To understand the Walsh vineyard, it helps to picture the early days at Eastern Peake. The winery was a far cry from the polished facilities many imagine today. There was a basket press, buckets, a hand-cranked pump and an enormous amount of manual labour. Vintage was a hands-on affair, and Frank Walsh was Norman’s most trusted — and often only — cellar hand. Alongside Frank were his mate Tommy, Dianne and a young Owen, all squeezed into the shed, working through the harvest one load at a time.

Those early vintages were hard work, but they were also filled with camaraderie, laughter and a shared sense of purpose. The friendships built during those years ran deep, and it wasn’t long before Frank and Kerry were inspired to establish a vineyard of their own, planting vines on their property directly across the road from Norman and Dianne.

There must have been enough good times amongst the chaos, purple hands and long days for Frank & Kerry to decide to plant vines of their own, just across the road from Norman & Dianne.

Their first planting came in 1995 — one acre of Pinot Noir (MV6 clone), rooted into the same weathered basalt soils over grey loam that shape the wines of Eastern Peake. Then in 2003 came a second one-acre planting of Syrah (Shiraz), lovingly established beside the original vines.

These old photos hold so much history for us. Norman Latta rumbling around in the old Leyland, Frank putting in posts by hand, carefully planting young vines, training them onto the trellis, then proudly picking that first crop in 2000. And, as all good harvests should end, Frank & Kerry celebrating the end of harvest over dinner at Clementine.

Always a beautiful vineyard. Always generous fruit. Always good people behind it.