McLaren Vale
Willunga, SA
| Area Under Vine | 87 acres |
|---|---|
| Grape Varieties |
Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz Chardonnay Sauvignon Blanc Malbec Pinot Noir Merlot |
| Average Yield | 5 to 7 tonnes/acre whites 2 to 5 tonnes/acre reds |
| Soil Type | Alluvial and clay loam |
| Climate | Mediterranean |
| Yearly Rainfall | 600 mm average/annum |
| Aspect: | Northerly between 70-140m elevation |
| Irrigation | Drip from underground aquifer limited to 1.1ML/ha |
| Primary Brands | Double Barrel 24; Rufus Stone; Lost Block; Old Winery |
The McLaren Vale region has 7200ha vines planted with the main varieties of Shiraz (49%), Cabernet Sauvignon (18%) and Chardonnay (10%). It has a Mediterranean climate usually experiencing winter rainfall and warm dry summers associated with varied microclimates and soil types. Natural conditions for the vine could hardly be better in this narrow strip between the hills and the coast. It has a cooling influence from the gulf waters to the west and the katabatic winds from the Willunga hills from the east and south of the region keep the grapes cool and the canopy dry.
Our Willunga vineyard in the McLaren Vale region was purchased in 1994 specifically to give us greater red wine autonomy and alleviate Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc demands. The region consistently produces quality fruit at balanced production levels. A 1,000 tonne crushing facility was built on-site in time for the 1997 harvest, complete with 70,000 litres storage capacity. This allows us to harvest the grapes in the best condition that are sugar, acid and flavour ripe. The white grapes are crushed, pressed and juice chilled before being transported to the Hunter Valley winery at Pokolbin for fermenting. The reds are crushed and chilled and loaded onto tanker during the crushing process and are transported to Tyrrell’s Hunter Valley wineries for fermenting, barrel maturation, blending and bottling.
The winery is also available for contract processing to your specifications.