TOSQ Wines Web Newsletter

Summer Newsletter 2012 Central Otago Summer Online Sales Prelude to harvest

Summer 2011-2012

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elcome to our first Newsletter - put together as we draw breath in the final lead-up to harvest with nearly all the hard work behind us.

This Newsletter includes a pictorial seasonal roundup plus details of where to buy our wine.

Our big news is that we can now offer you direct and online sales.

Direct and Online Sales

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hrough our Online site, here, you can order and pay for our wines using a credit card with Paypal. The payment is secure but you do not need to be a Paypal account holder to make a purchase. Wine is available in cases of 6 bottles. We will dispatch your order the next working day - and DELIVERY is FREE within New Zealand. It couldn't be simpler!

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hould you prefer, or

have any special requirements, you can also call or email us to place an order. We will process your order as soon as payment is received.

Where to find our Wines list of stockists can be found on our A website here .A recent addition is Rare Fare,

29-31 Main North Road, Papanui, Christchurch.

Seasonal Update Summer 2011-2012

2011 - 2012 season in Central Otago T hashe been very kind to us so far. A relatively benign spring produced a great flowering.

ruitset was followed by F a long hot summer, the best we can remember in the 20 years we have lived here.

Practising an organic regime, we have come to accept that the vineyard is visually not quite as neat and immaculate as herbicided undervine rows.

I now view the "weeds" quite differently.

I take pleasure in the enormous variety, the different colours of their flowers, the different depths of their roots, the scents that some produce when crushed underfoot, - knowing that as they are worked into the soil under the vines at intervals through the season, they are each contributing to the interest and complexity of the soil - which will in time find expression in the wines we produce

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he extremely dry conditions meant our drip irrigation was in use daily to keep the vines from undue stress. This pattern was finally broken by some good rains from late January, giving the vines a welcome boost.

ith the nets now W protecting the vines the final phase of ripening has begun.

S Emily removed later-

ue, Kris, Margie and

ripening bunches and carefully reduced the crop load on weaker vines to ensure even ripening.

Although the crop yield is expected to be on the light side of average, the quality is looking excellent.

Rabbits continue to be a plague but we now have stealth pest control in the form of "Snoop Dog" who manages to reduce their population by at least one a day!

Now the wait!! We are hoping the weather continues to smile on us, allowing the grapes to hang on the vines, accumulating sugars, flavours and fine ripe tannins.

Expecting to harvest immediately after Easter.

Cheers Sue & Thomo

www.tosq.co.nz