Vineyard Manager Brian Thomson: „It‘s tough country – exposed, dry, challenging!“
Vineyard Manager Brian Thomson
Terroir: The vineyards are elevated with aspects to all points of the compass. The elevation and exposure ensure above average winds and disease pressures are kept to a minimum. The Barossa Valley climate is perfect for our selected varieties. Sunny, warm to hot days and cool nights coupled with frequent spring and summer winds result in a typical continental / mediterranean style climate. A major ameliorating influence on a potentially hot and inhospitable climate is the great expanse of cold ocean which surrounds southern Australia. With no intervening land mass, it flows directly from the Antarctic and its influence on the Barossa Valley’s climate is profound. Irrigation is necessary as rain normally only falls during the winter months. Partly we pump up water from the grounds and mix it with Murray River water in our "lake" - the reservoir. Various pump cycles allow us to only irrigate when and where necessary. Shallow topsoils and the free draining sub-soils reduce vigour and assist in controlling crop levels. Lower crop levels equate with higher quality. We average less than 7 tonnes/hectare across both vineyards. Our philosophy is for minimal intervention in the winery, allowing the wines to be a faithful expression of the vineyards’ terroir.
