I’ve been winery hopping again!  The first words out of my mouth right now, are you bottling yet?

Harvest ends in the fall, grapes do their magic in the winter and voilá! some whites are in the bottles as early as February.

So…if you visit wineries in the early Spring, you might get to taste newly bottled wine and you’ll get first dibs on purchasing small lot wine (meaning they don’t make much of it, so it will sell out quickly).

And when you ask the question, are you bottling yet, you’ll learn about wine and a winemaker’s style.

For instance, at Casa Nuestra*, they’ve just bottled a killer Chenin Blanc that has no hint of “bottle shock” which is quite a feat & wonderful to experience.  While, at Loxton*, you won’t be able to get a new vintage until probably April/May because Chris Loxton is making a rosé that takes longer in the barrel.  (Of course, wines that are aged in barrels for months can be bottled any time the winemaker deems it’s ready.)

It’s an exciting time of year to visit.  Use your guide & save money!

*Links go to my posts about these wineries.