2020 Manon Table Red #3
WINEMAKER: Tim Webber & Monique Milton
REGION: Adelaide Hills, SA
VARIETAL: Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris
VITICULTURE: Organic/Biodynamic
"In 2020 we met a great flock of Kangaroos who came to live with us after the bushfire took their habitat away. This table wine is what would have been Farm Rosato, Blush, Forest Red and Nori. Table Red #3 a wine for the table and the people. This wine is a cosmic combo of bight cherries from the Forest Red, sweet and fruity tones of Rosato and the savoury texture from the Pinot Gris that was Blush. Drink this wine for a good time, not a longtime." - Tim, Monique & Felix
It seems very basic, but to help assist all plants and life in our growing climate, we use the herbs and plants that we grow and have around us to make teas, ferments and distillations. Just like in natural medicine the various plants are used for different stages of the seasons and to get different effects, whether that be for anti-fungal foliar sprays, brews for fertilising or perhaps something more esoteric like harmonising a particular area of the farm. We also work with clay, manure, winter seaweed ferments and sometimes added lime when making pastes for trees or vines. We use small and considered doses of sulphur and copper with a commitment to good timing to minimise the amount and maximise the results with prevention always being better than the cure. Herbal preparations and clay particularly work with maximising the effects of these anti-fungals.
Our compost plays a large part with yearly applications over the gardens, orchards and vineyards. We don't really purchase ‘inputs’ although we do purchase at times, from the Bio dynamic association, BD500 when extra is wanting to be applied; as well as we make our own. We also purchase their compost preparations BD502-507. We make our own fermented valerian tea. This range of Bio Dynamic preps goes into our large compost piles to assist with the different elements during its fermentation. The Bio Dynamic assoc. is situated in Bellingen, on the east coast of NSW. They have a more suited humid environment and rainfall to house these tinctures used within the BD philosophy. We like to experiment with the plants we have growing ourselves and we take a considered approach into exploring the indigenous plants we have around us. Manon Farm remains uncertified by any organic government body; we feel our work is honest and mindful without the added bureaucracy, marketing tones and cost.