Winery & Vintage Info
The Axedale vineyard (540mm, 124m), planted in 1998 sits on the banks of the Campaspe is situated between the townships of Bendigo and Heathcote.
The Serpentine Vineyard (350mm, 124m) established in 1999, lies next to the Loddon River 42 km north west of the township of Bendigo. Cane pruning and bunch thinning help to deliver high quality.
Both Vineyards sit on sandy clay loam soils, are predominately planted to the Shiraz clone PT23 and use irrigation minimally as a control method. The low rainfall and warm growing season in both vineyards allow for minimal canopy intervention and compatible ripening.
Zonnebeeke lies 5 km from the original Kingower Vineyard a slightly cooler part of the Bendigo region. The Shiraz (clone unknown) vines sit on granitic sands in a shallow valley. The vintage was warm vintage. However the added freshness of Zonnebeeke and a reduction in the use of PFM makes this a unique vintage.
The fruit is 100% de-stemmed and hand sorted before being traditionally vinified in open stainless-steel fermenters, which are hand plunged twice a day. A portion of batches saw post ferment maceration. All batches are matured in 100% French oak for 11 months – with only 10% new oak. The wine was given a light egg white fining and a coarse filtration prior to bottling.
