A real reward for our patience in the vineyard, season 2026, our 16th vintage for Hither & Yon. Our motto in recent years being “embracing diversity” this growing period was testament to that, weather, resource, people all being tested to the extreme. The result at the early stage is something special, from a variety but also a quality standpoint. Yields around 20% down on 2025, we can see the concentration and structure, but also freshness in the wines, this vitality is largely due to good natural acid and tannin levels.
Bunches were in pristine condition due to healthy open canopies and ground cover which kept the soil cool. We did feel like we got the most out of the vines, stretching them due to the delayed and longer season, for us commencing on February 18 and finishing on April 30 – 72 days in total. 37 blocks picked, 209 tonnes crushed for Hither & Yon, allowing for small batch ferments but also plenty of rotation in the wine shed!
Indeed, it was a year of a lot of walking, sampling, and discussing when to pick, and mostly our gut response was to hold, and wait. Then when confident, we had a team that was ready to act on the moment and handle with care, both in the field and in the winery – thank you all.
Leave a comment