It’s not been long since we broke ground on our new building, yet things are really starting to take shape here in the vineyard. Our new kitchen, shop and winery has sprung up so quickly and now has walls and a roof. After nearly 5 years of planning, it feels really amazing to see the progress we are making. Many of you will know that we are originally builders. So it makes sense that we continue with the vineyard as we always have, by doing things ourselves, with a little help of course. In the last few months, since the building frame was put up we’ve been really busy, here’s what we’ve been up to.
As soon as the steel framers left, we moved in, starting with the foundations. We will have a lot of heavy machinery and tanks in the winery so good strong foundations are really important. We’ve had what seems like one of the wettest winters, so having the roof over our heads has been a blessing. Once the foundations were built, it was time for the concrete. My dad, Mike spent a few long nights polishing the winery and kitchen floors to leave a nice, flat and smooth surface. The winery needs this smooth surface so that when we’re making wine this autumn we can wash out the tanks and keep things nice and clean. Once polished it should add a bit of sparkle to our Kitchen too.
Once the concrete was finished, we got on with building the walls. The foundations were built in concrete blocks and mortar but the walls are made from timber, making it a much quicker process. In just a few weeks, we have built all the exterior walls and the internal ones are starting to get laid out too, giving us the first glimpse of how the space is going to look.
So, what’s next? Oh, there is more!
We have a lot to do over the next few months to welcome everyone in the summer. Our walls are ready to be covered to make the building more watertight. The big windows, which will look out across the beautiful views of the valley are about to be ordered and the rest of the walls will soon be finished. Ideas are buzzing around our heads about how the new kitchen and shop will be finished and what sort of delicious food and drinks we will be serving. You can keep up to date with our progress here, or on social media.
