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Tim and Simon and all the Wicks, nurse the rootstock and foster the clones which are in highest demand by the Adelaide Hills most accomplished vignerons. The Wicks are Adelaide Hills born and bred, they called upon an old mate named Tim Knappstein to assist in the establishment of a vineyard and wineworks, set amongst the ancient eucalypts on the scenic slopes of Woodside. Each and every planting was determined according to a viticultural algorithm, based on clonal selections and terroir, aspect, soils and clime. The shrubs reached maturity and the wines that flowed are claiming a conspicuous tally of triumphs at significant national wine shows. Representing salient value for the exquisite quality of vintages, Wicks are an essential choice for adherents of the graceful and stately styles which hail from Adelaide.. The wonderful wines of wicks»
Airline pilots make surprisingly good wine. Their appreciation of the sciences, a respect for the weather and a bird's eye view of the land, all invaluable to the winemaker's art. John Ellis would take every opportune weekend away from his regular New York Paris route, to pursue a passion for viticulture. He planted the first commercial Cabernet Merlot vines in the Hamptons and found time between trans atlantic flights to work vintages amongst the Grand Cru vineyards of La Bourgogne. Ellis ultimately made the great lifelong sea change in favour of our land downunder. He settled on a farmstead outside Leongatha, amongst the slow ripening pastures of Gippsland and established a vineyard called Bellvale. It is now a place of fully mature vines and old world Burgundian techniques, sur lie et sauvage, barrel ferments and batonnage. Bellvale remains artisanally small batch, just.. Placing pinot amongst the pastures»
Castle Rock
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Castle Rock
Castle Rock Estate is nestled on the eastern slopes of the Porongurup mountain and is named after a prominent nearby landmark

Castle Rock vineyard is planted on Porongurup Road in the shire of Plantagenet. It is set high in the Porongurup Ranges, which are 40 km north of Western Australia's south coast regional center Albany. The altitude, 350 meters, and the position of the vineyard, which exposes the vines to cooling south-east breezes results in a prolonged growing season, enables the fruit to develop maximum varietal flavour and ripeness. The vineyard has a cool and elevated northerly aspect, resulting in intensley flavoured wines. The first varieties (Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon) were planted in 1983. Those first two hectares were followed in 1986 with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with further plantings of Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon. Later planting included Merlot and Cabernet Franc. In 1996, the 10th anniversary of the first vintage, preparation commenced with an additional area planted with Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.

Castle Rock

Towards the end of 1981 the 55 hectare property was specifically selected by Angelo and Wendy Diletti to grow premium quality table wine grapes. The choice was based on the altitude, an approximate eastern slope, well-drained soils and excellent water catchment potential. The wide arc of magnificent views has been the bonus. The wines from Castle Rock Estate were made under contract at Alkoomi winery from 1986 to 2000. The next phase of growth was to make wines on site at Castle Rock Estate. After the 2000 vintage the decision was made to bite the bullet and proceed with plans to build a 200 tonne winery on the estate. Despite having nearly twelve months, it was only just completed on time, the first tanks arriving only four days before the first grapes arrived.

The winery building makes use of the natural slope of the land and is built on two levels. The winery is a blend of age old, proven techniques and some equipment which is state of the art. The upper level houses four six tonne red fermenters.

The grapes are crushed and fermented on the upper level of the winery, then gravity fed into the press below, thus doing away with the need to pump the must. This is very important for Riesling as it reduces skin and seeds which give the juice hard phenolics. When the reds have finished fermenting, the press can be positioned below and filled simply by opening the door!

Castle Rock

The press, de-stemmer/crusher and refrigeration system were bought brand new to be sure of their ability, performance and reliability. The use of gravity ensures the right balance to maximise quality. Castle Rock's wines are bottled on site by a portable bottling line which is set up on the back of a semi trailer. This is an ideal arrangement to avoid sending the wine away in a bulk tanker. Bottling on site means Castle Rock can be sure that the quality and freshness of the wine is maintained. Everything done at Castle Rock places a priority on growing great fruit and making exceptional wine. Mother Nature sets the environment, the growers and viticultural team maximize the gifts of the elements. All that's left for the winemaker is to complete the natural process which translates superb quality fruit into an outstanding range of magnificent Great Southern wines.

Castle Rock