First Week – Friday 16th of January
After a moderate lead-up to vintage, a few exceptionally warm days were followed by rain (92mm from the start of Jan) and then a cool, mild week, setting ideal conditions for the first pick of the season, beginning with our estate Chardonnay. Our picking crew has done an exceptional job, starting early and hand-harvesting a significant portion of the estate Chardonnay.
On Tuesday 13 January, Blocks 2 and 4 were hand-harvested, picked clean, and showed excellent consistency of flavour. As rain moved into the week, we sampled Block 1 Chardonnay—the largest parcel on the estate—which showed great flavour and chemistry and was deemed ready to harvest. On Thursday 15 January, we continued hand-harvesting the Chardonnay, marking a strong and promising start to the vintage.
24th of January
Mid-January kept us on our toes, with a large rain episode rolling through on the 16th, 18th and 19th, delivering a total of 58mm of rainfall across those three days. While rain during harvest always demands close attention, the vineyards responded beautifully. Even better, the week that followed brought dry, mild conditions — just what we like to see when fruit quality is the priority.
On the 21st of January, we harvested the final rows of estate Block 1 Chardonnay, officially bringing our Chardonnay pick to a close. The fruit came in clean and balanced— a great result after a watchful few days of weather monitoring.
The standout moment so far came on January 23rd, when the parcel responsible for the most awarded wine in our collection the Block 3 Semillon was picked. Yields were exceptionally high, and quality was equally impressive — classic Hunter Valley Semillon fruit showing purity, freshness and flavour concentration.
Every grape grown on the estate is hand harvested, and our incredible 30-strong picking crew has done an absolutely sensational job. Early starts, long days, and plenty of teamwork have seen fruit come in at exactly the right moment. Thankfully, harvest conditions so far have been moderate — a welcome bonus for both people and vines.
Testing has now begun on the remaining estate Semillon blocks, with our red varieties close behind. Sugar levels, acidity and flavour development are being monitored daily as we prepare for the next phase of vintage.
31st of January
This week marked the final white harvest and the halfway point of vintage, with a portion of Semillon from Block 2 and Block 4 hand-harvested on Wednesday 28th. The growing season has been exceptional across both Semillon and Chardonnay, delivering high quality alongside strong yields.
Given the generous crop levels, a decision was made later in the week to allocate the remaining Semillon from Block 2 (10 rows) and Block 4 (14 rows) to a botrytis Semillon program.
The base fruit for the Rosé was also harvested this week, using Estate Merlot as the base variety. Sampling of Shiraz and Merlot for the table red wines has commenced, with harvest anticipated in the coming week.
17th of February – Final Vintage Report
With Vintage 2026 drawing to a close for our Hunter Valley harvest, we would like to extend our sincere congratulations to our incredible vineyard team for safely delivering all fruit into the winery with smiles on their faces. It has truly been a wonderful vintage. Every member of this team plays a vital role in nurturing our vines with care and ensuring the fruit arrives in perfect condition. A special thank you to Ted and Jason for your leadership and commitment throughout Vintage 2026.
The beginning of February saw the red varieties harvested under relatively dry conditions, with only 13 mm of rainfall across the first fortnight. These favourable conditions allowed for the successful picking of Shiraz and Merlot from our estate vineyards. The reds this year are supported by strong yields and excellent fruit quality. In particular, the Shiraz benefited from the dry weather, being picked at optimal ripeness and showing classic Hunter Valley character — fresh primary fruit, medium body, and beautiful spice.
This season has also delivered exceptional results across the white varieties, with Semillon, Chardonnay and Verdelho showing both high quality and strong quantities. Fermentations are now underway, the wines are showing vibrant fruit intensity, freshness and beautifully balanced elegance.
Given the increased tonnages and the combination of dry yet humid conditions, we have made the exciting decision to produce a Botrytis Semillon this year. The fruit is developing well and is expected to be harvested over the coming weeks.
Overall, Vintage 2026 progressed quickly, with high-quality fruit arriving at the winery in excellent condition. We are incredibly excited about the wines taking shape and look forward to sharing them upon release in the months ahead.