What an exciting and challenging vintage it is and has been for Comyns & Co.’s very first vintage!!
Record rainfall made for some nervous and sleepless nights, wishing I had shares in the weather channel. Alas, we have made it through the other side, and are very excited about what is in store.
But what is vintage? What does vintage mean?
Well according to the Oxford Dictionary… “Vintage is the year or place in which wine, especially wine of high quality, was produced”.
With that said, this definition differs considerably to Missy’s (AKA: My Vintage Widow) definition of vintage…
“Early mornings, long days, late nights, single parenting and long lawns! Quick chats, quick kisses, where’s Daddy? questions, wine stained clothes, wine stained hands and sun-kissed skin.”
While vintage is definitely hard on our loved ones, not seeing my girls before bed or before they rise each morning and having to let Missy mow the lawn (she’s a bit wild with the mower), does pull at the old heart strings. For the winemaker however, this is what winemaking is all about and definitely the most exciting time of the year. It’s the time I have one chance to pick the grapes at their optimal ripeness and getting it right is imperative.
Despite the rainfall and the associated stress, V16 would have to be my most enjoyable vintage yet. I’m working with a great crew, working with premium vineyards, setting my own expectations and getting the job done. Not to mention having bloody great lunches provided each day (thanks to Thommo no more pies or 2 minute noodles!), so this vintage couldn’t get any better.
This is the first year I have focused only on Hunter Valley fruit, halving the length of my vintage time which in the past could be up to four and a half months (so you can imagine how the lawn was looking then…). I am super pumped for this year and more importantly stoked for the premium wines I am creating. So let’s have a look at what Comyns & Co has in store for you…
- Semillon – A great little parcel from the “Army Block” vineyard. This looked great as fruit, and looks great as wine whilst sitting on its finished ferment lees in tank.
- Viognier – A young vine Viognier that I happened to stumble across while checking out another variety with Thommo. This vibrant, floral juice is now fermenting in French oak.
- Fiano – The last of the whites to ripen, and the only white that I had machine harvested. Fiano is an Italian varietal, which spent two days on skins before being pressed. It is currently wildly fermenting, developing into a textural and floral wine.
- Rosé – A southern French inspired Rosé. Merlot has been used for this Rosé, chosen for its luscious fruit vibrancy. With a combination of barrel and tank ferments this Rosé aspires to be fresh, aromatic and complex in style.
- Pinot Noir – The first of my reds to come in and hand-picked with the help of Missy. This delicate wine has hints of strawberry and black cherry and is now maturing nicely in oak.
- Shiraz – The King of the Hunter, this Shiraz is from a premium vineyard called “Black Cluster”. The wine is elegant, yet powerful at the same time. The wine is currently maturing in oak.
- Tempranillo – The main variety of Spain. This variety is well suited to the Hunter Valley’s terroir. The fruit was hand-picked from a small vineyard in Broke, and has just finished ferment and pressed off its skins. The Tempranillo will be sent to oak next week for maturation.
So in a couple of months I’ll be sending our whites down the bottling line, labelling it and getting it ready for you to purchase. So sit tight, I am working hard to reach the fast approaching finish line. You’re not going to want to miss this!
Cheers, Scotty
Comyns & Co. I Bold, Edgy & Honest
