Mark Walpole has graduated from being arguably one of Australia's greatest viticulturalists to become one of its greatest vignerons. His interest in cool climate viticulture led him from his home in the Ovens Valley to the elevated Beechworth plateau at the top of the Escarpment above the Murmungee basin.
The site was planted to Cabernet Sauvignon and a small amount of Merlot in 1997 on the lower North West facing slopes, followed by Pinot Noir in 1998 on the upper North East facing slopes at an elevation of 570 meters. In more recent years after working with fruit from this block small areas have been grafted to Shiraz, Tempranillo, Sangiovese, Chardonnay and Petit Menseng.
The maiden release of Grenache from the Fighting Gully Road vineyard and indeed from the Beechworth region. A climate change portent as Mark, increasingly frustrated with the earlier and earlier ripening of Pinot Noir on the warmer exposures on the Fighting Gully Road vineyard looked to a varietal that would harvest late in the cool of Autumn. Raspberry and wood spice carried in a light & pure Grenache frame, an early sign of great things to come.
No insecticides are used and fungicide selection is careful made to protect predatory mites and other beneficial insects. Soil structure is maintained through minimal application of herbicide; soil cultivation is not practiced. The inter-row is sown to a permanent sward of grasses and legumes, which are seasonally slashed and thrown onto the ground immediately under the vine, to preserve moisture and increase organic matter. Vine prunings are mulched back into the ground to degrade naturally.
Related Products
