pics of last year

 are

JULY 2017
Regular frosts now so the vines are dormant and ready for a good hard prune ready for budburst in September/ October. We have been allowing the cows around the perimeter of the vines as the farm is struggling to find grass for them.
Wonderful Bathurst Winter Festival this year, selling glass after glass of hot spiced mulled wine that Bellbrook Friends Pioneered in 2014.
Our 2015 Pinot Noir is proving very popular and stocks are getting low. Lucky we have plenty of 2016 which is as good if not better.

Check out the winter moon and the friendly stalls

DECEMBER 2016
After a cool wet winter and spring our grapes were slow to start and as befits our cool climate vineyard at 1000m altitude we suffered some frost damage. All the vines survived and are now running about a month behind a normal year.
We had a wonderfully successful bottling in november with BELLBROOK FRIENDS... Alasdair McGregor, Jeff Rigby, Tudor Anderson, Nic and Josee Moodie (to be wed next year!), Scott and Karen Varker, Matt Lousada, Doug Rolfe, Dick and Coke Pollitt, Ross and Sally Smith and Felix and Corinna Clark. Diana Hosking and George Clark are looking forward to marketing our wine under our new labels designed by us in collaboration with the clever Elisa Wood. May fortune favour you all...