In our last Winter 09 News Card we announced the new positioning of all our existing varietal wines under the NGERINGA label.  Here we are releasing our Chardonnay, and in November our Rosè, under the NGERINGA label for the first time.  Both are exemplary wines from our vineyards and we are excited to finally see them under the Ngeringa label.   Also releasing our Ngeringa Viognier 2008.

 

 

Organic v conventional in the spotlight again. For the record...
We were both quite concerned to read the repeated headlines Organic no healthier than conventional a few months ago.  They not only to us seemed to defy common sense but politically they seemed to fuel the fire of those whose ulterior motives are to deny the benefits to person and environment of farming without chemicals.  The headlines were in response to the findings of a recent literature review of comparative nutrient research conducted by the UK FSA.  At Ngeringa, we farm without chemicals because to us it feels good and we wouldn't be comfortable doing it any other way, however we are just as keen as anyone to learn of the measured differences between organically and conventionally farmed produce.  So we followed this a little further.  Upon reading this study, we established the study's conclusion actually contradicted itself and was not as clear cut as the headlines indicated.  The review stated that for the majority of nutrients studied little difference in nutrient quantity exists between conventionally and organically grown produce, however it did establish that a significant difference does exist between some nutritional parameters.  It therefore concluded that 'examination of the scattered evidence indicates a need for further high quality research'. 

 

Thinking beyond nutrition however as the only comparison, this media failed to reflect the study, at it's own admission, omitted to look at comparative contaminants (pesticides, fungicides, herbicides and synthetic fertilisers ) and environmental impacts of organic versus conventional agricultural practices.  Surely the editors of these headlines would consider these essential contributors to 'health' and a major reason for consumer choice of organic over conventional.  And should we not mention the concept of terroir, and the quality and flavour associated?!

 

It's an exciting and sometimes emotive industry.  Just as soon as the UK FSA report was released, a similar study conducted by the French Agency for Food Safety revealed organic food to have higher levels of minerals and antioxidants.  Refer full report http://swroc.cfans.umn.edu/organic/ASD_Lairon_2009.pdf

 

And closer to home and most positively is the publication of Australia's first Standard for organic & biodynamic products earlier this month.  This establishes a set of agreed & consistent practices for the production through to the labelling of an organic or biodynamic product giving confidence to consumers that any product they buy as organic/biodynamic is strictly compliant and has integrity behind that label.

 

In the vineyard
Since May, we have had to do a workload shuffle as the sales side of our business becomes busier, and due to the arrival of Elliot Lennon, our now very lively 5 month old  (what a wonder being a parent is!.)  To help us  keep all activities in the vineyard and around the farm moving along on a day to day basis, we Brent Cochran has joined our small Ngeringa team from The Lane and previously Ata Rangi in New Zealand.  We are extremely appreciative of the understanding Brent has for our way of winegrowing and the opportunity for us all to work and learn together.

 

As we began to write this News Card, the last few shiraz vines were being pruned.  It was mid August and the buds were just emerging in our Chardonnay two weeks earlier than the last three seasons.  We have just moved the sheep on from this vineyard at Mt Barker Springs to the still dormant Nairne vineyard and soon we'll let the chooks and guinea fowl back out to begin their work on insect control. 

 

Pruning this year was focussed and efficient thanks to Brent and the help of our loyal team lead by Theng and his family, who returned for their 2nd year of pruning our Ngeringa vines. 

 

Most excitedly, the native trees and shrubs which Janet seeded in summer this year grew strong and tall over autumn and winter.  Numbering 500 or so, we have recently planted them out as stage 1 of our reveg plan along a key fence line to form a barrier to potential housing threatening our tranquility.  Many more natives are planned for select blocks and strips across our properties in coming years. 

 

Since our first release, we have been searching for a label stock with strong enviro credentials.  Our first selection failed simple labelling requirements unbeknownst to us and since then no other suitable stock was available until recently when Collotype Labels released 'Enviro Label' made from 100% post consumer waste, recyclable PET backing and .  We have now adopted this new stock for all our labels and printed our Summer 2009 labels with much success.

 

We would also like to invite you to the first of Maximilian's Winemaker Series dinners, a traditional European degustation made with local produce and matched to Ngeringa wines.  Thursday November 12th @ 6.30pm.  $120 per person.  Strictly limited to 50 persons.  Reservations 08 8388 7777.  See attached flyer for menu and further details.

 

Summer 2009 Releases
You might be wondering where the 2007 NGERINGA Syrah is in the wines we are currently releasing.  We have decided to hold it back for further bottle aging.  The past 2 releases of our Syrah have been released 26 months post harvest and in both cases we have seen them only start to express themselves in the following summer.  We have therefore decided to hold on to our NGERINGA Syrah 2007 and release it in autumn coming.  It is a dense, beautifully structured example of our Syrah and will benefit from the extra time in bottle. 

 

Erinn & Janet