Our home McLaren Vale is a quick 45 minute drive from Adelaide, and is bordered by 25 kms of westerly coastline, the Onkaparinga Gorge to the north, and the Mount Lofty ranges to the south and east. It is the combination of McLaren Vale’s maritime location, Mediterranean climate, and complex matrix of geology that led us to work in this region.

 
We sustainably farm our 11-hectare vineyard “The Chase” situated in the famed Seaview sub-district. Sitting atop the Onkaparinga Gorge, our vineyard is characterised by ancient rock combining both Pirramimma Sandstone (11, 700 to 2.6 million years) and dark grey, very thinly laminated Slatey Siltstone (> 650 million years). From just over 200m elevation it descends in both a southerly and westerly direction towards the Gulf of St Vincent.

 
With a single, spur pruned cordon, we have concentrated on varieties that naturally retain freshness and acidity or have the innate drought tolerance required to thrive in our warm dry summers.

 
To that end, we have Picpoul, Grenache, Cinsault, Carignan, and Shiraz facing due south away from the afternoon sun, coupled with westerly facing Mencia in a cool pocket, and three clones of Tempranillo brought in from Vega Sicilia and their Toro property Pintia. The Chase is blessed with excellent natural air flow, which generally provides for low disease and pest pressure, allowing us to farm organically but not yet certified. 

 
As well as The Chase, we have sought out some of the oldest and most distinguished vineyards in McLaren Vale for Grenache, Mataro, Shiraz and Tempranillo, many upwards of 80 years of age with the oldest being a Grenache vineyard planted in 1922. These vineyards are mostly situated in the cooler sub regions of McLaren Vale, namely Clarendon, Blewitt Springs and Seaview.

 
We have long loved the long lived dry rieslings of Clare, and since our first suite of wines in 2013 continue to make one from vineyards located in the high altitude hills of Penwortham and providing a rapier like acid line, balance by the old vine limestone and red loam power of “The Golden Mile” of Watervale. 

 
Vowing to work only with varieties we love, we find ourselves drawn to a small but important group of blocks in the Adelaide Hills. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Gamay, and Syrah form the backbone of our cool climate offering.