Growing Vines

It is that special time of year again. The grapes are ready to be picked.

1. It looks like today is going to be the day that the grapes are ready to be picked.
2. The grapes are being tested to estimate the alcohol by volume of the wine based upon the sugar content of the grape juice. They are ready for picking.
3. Photo of the grape harvest. We got a maximum yield of 4.000 kg this year.
4. Now the fermentation starts. A reading will be taken to determine the specific gravity and three times a day the must will be stirred, until the fermentation is complete. The ceramic vats are 500 liter open vats, made in 1843. After the stirring, netting being out over the vats, to keep the bugs out

We currently have approximately 1000 litres of white wine and 1500 litres of red wine from 5 hectares of vines. If we would turn the wine into brandy, we would have about 500 liters of Wolf’s Own Brandy. The yield is actually not a lot and the main reason we are rebuilding the vine yard: to release and realise the potential there is.

Sneak Peak for 2019

Our vineyard has a north south orientation, providing the grapes with shelter from the direct sun at the peak of the day. The lovely morning and late afternoon sun to help the grapes grow. The vines grow in narrow rows, using innovative production tools. We process the Grapes into wine at Adega de Lobo. To make sure that we use all leftovers, we process leftover grapes and wine into Distileria de Lobo products, such as Limoncello, brandy and Gin.

• We use olive trees on the west as a windbreaker and process the olives
• We use a blackberry fence on the south as an aphid trap for the green fly and process the berries into ice cream and jam.
• On the east we have the slow growing juniper berries that provide ecosystem services by being a natural windbreak, bind the soil, are a natural weed suppressant and deliver the precious juniper berries for gin.
• In the north we have a border of citrus trees that help keep the mosquitos out.