Vineyards

Our estate vineyards encompass 22 hectares across three distinct Central Otago subregions, the Alexandra Basin, Bannockburn and Pisa. Our vineyards, each with its own unique microclimate and soil, are farmed with organic and regenerative practices, and are certified by Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ). Each one is also on track to achieve full BioGro certification.

Alexandra Basin

The Alexandra Basin is home to a diverse collection of vineyards stretching across Clyde, Letts Gully, Alexandra, and Earnscleugh. It is New Zealand’s southernmost wine-growing region, and has a notably dry climate with extreme temperatures in both summer and winter and large diurnal temperature ranges throughout the year. Although the area can record some of the highest temperatures in summer, early spring frost is a constant concern and, overall, it has the lowest seasonal heat accumulation of the subregions with which we work.

The Davishon Vineyard is located on Airport Road near Alexandra, not far from the Clutha River. The vineyard was planted in 1994 with a mix of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Gris. A slightly unusual training system is used in this vineyard – called a modified Geneva Double Curtain – where the vines are spur pruned and left to sprawl in a downward fashion with no support from any wires. This shades the fruit nicely but means the grapes can be susceptible to wind damage. The vineyard was put into BioGro conversion in 2023. 

Elevation: 160m
Total hectares: 1.74
Year planted: 1994 (Chardonnay), 2001 (Pinot Noir), 2007 (Pinot Gris)
Varieties: Chardonnay (0.23ha), Pinot Gris (0.35ha), Pinot Noir (1.16ha)
Clones: Chardonnay: 6, Mystery clone; Pinot Gris: Mystery clone; Pinot Noir: 115, 5
Soil: Blackmans alluvial sand, silt, and gravels derived from schist and sandstone

Located on the original site of Jean Désiré Féraud’s property near Clyde, the vineyard is adjacent to our Cellar Door. The block was planted in 2019 with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Gris, and was put into BioGro conversion in 2022. 

Elevation: 170m
Total hectares: 0.8
Year planted: 2019
Varieties: Pinot Noir (0.4ha), Chardonnay (0.2ha), Pinot Gris (0.2ha)
Clones: Pinot Noir: 115; Chardonnay: 548; Pinot Gris: M2
Soil: Blackmans alluvial sand, silt, and gravels derived from schist and sandstone

A stone’s throw from Féraud’s Vineyard, the Springvale Vineyard is located northwest of the Cellar Door next to Springvale Road and is planted exclusively with Pinot Noir. This vineyard was planted in 2019 and put into BioGro conversion in 2022.

Elevation: 180m
Total hectares: 1
Year planted: 2019
Variety: Pinot Noir
Clones: 115, 5, 777, 667
Soil: Blackmans alluvial sand, silt, and gravels derived from schist and sandstone

Bannockburn

The Bannockburn subregion, now formally registered as a Geographical Indication, is considered the premier wine-growing area in Central Otago. It is situated on the south bank of the Kawarau River at the southern end of the Cromwell Basin. With close proximity to the river, and the shelter of the surrounding mountains, the area maintains very consistent growing seasons.
Bannockburn is divided into two distinct parts; Felton Road and surrounds to the west, and Cairnmuir Road/Cornish Point to the east. Between these areas are a huge range of soil types from deep sun-baked clays, to schist-based loams and sandy wind-blown deposits. In turn, the wines from this area are very complex and distinctive.

The Confluence Vineyard is located on Cornish Point Road, on the southern shore of the Kawarau River. It is only 700m northeast of the Paris vineyard and is under BioGro conversion as of 2023. It is 100% Pinot Noir.

Elevation: 210m
Total hectares: 3.6
Year planted: 2002
Variety: Pinot Noir
Clones: 115, 6, 5, 667, 777
Soil: Manuherikia loess deposited silt material overlaying sand and silt alluvial deposits derived from schist

The Paris Vineyard is located in Cairnmuir, on the southern shore of the Kawarau River. The 6.6-ha vineyard was planted in 1999 with Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. In 2022, the vineyard became organically certified with BioGro.

