Our 2016 Canberra Savagnin Ancestral is now available. Murrumbateman-grown Savagnin fruit from Quarry Hill put through our version of the Ancestral winemaking process in the big shed out at Eden Road. This was about half the crop level of the 2015 and the fruit shows it in concentration and power. Lots of fruit flavour in this Ancestral sparkling wine. A small make, so get in quick if you want some. $155 for six, $290 for a dozen, via the website, delivered.

As for vintage... fingers crossed for the Canberra Sagrantino. It is coming off on Sunday and has been a bit of a dance with the rain. We do have the second year of good Sagrantino from our Hilltops planting at Grove Estate safely in and fermenting away. Some 100% whole bunch, some destemmed and not crushed, some 100% carbonic maceration. Going for layers, as well as testing the fruit out across different treatments.

Riverland Fiano fell through this year - it got too ripe while the refrigerated transport kept not working out, in spite of the best efforts of Ashley at Ricca Terra Farms. But the first pick of Hilltops Fiano will help out. Small volume, but tasty. That ferment is done and sitting on fine lees in tank.

White Ancestral from 2017 is going to be a blend of Canberra Savagnin and Tumbarumba Chardonnay. Riffing off a blend that works well for sparkling wine in the Jura, but done with our Ancestral method. A bit of old-school Australian technique with a partial re-ferment of the Savagnin portion when combined with the Chardonnay too. It's ready for a chill and a sleep before we prepare the tank for bottling.

After this weekend, it is only the Montepulciano for red Ancestral sparkling to come in, then vintage 2017 is dusted. The 2016 Montepulciano Ancestral will be out as soon as the labels get put on, and looking forward to showing that one around.