lynnette hudson

Consultant

Growing grapes and winemaking is fraught with decision making, and the timing of each step can be critical.  With my vast knowledge and experience, I can help you make better choices, resulting in higher quality wines.

Planting

Preparation is everything. Review and enhance methods for pruning on both conventional and close planted vines (I have worked in Burgundian vineyards for more than a year).

Composting techniques, shoot thinning as well as canopy management, timing of trimming and frequency.

Optimising spray regimes, aiming to work with minimal or no conventional sprays, using at least an organic philosophy.

Analysis

Estimate crop levels and determine if a green harvest is required and when best to do this. 

Nutrient analysis and what to use to increase overall healthiness of each vine (seaweed greatly improves vine health and can be used in organic and biodynamic vineyards.

Decide when to harvest the fruit and if sorting is required.

Harvest

Selecting the best harvesting method depending on the condition of the fruit and the weather forecast.

Machine harvesting requiring perhaps green harvest and removal of botrytis infected bunches prior to the harvesting machine, price dependent however. Harvest techniques dependant on quality and price point.

Addition of SO2 and/or acid in vineyard all depending on price point, philosophy and quality level of the resulting wine.

Purchasing

Advice for purchasing of wines for everyday drinking, wines which have the potential to age in your cellar, through to the purchase of iconic wines for investment.

Purchase of specialised wines for specific occasions.

Cellaring

The management of a wine cellar: when to drink wines, what to buy depending on style preference and price point.

In depth knowledge of the cellaring of wines; when to drink and what should be aged.

Ageing

In depth knowledge of the vintages of every region of the wine world, and what are quality vintages with the ability to age and what should be drunk soon. From my knowledge of vintages and producers I can established what wines have the ability to age and what are early drinking, making a perfect cellar. Price estimation for insurance valuations of a cellar.