Harvest February 26, 2019

Following on from the cooler than average summer weather conditions, vintage 2019 is now underway.

Almost two weeks later than what I would call a “normal season”, our first harvest was on Thursday last week, with a small pick of Clone 95 Chardonnay from our Broadvale Block 11 vineyard. This was first crop fruit off three year old vines, destined for our Girt by Sea Chardonnay and, the team is very excited by the future potential of this young vineyard.

Monday saw some more Clone 95 Chardonnay handpicked from our Estate Block 10 and today, some beautifully flavoured Gingin clone Chardonnay from Broadvale Block 5. The warmer days and evenings we are currently experiencing will see us embark on a steady regime of harvesting Chardonnay fruit over the next 10 days.

The cool, dry weather is perfect for the ripening of the whites, with slow sugar accumulation, beautiful flavour development and, excellent retention of fresh natural acidity.

It is a very busy time in the vineyards – harvesting the fruit, green thinning the reds and netting to protect our precious crop from the steady influx of birds due to the lack of blossom on the native trees.

It’s nice to finally feel a bit of summer weather in the air. Be sure to pop in and see the vineyard in full bloom while you can.

Steve James, Head of Winemaking & Viticulture

Our Soil Impresses the Best

In my 28 years of growing grapes and making wine, this was probably the most interesting, informative and fascinating day I’ve experienced to date.

Our founder, Michael Wright, believed deeply in the importance of the soil when it comes to growing great wine and many a trench was dug prior to planting Voyager Estate as part of deciding the best sites for each variety. Now here we were, digging deep trenches beside the growing vines in our Old Block & North Block Cabernet Sauvignons and Broadvale Block 6 Chardonnay, with renowned French soil scientist, Claude Bourguignon. Fingers crossed he would agree with our planting decisions 40 odd years on!

Well, Claude was very impressed. Our Old Block Cabernet, which we have farmed organically for many years (although not certified), showed an open, friable couscous-textured soil structure, as well an extensive and deep root system. Claude confirmed that it was an outstanding soil for Cabernet Sauvignon and proceeded to point out the strong roots penetrating vertically into the clay, which so important for the vines to truly express their site (terroir).

Claude commented how he could taste the clay and its influence in all of our wines when we tasted the individual block wines later that afternoon.

Claude was very impressed with the soils in Margare River and particularly the soils at Voyager Estate. I’m positive this is largely due to our focus on utilising organic methods, choosing natural over synthetic products and minimal herbicide usage, over many years. His understanding and deep knowledge of the synergies between the composition, structure, and biology of the soil and its impact on the growing of great wine, was astounding. To be given the opportunity to focus this wealth of knowledge - and in such depth - to the vineyards at Voyager Estate, was one of the greatest learning opportunities that I have yet experienced.

Merci Claude!

~ Steve James, Manager Winemaking & Viticulture

White Burgundy Staff Tasting

Here at Voyager Estate we’re pretty lucky. We’re always encouraged to constantly learn more about wine. So, when our winemakers organise a tasting, especially when they tell you they’ve, and I quote “raided the winery cellar”, come hell or high water, you just KNOW you’ve got to be there.  And wow, what an great tasting!!!

Assistant winemaker, James Penton brought a 2-metre long glass-framed map of Burgundy, which came in handy as he started explaining how a slightly different aspect, position on the hill and/or soil type along the famous Côte-d’Or made such a difference to the character of the wines.

Some of the wines we tasted were from iconic family-run producers who have been working the land for many generations, over which time plots have been split amongst children, then grand-children and so on, so they are the product of grapes from only a few short rows within a vineyard that, itself, might be no larger than the smallest of our own nine Chardonnay blocks. In turn, that means often only one or two barrels can be made per year, and then only when the conditions allow for the all the grapes to be picked. When you consider the stream of bad luck that seems to constantly plague Burgundy (hail, storms, frost, heatwaves, disease), you start to appreciate both the rarity and the diversity of these wines.

Here’s a run-down of a few of the wines that left a particular impression on the group…

Jean-Louis Chavy’s Puligny-Montrachet 1er cru Les Folatières had a list of descriptors as long as the wine's length. The 2012 vintage was the first wine in our line-up and certainly didn’t disappoint in its freshness, but interestingly, was just as great in maturity as the final wine, made under his father’s name, Gérard Chavy , from 1999 vintage. Certainly one of James's favourites and a wonderful opportunity to understand how youthful character transforms over time in the bottle.

The Bruno Colin 2010 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er cru Les Chaumées gave a curious combination of chalky, talc-like texture, almost waxy weight and pure lemon blossom and pith character. Still amazingly youthful, I (almost) felt guilty we opened it!

Then along came the 2007 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne. At 10 years old, it was as fresh as a daisy but far more complex! It stood out as one of my favourites, evolving in the glass and revealing a new character at each sip or sniff. It’s also one of a handful of times I've ever seen Steve James give 19.5/20 points to a wine!

There were some pretty oxidised and just downright old little numbers in the line-up too, particularly from the 2002 and 2001 vintages, allowing us to reflect on the enduring purity and age worthiness of our own 2002 Chardonnay, even as aged wine, and to appreciate benefits screwcap closures have afforded us.

Thanks must go to our winemaking team who have scrupulously sourced these wines over the years, stored them, then selected and generously shared them with all of us, but also to the Wright family who has created a culture based upon the pursuit of understanding at Voyager Estate and encouraged in each and every one of us a passion for all aspects of viticulture and winemaking.

~ Claire Tonon, Sommelier

2018 Harvest Update

The New Year is upon us, the sun’s shining, the nets are out, the grapes are developing and the presses have been uncovered. It’s an exciting time at Voyager Estate - the 2018 vintage is on its way! Our production team estimates a 8th or 9th of February start of harvest, but there’s plenty of work to be done before then.

Since the beginning of the year, our viticulture team have been busily delivering rolls of nets around to all the Chardonnay vineyards as the berries are just starting to show some colour development, making them rather noticeable and appetising to the local birdlife. Pictured is our Gin Gin Chardonnay, already showing beautiful bunches.

They’re trimming vines back into shape too. Yes, even vineyards get to have a “haircut” every now and again! It’s as much for the benefit of the workers (who no longer need to fight their way through a jungle of unruly canes), as it is for the vines, maximising light and air flow in the canopy, which helps ripening and lowers the chance of disease but also because, once the growing tips are cut back, the vines tend to slow vegetal growth, channelling all that extra energy into ripening the berries.

Wandering through the winery you notice lots of maintenance going on – we certainly don’t want our presses, pumps and other equipment breaking down on us while we have our precious berries waiting to be processed.

The distinctive and magnificent smell of oak hits you when you visit the barrel hall to discover stacks of empty barrels patiently awaiting use. The winemaking team have spent copious hours emptying and meticulously cleaning some, blending their contents ready for bottling. Others are brand new, still wrapped in the cling film that protected them as they sailed across the oceans toward their new home in Margaret River.

And of course, there’s plenty more to do before we’ll be able to ready to start picking those grapes and crafting the 2018 wines…. Stay tuned.