Inside the 2026 Vintage

2026 was our first full vintage at the helm, with every vineyard and winemaking decision ours to make. Unlike the 2025 vintage, where many of the season's decisions had already been made before we arrived, this was the first year every pruning cut, spray decision, irrigation adjustment and picking call belonged to us. Successes and mistakes alike would be ours.

We knew there would be a steep learning curve. We didn't know it would also be a season of frost, deluge and drought. Character-building, to put it mildly, but we're proud to say we came out the other side with wines we're genuinely excited about.

A Rough Start: Frost at Flowering

The season began quietly enough. Then, in late October, a frost arrived at exactly the wrong moment: flowering.

The next morning, the damage was unmistakable. Many of the tiny flowers that would have become grape bunches had turned brown, drying out over the days that followed.

Before spring had given way to summer, we already knew the crop would be lighter than usual.

A Wet Spring, Then a Baking Summer

Just as we were coming to terms with the frost, spring turned wet. Our rain gauge recorded 134mm in November alone, nearly double the monthly average, and disease pressure climbed with it.

Then summer swung to the opposite extreme. January delivered just 1mm of rain and temperatures peaked at a brutal 44°C. The vines responded by shutting down, slowing growth and conserving what little energy they had simply to survive.

The heat also exposed every weak point in our irrigation system. We found ourselves hand-watering the most stressed vines in the middle of the Pinot block, hoses in hand, delivering life support one vine at a time.

It wasn't what either of us imagined for our first vintage, but carrying water to a thirsty vine gives you a new appreciation for every bottle that follows.

Autumn Nerves and a Patient Wait

Autumn brought cooler weather and welcome rain, even as it complicated our lives.

Ripening slowed, picking decisions became a daily puzzle, and Adam was out walking the rows each morning, measuring sugar and acid levels and watching for the right moment.

The cool conditions pushed harvest back by almost three weeks, something we heard echoed across the Yarra Valley. Waiting through late February and into mid-March took patience and no small amount of faith, but great wine has never been in a hurry.

The Wines

2026 Estate Pinot Noir

Yields were modest, no surprise after the combined effects of frost and drought.

What remained reached the winery with remarkable purity and balance, achieving the ripeness and natural acidity we were hoping for.

While still developing in barrel, the 2026 Estate Pinot Noir is already showing bright fruit, fine structure and the finesse and lift we love in Yarra Valley Pinot Noir.

2026 Estate Chardonnay

The Chardonnay faced many of the same seasonal challenges, but pleasingly yields were up on last year, suggesting the organic fertilisers we've been applying are beginning to restore the health of this part of the vineyard.

A cool, extended autumn allowed for slow, even ripening, producing fruit with excellent flavour development, balanced sugars and naturally high acidity.

While still in its infancy, the 2026 Estate Chardonnay is already showing the hallmarks of an elegant, age-worthy wine.

Introducing the 2026 Estate White Pinot Noir

Some Pinot Noir parcels weren't going to reach the level of ripeness we wanted for our Estate Pinot Noir, so we picked them earlier and made the decision to produce our first White Pinot Noir instead.

Pressed gently with minimal skin contact, Pinot Noir can produce a light vibrant white wine defined by bright acidity and delicate fruit rather than colour and tannin. Already, it's showing lovely nashi pear and melon aromas, and we're genuinely excited to share it with you.

A New Addition: 2026 Estate Sauvignon Blanc

We're also bottling a small quantity of Sauvignon Blanc this year, hand-picked by us late in the season. Fresh, vibrant and carrying just a touch more fruit sweetness than the rest of the range, we suspect it won't stay on the cellar door shelves for long.

Worth the Wait: 2026 Hilltops Sangiovese

Rounding out the 2026 line-up is a Sangiovese made from fruit sourced from one of our favourite growers in the Hilltops, just outside our former home of Canberra.

It's now resting in older French oak, where time will soften and integrate the bright cherry fruit, vibrant acidity and savoury tannins that make this Italian variety so distinctive. Patience will be rewarded when it's released in late 2027.

A Vintage We Won't Forget

Looking back, 2026 was the season we really began to understand this vineyard. Frost, relentless rain, heatwaves and a stubbornly late finish meant there was rarely a dull moment, and more than a few nights spent second-guessing ourselves.

Yet despite everything the season threw at us, the wines have emerged with remarkable purity, elegance and a genuine sense of place. That's exactly what we hoped this vineyard was capable of producing.

If 2026 taught us anything, it's that good wine rewards patience, resilience and paying attention to the vineyard. We can't wait to share these wines with you. Keep an eye on our social media for release dates, or better yet, come and taste them with us at the cellar door. ADAM & JACKY JULY 2026