At the end of the tunnel. It’s always the darkest before dawn.

June is the month of darkness. Of stillness, and reflection. The wines are safely away in barrel or fermenting quietly.
The vineyard is still, burrowing into its winter hibernation, pruning happening at a leisurely rather than frantic pace.
For a short period of time we can rest a little more, sleep in often, go to bed earlier. We can recuperate from a huge few months that was the harvest season. Take stock.

But like all living things we still look forward towards the light, and crave warmth and energy of brighter days.
I love that the farm has special little sun-like balls for us at this time of year. Mandarins and persimmons seem to appear with luminescence out of the darkness and rain.
Maori ancestors also knew the importance of seeking light in the darkness. They celebrated the re-appearance of the Pleiades cluster of stars above their horizon. This is Matariki or Maori New Year.
It’s a time for celebrating the harvest, tucking into the food in our storehouse, a time for feasting. We have ducks, pigs, chicken, passata, cheese, funghi and all manner of preserved fruit and vegetables we can bring to the table. It feels right to put this down beside the wines we’ve made.

All the hard work feels worth it. Finally.