Vineyards

Listed in order of harvest

1. Old Rifle Range (Leigh and Jen Gilligan)

4.04 hectares of Shiraz in the rich red gum country on the side of the Willunga scarp (55-60 metres above sea level), twenty kilometres from the sea, this vineyard has a westerly aspect and north-south rows. The soils are fast-draining ferruginous loams with dispersed calcrete and increasing ironstone on the piedmont. The climate here is quite cool and breezy at night, but the vines are well-exposed to the ripening sunshine through the latter part of the day, and get absolutely minimal irrigation. 

2. The Wetlands Vineyard  (Sami & Robyn Gilligan, Mark Vincent and Alison MacDonald)

3.5 hectares of Grenache, Mourvèdre, Tempranillo, Vermentino, Marsanne and Roussanne grow in deep ferruginous loam in a sheltered gully (20-25 metres asl, ten kilometres from the sea.  This vineyard has a very special feel, and is managed with maximum mulch and minimal spray.  East-west rows; northerly aspect.  Ideal mediterranean coastal climate.

3. California Road (Norm and Jane Doole)

26.3 hectares of east-west planted Shiraz, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc grow here, on ferruginous sandy loam over calcrete and clay, with some shaly mudstone extrusions.  Many of these vines are fully mature.  Between McLaren Vale and the sea, this northerly-facing slope (55-65 metres) has a classic Mediterranean coastal climate.

4. Tintookie (Lulu Lunn and Drew Dowie)

Twelve hectares are planted here, on the north-eastern uplands at the head of the Willunga Basin, in loose Semaphore group æolian sands twenty kilometres from the sea, and 180-200 metres above it.  There are porous ferruginous clays at two to three metres, with more ironstone on the northern side.  Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz and Chenin Blanc are grown on both easterly and westerly aspects, much of it on very old vines, in this cooler, wetter section of the Willunga Basin. 

5. Doole Home Block (Norm and Jane Doole)

This distinctly highland (330  metres asl) vineyard over the range contains 4.5  hectares of sauvignon blanc on ironstone-riddled red-grey loam over clay.  This is a very cool site, quite unlike the other vineyards in its damper, breezier manner.  But the north-easterly aspect, with north-south rows, makes the most of the healthy drying goodness of the sunshine, ensuring even ripening and minimal human intervention.