When the JAM Research Team ventured to South Gippsland, the intention was to stake out the territory and find the perfect position for our little vineyard. Little did we know we’d be planting our first 6 vines! (O.K, so 6 vines aren’t exactly going to produce a big yield, but it felt so good to work the land and ready it for our vines). A generous neighbour donated the 6 Shiraz vines, unearthed from his mini-vineyard. And so the JAM team had a celebratory lunch, shared a bottle of 2004 Leo Buring Riesling and replaced the standard ‘cheers’ with a ritual to invoke the God of wine, in the hope that he or she would bless our hands and our vines and the earth surrounding them. We observed 3 acres of land for a couple of days and, given that we were in a slightly cooler, damper part of South Gippsland, chose a small parcel, sheltered from high winds, which was exposed to the full heat of the sun for the most part of the day.
The JAM team ploughed, turned, hoed and dug the land by hand and were happy with the results although, once complete, our micro-vineyard looked more like a graveyard. (I'm hoping that's not prophetic...)
Written by Jo Broom (c)
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