Pre-vintage catch up 2023
We’re preparing for Vintage 2023. This vintage is anticipated to be smaller than previous years due to poor crop yield as a result of high rainfall in the vineyard regions. Our Vintage team come from across the globe including Germany, Italy, Argentina, France, England and Spain. We caught up with Winemaker Raffaele and Assistant Winemaker Emily to chat all things Vintage 2023! You can learn more about Raffaele and Emily via our Winemaking page.
· What are you most excited about for your first Vintage at IDL?
Raff: It is exiting to see how the vintage will be at IDL. I worked in a winery last year that is of similar size to IDL, however we didn’t have the flotation machine that we have here, so I look forward to utilising that. The flotation machine assists in the clarification process where solids from the crushed grapes are separated from the juice using gas bubbled from the base of the machine.
· How will Vintage change your daily role at IDL?
Raff: My role will expand to assist Senior Winemaker Blair in facilitating the daily receival of grapes, alongside helping Emily and Joey check all the ferments, and tasting of the juice. It will be nice to see these tasks combine with daily jobs of preparing products to be packed. It will be a very busy period, but I am sure it will be fun too.
· What impact has this years weather had on the crop of our growers?
Raff: I don’t know how the grapes are yet, but Blair told me that are not great this year and that we will have 50% less production that we expected
· How will this year's Vintage be different for you compared to previous years given your new role?
Emily: I'm looking forward to my second year as Assistant Winemaker at IDL and having the opportunity for more responsibility, working with our team to create balanced and clean wines, and to continue to build on the techniques I learnt last year.
· What are you looking forward to for your first Vintage as Assistant Winemakers?
Emily: Vintage is such a great time of year and there is a lot of excitement surrounding the first crush. We have a great team, many members of whom have worked multiple vintages at IDL which makes it easier to be cohesive and create better end products. It's going to be a good year!
· Which wines are your favourite to create?
Emily: The varietal I'm most looking forward to working with is the Sauvignon Blanc and our Shiraz.
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