winter
I have just been to Victoria to visit my son and my sister. It was my son Brandon’s 37th birthday recently, a perfect excuse to go. He works at my sister’s vineyard and winery in the Mt Macedon area, one hour north of Melbourne. It is a particularly beautiful part of Australia, and Curly Flat produces excellent pinot noir and chardonnay – some very good reasons to be there.
my son Brandon
The 2010 vintage is finished and the wine is now in barrels doing its thing. This year was a particularly good year. The weather conditions were favourable and the harvest was the best ever. This was great news after last year’s shocking conditions with the extreme heat causing untold damage to the fruit. The crop was down by 40%.
Curly Flat winery
Ben checking the barrels
in the controlled temperature barrel room
Pruning in the vineyard is almost complete and not much will happen there until budburst in spring when the vines will need tending again. Pinot noir grapes in particular need lots of attention to produce the best fruit. Curly Flat believes great wine is made in the vineyard. Something is working, the wines get glowing reviews and are in most of the top restaurants around Australia as well as in Qantas business and first class.
winter vines
It's hard to believe new leaves will sprout in spring
The orginal sandstone cottage on the property has been converted into the tasting rooms where cellar door is held each weekend and special events take place. It is particularly welcoming in winter with the fires going.
Vintage Hall - the tasting rooms
a Curly Flat cat resting comfortably in Vintage Hall
the Nick Dattner table is 8 metres long and seats 26
We had a few hours of fine weather while I was there so I took the opportunity to wander around the property taking photos. Here is the result.
Lake Lacuna
winter at Curly Flat
late afternoon by the lake
beside the lake
the road to the winery
pet sheep
looking across to the vineyard
Lake Lacuna
the end result of the hard work
Curly Flat 263 Collivers Rd, Lancefield, Victoria 3435