BRL Hardy has claimed a unique advantage in its bid to optimise grape quality from the Hoddles Creek vineyard in Victoria’s Yarra Valley. Its hitherto well kept secret is owned by vineyard manager Ray Guerin, propels itself around the vineyard on four legs, answers to the name of ‘Jessie’ and is purported to be a Rottweiler-Blue Heeler cross of questionable parentage. Clearly a crossblend of some discrimination, Jessie’s palate has evolved to the stage at which she will immediately reject unripe fruit, ‘spitting them out real quick’, according to owner Guerin. On the other hand, when sugar and flavour have evolved to perfect ripeness, Guerin’s main danger would appear to be that of an unscheduled crop thinning at hands of same canine. ‘I have to be careful to make sure there is enough left for the winemakers’, he says. Well-known BRL Hardy winemaker Steve Pannell says he is lucky to have such a discerning palate on the team, which OnWine assumes is no reflection on the state of winemaking talent available at BRL. ‘She is one of the reasons why the Yarra Burn Pinot Noir is such a great wine.’ Late-breaking rumours reportedly link enquiries from several small and prestigious Burgundian domaines to BRL and Jessie’s pedigree or otherwise. Others suggest that by September this year there are likely to be more Australian Flying K9s than Winemakers working vintage in traditional Europe.
