Organic Viticulture Seminar

With a total of 17 attendees, the Organic Seminar held at Stillwater at Crittenden was deemed a great success. The local vignerons (and some not so local!) who attended were interested and engaged. They went away satisfied with what they learned regarding getting started in organics. Here is what Tim Marshall from TM Organics had to say about the day...

“We have run 16 Organic viticulture workshops in every state in Australia (except NT and Qld) and the event at Stillwater at Crittenden was without a doubt one of the best. The grape growers and winemakers that attended really contributed to the day by asking lots of questions, and shared information amongst the group. There was a great atmosphere, aided in no small part by the wonderful location of Stillwater at Crittenden. The attendees showed a lively interest in improving the sustainability of their properties, and a number of them indicated their intention to continue to progress down the pathway of organic or biodynamic production.”

I am looking forward to seeing the outcomes!

For more information visit the TM Organics website http://www.tmorganics.com/organic-viticulture-is-it-for-you.html

STOP PRESS: Second generation winemaker wins 2010 Young Gun Australian Winemaker!!

Rollo Crittenden has been named as this year's Young Gun Australian Winemaker of the Year. Representing a region that is barely 30 years old, Rollo's win reinforces the quality offering from Crittenden Estate and the Mornington Peninsula overall.

Announced on August 16th at the Young Gun of Wine Awards ceremony at Melbourne's Supper Club, the awards night was the culmination of a week-long festival celebrating the freshest, newest and most innovative young winemaking talent in the Australian wine industry. Chosen from a shortlist of eleven winemakers from all over the country, the competition was 'hot' to say the least.

On receiving the award, Rollo said the Young Gun title was the outcome of following what he loved to do, including making and enjoying the subtleties of Spanish wine.

The Young Gun of Wine judging panel of Chief Judge Nick Stock, Young Gun of Wine Founder Rory Kent, Max Allen, Philip Rich and last year's winner, Colin McBryde of Some Young Punks, were impressed with the overall standard of all competitors however, Rollo's wines shone through. Nick Stock said, "Rollo has struck a unique chord in terms of the wines he's making, the styles, the package and the pitch - all beautifully understated, polished and presented."

On receiving his award, Rollo said he was "absolutely rapt to be chosen from such a competitive field. He went on to say, "I would also like to acknowledge the support I have received from the tight knit and committed group of vignerons in our region. They are a very talented group producing top quality wines and I'm proud to be part of it."

Visit www.younggunofwine.com for more information.

To read current media reviews associated with the award click here

Dam overflow!

In the twenty eight years since we built our twenty megalitre lake on the vineyard at Dromana it has never failed to fill annually, something for which we are eternally grateful! Having said that, in some years, particularly during the drought ravaged past decade, the inflows have barely topped the spillway, and even then always late in the Spring.

According to weather reports Melbourne is experiencing its wettest winter in ten years. At our place it's the wettest in the past sixteen. This years flows commenced over the spillway in late June, something we have not seen for a long time, and take a look at the accompanying photos takenon Septermber 4th. Megalitres flowing down into Dunn's Creek and on into Port Phillip Bay. Such is life.