Vineyards : Company Owned

Planted in 2001 and 2002 the vineyard was previously owned by the Kraehe family who operated the property as a mixed farm in the traditional Barossa way. This included sheep, pigs, a small dairy, fruit trees for cutting and drying, broad acre cropping, as well as the 40 year old bush vine Grenache that still exist today. 

The Barossa is renowned for its Shiraz, so it was decided that Shiraz was to be the predominant variety. However, the site did consist of varying soil types, so the correct varieties and clones had to be selected to ensure that the best quality fruit was grown on site..

To develop the best Shiraz, the vines need to be stressed to a point. It was decided that Shiraz would be planted on the soils which were tighter and less vigorous. 

The remaining area was planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay.  In 2007 a trial patch of Marsanne was planted to evaluate the variety for the future.

Different clones of each variety were selected to develop some variation in flavours and 50% of the vineyard has been planted to rootstock.  Rootstocks were selected to insure against the possible risk of a Phylloxera outbreak into South Australia, as well as to cope with possible influences of salinity, warmer climate and nematode in the future.

We also planted a cover crop of fescue in the mid row area of the vineyard.  This is a grass which actively grows in winter and then dies off in summer, and requires only an occasional mow during the vine growing season. 

It is a multi-purpose grass, in that it reduces erosion in our vineyards planted on slopes, and it provides competition with the vines when it rains during summer, reducing excessive plant growth in the growing season.  One day we may also graze sheep to further reduce machinery traffic and chemical use.