Our Vineyard
The Macedon Ranges is the coolest viticultural area on mainland Australia.
This unique viticultural site owes much to the combination of altitude (540 metres), latitude (south of The Great Dividing Range), and distance from the mitigating influence of the ocean. After warm summer days, we get crisp, cool evenings which slow ripening and help retain natural acidity. These are ideal conditions for the early ripening varieties of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Our oldest vines were planted in 1992. Subsequent plantings (1993 to 2020) have seen the vineyard grow to 14.5 hectares. The majority of the area is planted to Pinot Noir (72%), with smaller plantings of Chardonnay (23%) and Pinot Gris (5%). A diversity of aspect and clone provide multifaceted winemaking opportunities. The red volcanic basalt soils have structure and depth allowing the roots to descend many metres – increasing the soil volume able to be exploited by the vines.
In 2006 we began using an undervine mower and have seen a marked improvement in soil microfauna. The resulting increase in organic matter is staggering and bodes well for a healthy future for our vines.
