There are approximately 16 ha of vines, 4 hectares planted in 2000 and the rest in 2001. The rows are planted East West running down the slope to protect them from the strong Easterly wind, which comes down the mountain slope only occasionally but can be very destructive. The spacing is 1.2 m between vines and 2.7m between rows to ensure maximum sunlight reaches all the rows. The Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah are trellised on wires and the Mourvedre is trained on vertical stakes and as bushes. Pruning is done in such a way as to produce a spacious canopy, controlled vegetal growth and maximum sunlight penetration. Rootstock R101.14 was used on the lower slopes where there is more water retention and R99 on the higher slopes where the soil is shallower and requires a more drought resistant rootstock.

Due to the lack of rainfall in the summer months irrigation is necessary, especially immediately after the harvest when the vines are at their most stressed. The drip irrigation system is block specific which allows different blocks to be irrigated according to their specific need. Soil moisture data is collected from each block weekly by the use of neutron probes so that irrigation can be scientifically applied. The drip system can also be used to administer compost teas. The vineyard blocks are all cultivar and clone specific.

All husbandry is done by hand, including harvesting. All applications are administered by hand pump except precautionary Bordeaux mix applications. Small vineyard tractors are used to prevent soil compaction and their use is kept to a bare minimum.

Yields

As the vines are still young, and we are not pushing them with fertilizer, yields are still very low. We want the vines to only carry as much fruit as they can successfully bring to ripeness so in some cases where the leaf canopy was damaged by wind or had not developed as quickly we dropped fruit by cutting off some green bunches. We also lowered the cordon on a significant part of the vineyard after vintage 2003 to give the vines more room to develop their canopy in later years. This had the effect of lowering the yield in 2004.  For annual yield figures please go to our vintage reports.

Vineyard Planting Details:

• 47746 vines planted at 1.2m spacing by 2.74m between the rows

• 5000 vines planted at 1.44m by 2.74m

• Total size of vineyard 15.985 ha

Syrah - total 9.19 ha
SH5C on R101.14 - 6390 vines planted 2.74 x 1.2 in 2000
SH1A on R101.14 - 6390 vines planted 2.74 x 1.2 in 2000
SH1 on R99 - 3750 vines planted 2.74 x 1.2 in 2001
SH9C on R99 - 8000 vines planted 2.74 x 1.2 in 2001
SH5C on R99 - 8000 vines planted 2.74 x 1.2 in 2001
SH99 on R99 - 550 vines planted 2.74 x 1.2 in 2001

Cabernet Sauvignon - total 4.822 ha
CS46C on R101.14 - 2430 vines planted 2.74 x 1.2 in 2000
CS46C on R101.14 - 1686 vines planted 2.74 x 1.2 in 2000
CS15C on R99 - 3050 vines planted 2.74 x 1.2 in 2001
CS163I on R99 - 2500 vines planted 2.74 x 1.2 in 2001
CS163I on R110 - 2000 vines planted 2.74 x 1.2 in 2001
CS169 on R99 - 3000 vines planted 2.74 x 1.2 in 2001

Mourvedre - total 1.973 ha
MT11A on R99 - 5000 vines planted 2.74 x 1.44 in 2001