Our Story.
Our Vision
As with many wine drinkers, Sean & Yvette Winder had a deep seated goal to one day make their own wine. This goal was complimented by a desire to balance a hectic life in Melbourne with a rural experience that could be shared with their children, Kelly and Brad.
The search for suitable property began with the requirement that it be a short drive from Melbourne and that it be suitable for growing premium Shiraz grapes.
That meant only one thing … Heathcote … and after seeing the Mundy Gully property the decision was made.
Prep work
After preparing the vineyard site and obtaining a 5meg water licence, research was undertaken on what to plant. The decision was to plant two Shiraz clones (R6WV28 and 1654) grafted onto Paulsen 1103 rootstock. This rootstock has good tolerance to phylloxera, is drought resistance and has a relatively short growing season.
Developing a vineyard from scratch is a labour intensive exercise and the many hours spent planting and tending young vines proved rewarding … particularly when the work was finished!!
Ripe for the picking
Careful monitoring of the baume and acid levels is undertaken to pick when the ripeness of the fruit highlights the unique lighter style of the southern end of the Heathcote area.
Picking generally occurs when the baume is 14 degrees and the acid level is 3.6ph
Time to Mature
After fermentation the vintage is left to mature for 12 months in fine grained, medium toasted French oak barrels.
And the resulting wine is a lighter style of Heathcote Shiraz with balanced acidity, tannins, an elegant aroma and long lasting taste.