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Our Hand-picked grapes are grown on a warm, clay/loam north-facing slope overlooking the Sandspit estuary. It is recognised that premium wine is created initially in the vineyard so our driving force is to produce premium grapes by developing vital living soil and healthy vines. We use natural methods and biodynamic principles to enhance the life quality of our land and, in doing so aim to grow grapes of exceptional flavour and colour.
Biodynamics is a heightened form of organic farming that goes way beyond simply avoiding synthetic chemical pesticides, fungicides and herbicides. Essentially, it embraces a truly holistic approach to working with the land. The basic principle of building well structured soil high in biological activity (bio) also recognises the influences of the ebb and flow of the natural rhythms influencing our world (dynamics) and strives to work with these rhythms.
Healthy soil is inhabited by life and can contain up to a billion living micro-organisms per gram. This swarming life of infinitely small beings is not mixed at random, but, on the contrary, admirably organised in a chain of life where each link allows another to exist. The vines excrete through their roots various organic and mineral substances which attract and feed the microorganisms, and in return these little microbes convert inorganic mineral nutrients into a form that the plant can absorb. This symbiotic relationship between plant and microbe is necessary for the health of our vines.
We use only natural resources such as compost, compost teas, preparation 500 and a number of other natural remedies to help to build up our soil life, and grow healthy plants with organic fruit full of flavour.
Our vineyard of three and a half acres is planted with Merlot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc grapes, which we blend into a Bordeaux style claret. Our Syrah grapes produce a classical French Rhone style Syrah.
All the important work done in the vineyard such as pruning, shoot positioning, leaf plucking trimming and harvesting is done by hand. Manual shoot and fruit thinning is standard practice to ensure consistently low yields and exceptional fruit quality.
The inter-rows between the vines are cultivated and partially planted in the autumn with a winter crop to bring diversity and organic matter into the soil. We are experimenting with summer plantings of wild flowers to introduce natural predators against grape pests. Weeds can be beneficial at times, but in the spring are controlled by under vine cultivation.
Always in the back of our minds is to try and work in harmony with nature.
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