Elevation: 220m
Total hectares: 6.6
Year planted: 1999
Varieties: Pinot Noir (5.4ha), Pinot Gris (1.2ha)
Clones: Pinot Noir: 6, 5, 115, 10/5, 114, 667; Pinot Gris: Mixed
Soil: Cromwell loess deposited sands derived from schist

Pisa

The Pisa subregion is located in the Cromwell Basin, on the western side of Lake Dunstan on the foothills of the Pisa Range. Most of the vineyards in the area are situated on the lower terraces and the valley floor. Prior periods of glaciation and alluvial deposition have led to a mix of complex soils from loamy silty sands to homogenous, deep, free-draining gravels. It is generally considered one of the warmest subregions in Central Otago and in some years harvest can occur 3-4 weeks earlier than the Alexandra Basin. Our Pisa property sits in the heart of the Pisa subregion, just north of the town of Cromwell, and is divided into three vineyards with 8 hectares planted with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Riesling. There is also a small olive grove.

The Proprietor’s Vineyard is a small block of Riesling planted on a steep sun-drenched slope above Catherine’s Vineyard. With all day sun it is relatively exposed to the elements, but the deep glacial soils allow for the vines to thrive. The vineyard was put into BioGro conversion in 2022.

Elevation: 250m
Total hectares: 0.4
Year planted: 2020
Varieties: Riesling
Clones: 49, 110
Soil: Cromwell loess deposited sands derived from schist

Located on a plateau above the valley floor, the vineyard gently slopes to the east and is relatively frost-free. The soil is quite varied across the vineyard, contributing to different growth patterns, and it tends to be one of our earliest vineyards to be harvested. Planted 100% with Pinot Noir, there is a mix of different rootstocks and clones, providing interesting flavour profiles. The vineyard was put into BioGro conversion in 2022. 

Elevation: 240m
Total hectares: 2.8
Year planted: 2001-2003
Variety: Pinot Noir
Clones: 115, 5, Abel, 777, 667
Soil: Waenga alluvial sand and silt gravels, loam texture and moderately stoney, derived from schist

The Molyneux Vineyard is located on the valley floor below Catherine’s and Proprietor’s Vineyards. A flat, relatively warm site, it is made up of 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay. The soils are composed of deep, homogenous gravels with a few silt lenses. The vineyard will be put into BioGro conversion in early 2024.

Elevation: 220m
Total hectares: 5.0
Year planted: 2020-2022
Variety: Pinot Noir (3.5ha), Chardonnay (1.5ha)
Clones: Pinot Noir: 667, Abel, 5, 777, 115, 10/5; Chardonnay: 548, Mendoza, 15
Soil: Mackenzie alluvial sand and silt gravels derived from sandstone

Viticulture

Organic Farming

Organics is a vital part of our farming practices. Our Paris Vineyard was certified organic with BioGro in 2022 and our other vineyards are well on their way to achieving the same credentials. In addition, all our vineyards are certified with Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ).

We only use organic sprays on our vines; no herbicides or pesticides are applied. Powdery Mildew and Botrytis are some of the biggest threats to crop quality, but with our warm, dry climate and careful vineyard management we are able to keep these risks at bay.

We have also introduced regenerative viticulture with the use of cover crops, animal grazing and a no-till system where possible. These practices help to increase soil organic matter and improve moisture retention, along with enhancing biodiversity in plant species as well as the insects they attract.

Vineyard Practices

The growing season in Central Otago starts in early October with bud burst, followed by flowering in December and harvest in March and April.

Another threat we face here in Central Otago is early-season frost which can damage the tender shoots in early spring. To combat this, we use a mixture of frost fans and water sprinklers.

In late spring, the vines are shoot thinned and supported with wires, predominantly in a VSP (Vertical Shoot Position) system, apart from Davishon which is trained on GDC (Geneva Double Curtain). If the flowering has been good, we may need to adjust the crop with some selective bunch thinning. To keep the grapes safe from birds, we use deterrent lasers and apply nets over the vines.

All our fruit is hand-picked and gently sorted, and then carefully transported and delivered to the winery for processing.

Our Region

Here at the 45th parallel, we enjoy long daylight hours in summer, and our continental climate provides a notable diurnal temperature range. This effect helps to extend the growing season, slowing down ripening, preserving grape acidity, and allowing sugars and flavours to develop gradually, which result in elegant, refined wines.

Central Otago is New Zealand’s southernmost wine region and is the only part of the country with a continental climate unaffected by the sea. The area is divided into subregions by mountain ranges, creating various mesoclimates. The Southern Alps play a crucial role in shielding Central Otago from heavy western weather systems, resulting in low rainfall and summer temperatures often exceeding 30ºC (86ºF).

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