Monthly Report - October 2020

Merlot (top) and Cabernet Franc (bottom) growth 30 October 2020 – healthy and consistent set

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We did apply some organic fertilisers to the Merlot block for the first time in a few years – the rest of the vineyard is doing well with strong healthy growth, so it remains fertiliser free.  In fact, fertilising the different varieties in the vineyard occurs only once every 5-7 years, and in the case of the Cabernet Franc and Marsanne just once (2009) over the life of the vineyard.  The reason for doing it often is not just growth, but also resultant nitrogen levels in the grape must – the more stressed the vines the lower this value, and the lower the value, the lower the ability to ferment the grape juice as the yeasts need nitrogen to complete the process.  You can add supplemental nitrogen, but if you can avoid it the better as it is an indication of vines under too much duress and this may reduce and/ or alter your flavours and tannins.

Not much wine news – Tim and I have been either in lockdown or very busy with our paying jobs – so we will put our heads together and see if we can organise some sort of Christmas pack and maybe a Museum release to the Mailing List.  I did knock off a bottle of 2015 Reserve Merlot the other night – delicious and well worth borrowing one from your stash if you have a few (though still years and years in front of it).

It’s a man’s world…

Sometimes I forget my age, I am still in my head in my mid 30’s (or so I think), but my body is beginning to realize (quite rapidly), that I am in my mid 50’s.  From my perspective I have had a lucky life and lived in interesting times – I have had great opportunity to travel, work in strange and wonderful places both in Australia and abroad, raised a family in a safe and open society, and had the chance to develop Blue Poles.  And to be honest much of the luck I have had has been due to where I was born in this world, my opportunity to get an education, and realistically, being white and being male.

I have never ever thought that I am unfortunate – even when there has been hard times and difficulties, my capacity to resolve and redeem has always been there underneath me, my very own “glass floor” so to say.  But.  So many of my “equivalents” spittle outrage when they see Gretel Thunberg denouncing climate change deniers, feel the need to express racist and misogynistic views publicly, privately and anonymously, and feel the need to belittle any movement towards more equality within their workplace and their society.

I don’t get it.  I really don’t.

It is very strange to me because as I have noted – I forget my age.  I am of an age now where the finger pointing of who is responsible for this dinosaur set of attitudes are actually my peers!  Hooley dooley – the crazy old men who were just conservative, ignorant old fools that I thought of as a dying race, are apparently my ex-school mates and fellow workers.  What the heck has happened?  I genuinely feel ashamed of the attitudes of so many of my contemporaries, have they always been that way?  Did I just have my own worldview solely in my head, completely unaware that my contemporary’s worldviews have come under perceived attack?

And I guess this is where we are finally at.  A crossroads.  Attention to how the advantaged treat the disadvantaged has been turned on like a spotlight.  And those who want the status quo are squirming and railing … their little worldview has taken a tumble from its artificially propped up pedestal and they are lost and angry.  It will continue for a while yet, whining men are good at keeping their grievances and finding confederates, but I hope that their house of pride (self-serving virtue) burns, burns to the ground.

So, where am I going with this?  I will explain as best I can.

The wine world has had a series of exposés in recent weeks where females in the wine industry (predominantly the promotion, retail and the sommelier “portion” of the business), have been abused, mistreated and belittled.  Some of these accusations have reference back over many many years, and some relate to recent correspondence between various wine critics and industry advocates.  I am not going to get into the details of it all, as to be honest I am not fully familiar with the groups and individuals involved and what exactly transpired.  But the stories are harrowing and highlight such consistent threads seen in many many industries:

• Patriarchy in the workplace and institutions.

• Misogyny as an underlying theme; devaluing inputs and opinions

• Promotion of stereotypical imagery and views of femininity and behavior

• Reference of a past as an idyll, inability to accept a new reality

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