A site chosen for its soil and its sun.
The site rises from 180m to 300m, and is well drained. It faces east, receiving the early morning sun.
Stony red soil, shelter from the afternoon sun
The site rises from 180m to 300m, and therefore is well drained. It faces east so receives the early morning sun, invaluable when late season frosts occur. In summer the vines are sheltered from the hot late afternoon western sun by the higher part of the hill.
The vines grow in the area’s legendary moisture retaining stony red soil derived from volcanic Cambrian rocks, with small pockets of red and black clay and hill wash. This let us plant blocks in different soil types and at varying elevations using various clones.
The property is 45 hectares with 18 hectares under vine, although not all of this is as yet productive.
What’s planted
These were chosen because our aim is to produce a Northern and a Southern Rhône style Shiraz and a Bordeaux style Cabernet within an Australian context.
Part of the solution
At the outset this vineyard was deliberately established on an environmentally sustainable basis so that it was part of the solution to the issues of climate change and water use, rather than adding to the continuing problem.
- Dryland. A drip irrigation system has never been installed; the vines are only watered when it rains.
- Light glass. The lightest grade of bottle available saves on glass, packaging and transport.
- Cork closures. Biodegradable and recyclable, and cork lets the wine build and mature in the bottle.
- Native hardwood posts. No treated pine containing copper, chrome and arsenic preservatives.
- Mulching. All prunings and winery grape product are mulched in the rows. Worms have reappeared in the soil.
Frogs, ladybirds and beautiful spiders
There is an extensive population of frogs, ladybirds and other invertebrates and a range of beautiful spiders: desirable predators which keep the vineyard free of pests.
The vines are cane pruned, the best method to obtain the highest quality fruit. We retain the number of buds we think appropriate for each vine, with low yields (approximately 1.0 tonne per acre) to provide flavour, complexity and depth. The grapes ripen evenly and in beautiful condition.