Vineyards
We focus on the relationship between soil, vine health and grape quality to produce premium organic grapes from our two vineyards
Lansdowne
Vineyard
The house and original vineyard are to the south of Forreston in the northern end of the Adelaide Hills. We are in one of Australia’s premium cool-climate wine regions. During the ripening period we have warm summer days followed by drops in temperature at night. This allows the vines to rest, stretching out the grape’s maturing process – which is key to creating flavour complexity.
We sit at 365 meters and have a Mediterranean climate with cold wet winters, warm dry summers and endless autumns.
The day-night temperature range is a result of early sunsets and cool air pooled in the valley at night – a combination key to creating flavour complexity by slowing down the ripening process.
Pinot noir vines were the first to be planted in 1996 by Mark Whisson. We’ve been tending to the them since 2002 and are continuously working with new varieties, clones and practices to understand more about the terroir.
Location:
Forreston South
Adelaide Hills
South Australia
34°48'20.0"S 138°53'51.0"E
Altitude:
365 metres
Aspect:
North-west to south
Rainfall
800mm annually
Soil:
Black, self-mulching river silt, through to free-draining red-brown loams over brown clayArea under vine:
56 acres
Vine training:
Vertical shoot positioning
Vine density:
Close planting of up to
3,788 vines per hectare
Harvest:
Whites, mid/late March
Reds, mid/late AprilForreston North
Vineyard
On a beautiful piece of land 1.5km north of Lansdowne Vineyard we established a four hectare (10 acres) vineyard in 2022. It’s a charming site with tranquil rural views and similar clay loam over red brown clay soils.
Nestled at 400m (slightly higher Lansdowne), it also enjoys a valley floor location shaded earlier by Talunga Ridge (which forms the high western side of the valley). Like Lansdowne this makes it prone to frost which can be a particular challenge in spring. Yet the lower night time temperatures in autumn and large diurnal variations are critical to slowing down the ripening process for added flavour complexity.
The site has a mixture of north and south sloping aspects and is planted to varieties that suit the microclimate – including chardonnay, grüner veltliner, pinot noir, gamay and barbera.
At the top of the block overlooking the vineyard is 60’s concrete block dairy which will eventually be converted into a wine tasting room.
Location:
Forreston South
Adelaide Hills
South Australia
34°47'24.8"S 138°54'18.5"E
Altitude:
400 metres
Aspect:
North-west to south
Rainfall:
800mm annuallySoil:
Free-draining red-brown loams over brown clay
Area under vine:
10 acres
Vine training:
Vertical shoot positioning
Vine density:
Close planting of up to 3,788 vines per hectare