August 2025 : From Veraison to Vintage

August in the Vineyard: Rondo Turns Red

August is when the vineyard really starts to feel alive with promise. Our Rondo vines have hit veraison, the magical moment when the grapes change from hard green berries into rich shades of red and purple. It’s not just a pretty sight—this is the signal that ripening has begun.

Rondo is one of our earlier-ripening red varieties, so seeing those colour changes now is a good sign we’re on track for harvest. Over the next few weeks, the grapes will be busy building up sugars, softening, and developing those juicy berry flavours we love, while the acidity gently drops.

We’re giving the vines a little helping hand—tidying the canopy so the fruit gets just the right amount of sunshine and airflow. It’s a bit like setting the stage before the star takes the spotlight: everything we do now will help the fruit ripen evenly and taste its best.

 

 

Meanwhile, in the winery…

It’s not all about the vines this month—we’re also busy in the cellar. We’ve been racking both our red and white wines ready to send them to the bottling plant. All have been ageing in oak barrels, which have been quietly shaping their character over the past months. 

For our whites, that means gentle structure and texture from light toast barrels; for the reds, subtle oak notes that add depth without overpowering the fruit. Light toasting gently warms the inside of the barrel during production, bringing out subtle notes and roundness, rather than dominant oak flavours. It’s a careful, quiet process that allows the fruit to remain the star of the show.

Our winemaker has been getting the wines ready for bottling, carefully testing each batch in our lab to ensure stability. These checks guarantee that, once bottled, the wines will stay clear, bright, and true to their character.

If you visit the vineyard this month, you’ll see the Rondo’s transformation in full colour, and if you peek into the winery, you’ll catch that lovely mix of past and future—last year’s wines almost ready to share, and this year’s vintage just starting to take shape on the vine.