Since purchasing the vineyard in 2009, vine and soil management with innovative and sustainable practices have been at the forefront of priorities. Viticulturalist Richard Leask has been an invaluable resource and consultant over the years in driving soil health and biological activity. I am passionate about environmental health and continually strive to use innovation and infrastructure improvements to decrease our environmental footprint – solar panels powering winery and bore, reduced fossil fuel usage, no synthetic chemical use, grazing animals (sheep) for winter pasture management, under vine cultivation, reduced trellis post waste through use of OCLOC repair system, moisture monitoring, soil and petiole analysis and use of micronutrients.

Soil health has improved dramatically since the implementation of sustainable practices. The first major change was to stop the use of synthetic chemical, ie herbicides and pesticides. We then needed to encourage growth of a healthy balance of soil microbes, which we did with the help of organic, local compost, manure and mulch. This biological activity promotes water and nutrients penetration into the soil providing easy access for vine uptake. Sheep are our favourite mobile composters during vine dormancy.

I’m a keen advocate for revegetation wherever I can, especially the native corridors along the boundaries and creek lines of the property. I only plant natives that are already growing on and around the site as they’ve proven themselves drought hardy and ideal for the native fauna. The bigger picture for me is the legacy I leave, that this piece of land I’m responsible for is healthier, more productive and closer to its natural state than when I found it.

My biggest challenges remain the extremes of vintage variation. How to respond to hotter and dryer years as well as cooler and wetter. Both present quite specific challenges that require quite specific viticultural responses. I’ve found healthier soils and therefore more resilient vines have helped me manage this ongoing challenge.

The move toward growing more heat and drought tolerant varieties is still on the agenda. The varieties in consideration include Cinsault, Malbec and warm climate white varieties including Greco.