Spring Update

Early spring is a beautiful time in the vineyards. With the labour intensive task of pruning finished and the hectic activity of harvest still a long way off, we watch the weather, watch the vines as they begin to grow, and hope that Mother Nature will be kind to us this year. We pruned as late as possible with the aim of pushing early growth out beyond the period when potentially damaging frosts are most likely, and are hoping for timely rains over coming months.

Water conservation is a priority at Atlas and we make use of advancing technology to inform vineyard management decisions. Soil probes placed among the vines tell us exactly how much moisture is in the ground and how much the vines are using. At the moment, our dams are full and we know there’s moisture at a depth of 90cm. We will continue to monitor root activity and moisture depletion and ensure there is adequate water at key growth stages such as flowering. This technology means we can be more considered about what we give the vines and how we manage stress, while using water in a sustainable way. It's important to us to look after the land, for us and for future generations.

The vines will progress into flowering and fruit-set in November, and at that point we'll have a much clearer view of harvest. But until then, we’ll keep an eye on things, and do our best to enjoy the lengthening days and warmer air.