Direct from McLaren Vale, Smidge winemaker and founder Matt Wenk shares his first quiet update for vintage 2026.

After a patch of inconsistent weather, Matt walks the vineyard to look at:

• How flowering is progressing in Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon

• Early thoughts on yields (around 6–7 tonnes per hectare)

• Soil moisture and canopy health

• A preliminary harvest window for March, weather permitting

These short vineyard notes are a simple way to follow the season as it unfolds – from flowering through to harvest and, eventually, to the wines in your glass.