Grapes and wine... Vintage Report

Like the olives, the grapes were down in yield but up in quality, with the smallest tonnage picked since 2007. The fruit was mostly sold to organic wineries in the Hunter and Mudgee, with a small amount to be made into wine for us at Windowrie Estate (chardonnay sparkling) here at Cowra and Thistle Hill in Mudgee (for the 2010 reds).

The wines are selling well despite a very flat market. Our daring "Beautiful Red" promotion is driving sales with many new trade customers opening up and selling well to customers outside the normal organic "niche" market.

The wines are all continuing to win awards and writeups, including a 4 1/2 star writeup for the Cabernet in May Winestate magazine, and the Triple Blend, Chardonnay and sparkling Rose also written up. If sales are any indicator, the Sparkling Vintage Chardonnay is all but sold out again, for the second year in a row. You can read up on each of the wines in our tasting notes on the Rosnay website.