Gracetown's hearty party for launch of 'Katinka' | Photos

On Saturday, more than 100 guests celebrated the launch of Flor Marché’s ‘Katinka’, an organic Cabernet Sauvignon made from a low yielding, dry grown vineyard near Gracetown.

The vineyard was planted in 1989 by Pete and Cherry Delfs, using biodynamic principles. The vineyard was taken over by Flor Marché winemaker Elizabeth Reed in 2018 with first grapes harvested in 2019.

Pete’s great grandfather, John Delfs was harbour master in Augusta during the great storm of July 22, 1900 and rescued seven crew clinging to the mizzenmast after the Katinka was shipwrecked off Hamelin Bay.

Illustrations from the Delfs’ recently published book on the shipwreck were displayed at the launch, along with photographs from the period.

Guests participated in a reading of the Katinka tale, followed by music from Megan Garnett, Andrew Dykstra, Dave Lawrence, DJ Saramony and Mick Patrick on the fiddle.

“For me, this has been my single biggest achievement in the wine industry,” Flor Marché winemaker Elizabeth Reed said. “The support of my community from pruning vines and picking grapes to bottling under cork and hand labelling as been overwhelming and I’m extremely grateful to have had this encouragement.”

The 2019 and 2020 Katinka can be purchased via elizabeth@flormarche.com.