Hawks Nest Wines of NZ

Hawks Nest Wines of NZ

Well, the final bit or work after picking the grapes is to remove the netting. I mentioned in an earlier blog that we use side netting. The photo shows Jeremy taking off the netting and storing it in the big bags. I drive slowly down the rows and he gently pulls the nets off and stuffs them in the big" on the fly" so to speak. We first walk through the vines and remove the clips that have been holding the netting in place. It takes a bit of time as we have to carefully pull the net away from any vines that have attached to them over the growth season. Anyway, that is all done and now the grapevines can be left alone until winter pruning after the leaves fall off in a month or so.

Why do we use nets? We have lots of birds about and we do not poison them in NZ. Being close to the sea (2 miles at most) the sea birds pop over for a bite. In France they poison or shoot the birds. In most larger grape growing areas. e.g. Calif. there are large areas of vines planted and not many other fruity crops about to attract birds. Thus the bird to vine ratio is low in those areas. In fertile Matakana Valley we have LOTS of other crops and a high bird density with a small ratio of vines to other fruits. So lots of birds show up for a snack as the grapes mature. Grapes mature just before other fruits and thus the birds hammer away at the grapes with total focused attention as there is no competing food source just then in the season. (this is probably more that you ever want to know about birds and netting but now you are a better informed person and all knowledge is power I say!!)

BTW, for those of you in Nashville, we are proud to announce that the fine wine store called Grand Cru on Murphy Road just 200 yards off of West End is now carrying our Hawks Nest Orchard Block Red wine. Pop in there if you are in the area as they carry some really good wines--now they have another on offer with the addition of ours!!! Tell them DR. Jim sent you and ask them about out upcoming NZ wine dinner we plan to co-sponsor with them this summer.
More soon -unfortunately!!

DR Jim Downunder