Nillahcootie Estate Vineyards

Nillahcootie Estate vineyards are located at the northern end of Lake Nillahcootie in the Upper Broken River Valley. The first vines were planted on the property in 1988 in a small three acre block known as Maggies Paddock. The most recent plantings were in 2001. The vineyards comprise shiraz, cabernet sauvignon, merlot and chardonnay varieties, covering an area of 18 acres. The total row length of the vineyard is 19.5 kms!

The vines are hand (spur) pruned during the period July to early September to remove the canes from the previous season. Bud-burst typically occurs in late September to early October and the new canes begin to develop. The canes grow at a rapid rate (up to an inch per day), with the early stages of inflorescence normally occurring in November. Flowering commences around December and two bunches of fruit are formed on each cane.

Harvest normally occurs in early April when the fruit has fully ripened and sugar levels are optimal. Cropping levels range from 2.5 to 3.5 tonnes per acre, depending upon the variety. At full production the vineyards produce approximately 50 tonnes of grapes. Picking is undertaken by hand to minimize the need for sulphur, which often must be added to mechanically harvested fruit to prevent the onset of fermentation by naturally occurring yeasts. The fruit is loaded into 500kg picking bins and transported as quickly as practicable to the winery for crushing.

The climate is cool to warm, with average July temperatures of 12.80C increasing to 31.00C in January, with rainfall averaging 960mm per year. The property has a 30ML water right which provides ample water for irrigation through the hot summer growing period.

The close proximity of the vineyards to Lake Nillahcootie (a 40,000 ML reservoir) reduces the incidence of frost and the risk of damage during the early stages of growth. Furthermore, being located in a valley orientated north/south, the vineyards experience consistent airflows which substantially reduce the incidence of fungal disease. This aids management practices which aim to minimize the use of chemicals during the growing season.