All the important questions answered regarding pruning your grape vine. This is probably one of the most asked questions during autumn and winter. Winter is when the vines are dormant, that’s when the vines rest and rejuvenate before their growing cycle starts again in Spring with budburst. This dormant time, winter is the best time…
Searching for the best wineries in the Swan Valley for your next escape? Just a quick 25-minute drive from Perth, this iconic Western Australian wine region offers more than just scenic views—it’s home to historic, family-run wineries, handcrafted wines, and down-to-earth hospitality. Whether you’re a seasoned sommelier or simply wine-curious, our guide will help you…
If you’ve ever wondered why you can’t head to your local fruit and veg store, pick up some red or green grapes, bring them home, crush them and turn them into wine, you’re not alone. The burning question is, what’s the actual difference between table grapes and wine grapes?The answer? A lot, actually. So, let’s…
What happens to a wine after fermentation is complete? The Post-Fermentation Processes at Upper Reach Once the exhilarating process of fermentation has run its course, our attention turns to meticulously crafting the final character of our wines.Here’s what happens after the yeast have finished fermenting and so the juice has now turned into wine: 1….
Do we use the old school foot stomping method or do we use machines to crush our grapes? Well, sorry to say, we have evolved and use machines to crush our grapes. We use a couple of specialised pieces of equipment – a destemmer crusher that, as the name suggests, destems the bunches of grapes…
Unless you’re a geography teacher, you’ve probably got no idea of how complex the Geography ATAR course is, right? And you may not have heard that part of the Year 11 syllabus dives into agricultural products and how they’re marketed within Australia and overseas unless, of course, you have a Year 11 student in your…
Have you ever thought about starting your own vineyard, or just want to plant some vines at home? Let’s have a look at how you can plant vines in your garden and then I’ll show you how we do it on a larger scale. I want my own vine, how can I get one?Where do…
Rosé wine is a happy place for a lot of people, its in-between red and white wine and shouts Summer like nothing else or is delicious any time of the year! Rosé wine is made when the grape juice has contact with the skin of red grapes for a short time.Whereas our reds ferment on…
I’m thrilled to offer you an exclusive insight into the intricate process of crafting our red wines. At Upper Reach, we believe that wine is not merely a beverage but a culmination of artistry and tradition, spanning over 8000 years of history. Step 1: Cultivating Excellence in the VineyardThe journey begins in our meticulously tended…
Why does wine get aged in oak barrels? The Historical Reason for Oak Aging: Before the advent of glass bottles in the 1600s, wine found its home in wooden barrels—a testament to the historical roots of oak aging. While modern technology offers lots of storage and transport options, the allure of oak persists, enriching red…
The 2024 vintage has been our earliest ever! The first pick was on 4 January 2024 as opposed to 21 January in 2023, by Australia Day we’d done all the white wines and were half way through the red grapes…2023 we were on our third pick. Talk about Fast & Furious!You couldn’t have two more…
We’ve all seen those glitzy gold stickers on wine bottles, right? They promise quality, but do they always deliver? At Upper Reach, our family-owned Swan Valley winery, we’re uncorking the truth about wine show medals, the history behind them, and whether they’re a true measure of wine excellence. So, grab a glass, and let’s find out…