Q: How did this year’s harvest go compared to what you expected?
Zoë: For me, the majority of harvest went better than we anticipated, especially for the Pinots. We did have to juggle things around a bit more than usual. We usually pick both Pinot Meunier clones (977 and 978) in our HiDE vineyard around the same time, but this year we pushed picking clone 977 back by almost a week because the lab results weren’t where we wanted them to be. And I’m so glad we did - both clones are now looking beautiful in the tank and showing some really unique characteristics.
Jacob: The quality definitely ended up high, but it required some patience. We had to wait for the acid levels to drop, especially in the Chardonnay and disease pressure was a consideration in some small blocks but it’s looking much better in tank than it did on the vines. Chardonnay always tends to be a bit more challenging in cooler years, while the Pinots usually hold up well. Just like in 2021, some of the Pinot clones really stood out, particularly the 779, which we use for Dancer in Pink, as well as clones 777, 521.
Q: Any surprises from the fruit that came in?
Zoë: One nice surprise was the fruit concentration in our Lower Levels block which really shone this year. We decided to play around with it a bit using some old oak and a “funky” yeast to create some new blending components, and it’s going to be a lot of fun seeing how they develop.
Q: You’ve previously mentioned you thought this harvest might be similar to 2021? What choices will you make in the winery based on this year’s harvest?
Jacob: Compared to 2021, this year was definitely less of a grind for me! 2021’s harvest was about a week late and was only saved by some decent October weather. This season, though, the fruit quality has been stronger across all clones and varieties, which has been a real relief.
Zoë: We’ll likely do a bit more malolactic fermentation (MLF) than usual, mostly on the Chardonnay. But for the Pinots, we’ll keep it minimal. The acidity is in a good spot with the Pinots this year, and the fruit has such brightness and delicacy that there’s really no need to interfere much.
Q: Yeast has been a hot topic at Black Chalk for 2024 and even featured on this year's controversial harvest t-shirt! What’s your approach to yeast selection?
Jacob: We treat yeast selection as a bit of an art form. Each yeast strain brings something unique—it might highlight a specific flavour, help integrate fruit and oak for barrel fermentation, or offer a cleaner, natural ferment. We usually decide based on our experience working with these yeasts before, the juice’s taste, the level of risk we’re willing to take, and which wine we might envisage that clone/juice ending up.
Zoë: I think we’re more confident now in knowing which yeasts work best for each variety and vessel. This is particularly important in years where yields are down to give ourselves as many blending tools and components as possible - using different yeasts to express different qualities in the base wines is a great and interesting way to create those blends....but I'm definitely picking the t-shirt design for next year!
