Don & Jenny's vineyard on the banks of the Goulburn River

About the vineyards
Four vineyards situated in central Victoria have provided fruit for the trust 2004 and 2005 vintages. Each vineyard was selected for its potential to add interest, complexity and individuality to the final blend.

The winemakers have had the benefit of handling this fruit for many years and therefore recognised the attributes of each site. Each vineyard is fully mature and has a balance of fruit to canopy, allowing for true expression of its unique situation.

One vineyard demonstrates a full, rich and sweet flavour with big chalky tannin whilst another displays a highly fragrant violet aroma and tighter acid with soft silky tannin. The third vineyard has strong, plummy flavours and a mulberry-like aroma. It is the sum of them all that attracted the winemakers to make this wine from these special vineyards.

About the region
The area around Tahbilk and Mitchelton in central Victoria's Goulburn Valley region is known as Nagambie Lakes. The region is distinctly warm with a typical inland valley floor climate and substantial night and day temperature variations'. The heat is mitigated by the abundance of lakes, billabongs and creeks associated with the meandering Goulburn River as well as occasional river breezes. Irrigation water and loose textured sandy, gravelly soils typically produce generous yields without compromising colour or flavour. Shiraz has been the principal grape grown in the Goulburn Valley for over a century.

Geographical description: Central Victoria is found in southern Australia in the State of Victoria. This farming area is on the northern side of the Great Dividing Mountain range, about 1.5 hours north of Melbourne.

Elevation: 130 Meters

Annual Rainfall: 600 mm

Mean January Temp: 21c

Vine Coverage: 1.8 Meters x 2.8 Meters

Oldest Vines: Central Victoria has some of the oldest Shiraz vines in the world, planted in 1860.