Accolades & Strengths

Without doubt our greatest strength is being such an integrated business. We are in control of the management of our soils, pruning regimes, canopies and irrigation in the vineyard right through to deciding when best to bring the fruit into the winery. We don’t process fruit under contract for anyone else and therefore don’t feel the pressure to work to anyone else’s requirements at vintage. We can therefore coax and nurture our ferments how we want. Also our Viticulture team works closely with the Winery team and there are definite advantages in the skill sharing that occurs as a result.

This integration hasn’t happened by accident or just good fortune. Guy has always had a very clear vision about where he wants the businesses to go and is an exceptionally good strategic planner. He has been through too many “bad” years with primary production to rely on one income stream alone. He is also an unbelievably hard worker and with Liz supporting him has been able to achieve some really marvelous outcomes.

Our staff team are also crucial to our success; from James in Sales and Marketing, Brenda in Administration and Jim in the Winery to all our amazing Vineyard staff we have an extraordinary skill base. We are also really blessed with the skills of 2 highly regarded Consulting Winemakers. Justin Lane from Red Heads Studio works with us throughout the year on wine management, grading and building our delicious wines. Nigel Dolan joined us for 2008 as our Vintage winemaker, providing guidance and support during this critical time. Of course, Nigel is the son of Bryan Dolan who made the 1961 Metala which won the Inaugural Jimmy Watson Trophy and was until the end of 2007 the Chief Red Winemaker for the Fosters Group. Unfortunately we won't have the benefit of his experience in 2009 as he has recently accepted a new and challeging role.

The winery itself is a unique facility designed and built for the 2002 Vintage based on our philosophy that whatever we do, we do it well from the start. The initial stage of the winery can be expanded at any time but we’re in no hurry. Our focus is on quality rather than quantity.

A major factor is that the winery is set up for small batch treatment to express the personality of the vineyard. We have computer-controlled fermentation and everything post fermentation where possible is gravity transferred by a lifting tank - so there is minimal pumping after fermentation. The fermenters were also tailor made and there is capacity to ferment 200 tonne at any one time. It's very efficient which gives us more time for quality control.