The Eagles Rise vineyard grows four varieties of grapes. In 1995 approx 5 acres each of Cabernet Sauvignon G9V7 and Shiraz PT23 were planted, followed in 2000 by approx 3.5 acres each of Pinot Noir MV6 and Pinot Gris D1V7 all on Nth-Sth orientation trellis to maximise light exposure. Grapes are maintained at a crop load of less that 2kg per vine to elevate balance and quality.
Typically budburst is before the AFL Grandfinal and harvest before or across Easter following a veraison period of more than 45 days. The Pinot Gris grapes are hand picked first for sparkling base, then Grigio, then Gris, then as a late pick sweeter wine. The changes in flavours across these few weeks are amazing. A few Pinot Noir picks follow around a week after the main Gris pick to add depth of flavour profile to the finished wines. Shiraz is still couple of weeks further way, and lastly the Cabernet Sauvignon needs an extra two or three weeks to fully ripen.
All bunches are small, with tightly clustered pea sized berries, covered in the naturally unique wild yeast spores ready to get through the thick crisp skins and into the ripe sweet juice and still elevated acids. This adds so much to the ‘terroir’ ever-present in each look/ aroma/ taste & reward of each wine. Combined, it all makes the winemaking so much easier – no sulphur baths or industrial carbon scrubbing here, just natural healthy fruit into fabulous wines.
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