Vintage for another year is complete with the last of our fruit harvested on 2nd May. Our winemaking team certainly deserve a well earnt break after a very long but rewarding vintage. We decided to look back at the vintage that was with an interview with Sarah and Amy.
In a brief summary how would you describe your personal experience with vintage 2018?
Sarah (Assistant Winemaker): Overall it was hard work but such good fun, the small team we had was so awesome.
Amy (best cellar hand ever): Shovelling grapes, shovelling grapes, pressing, shovelling grapes, pressing, some more shovelling and pressing to finish it off! Its been the most physically demanding job but its also been really rewarding and lots of fun, the Jeanneret team helps with that!
We’ve seen many photos of an adorable Sausage Dog named Spud, what’s Spud’s official duties at Jeanneret?
Guard dog, quality control, mouse hunter, winery supervisor, staff entertainment.
What’s your favourite job during vintage and what’s your least favourite?
Sarah: Pumpovers- the colours and smells of each ferment were so amazing and it was really interesting to see, smell and taste how they changed over their duration. Pressing was also a very satisfying job, again the colours from each ferment were amazing. My least favourite job is adding sulphur.
Amy: Least favourite would be the clean up after crushing or pressing, especially when the temperature started dropping. My favourite job is barrel work, something about it is just satisfying.
If you could have one superpower during vintage what would it be and why?
Sarah: I would have super strength, for moving the four inch hoses full of grapes from tank to tank.
Amy: To be super speedy and be able to empty a truck or fermenter in half the time.
What kind of music keeps the winery crew ‘pumping’ especially with the extra-long days?
Sarah: We didn’t listen to any music, but the must pump lays down a sick beat.
Amy: Same as Sarah- the untz untz untz of the must pump/crusher/receival bin
In the industry we see lots of feet stomping when it comes to vintage, did you get the opportunity to get your feet dirty at Jeanneret?
Sarah: We didn’t do any foot stomping, but I got my feet dirty when I shovelled out the first truck and shovelled a Shiraz ferment into the small press. Amy shovelled over 200 tonnes of grapes from the truck so she did most of the dirty work!
Amy: I think this photo sums up how dirty my feet got!
Are there any parcels of fruit that you’re super excited by and what wine will this go into?
Sarah: I was quite excited about the Grenache as the 2013 Old Vine Grenache is my favourite wine at Jeanneret Cellar Door. We are hoping to create something just as delicious from this year’s fruit.
Amy: The Grenache which will hopefully be our next release of the OVG and the JJ Backside Shiraz which is looking like this year’s Denis, both are tasting delicious!
What’s your favourite photo taken during vintage and why?
Sarah: Probably to picture of Spud and I doing pumpovers in grape bins
Amy: Same as before, the one of Sarah and I and Spud eating grapes off my feet
Lastly, what would be the one piece of advice that you would give to someone starting vintage for the very first time?
Sarah: Don’t wear a skirt!
Amy: Choose a winery located in an idyllic gum forest, far off the beaten track where the only priority is to make the most delicious wines possible.