Often, producing the right wine means stretching the boundaries from one’s own backyard and sourcing grapes from some of the cooler growing regions of the country. In the case of Pepper Tree Wines Chardonnay, the source of the fruit not only extends to their vineyards in Orange, New South Wales but to South Australia and the Wrattonbully region.
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Wrattonbully adjoins the Coonawarra area in the southern part of the Limestone Coast wine zone. The prominent viticultural feature of the area is the series of ancient beach ridges and dunes which run roughly north-south through the area. These ridges are made up of soft crumbly limestone Terra Rossa clay loam soils so highly prized for grape growing. The ridges and dunes have elevations of up to 30m compared with the Coonawarra Terra Rossa ‘high’ of less than 5m. The extra elevation produce the advantage of cold air drainage which reduces the risk of frost during the growing season.
The Orange region is favoured for its high altitude cool climate. Situated approximately 270 km west of Sydney the topography and soils of the region are dominated by the extinct volcano Mt Canobolas. Soils in the central part of the region are derived from the basaltic lavas of the old volcano, and primarily consist of deep red to brown free draining clay loams.
Near perfect growing conditions over the months leading into vintage made 2012 one of the finest vintages of the Wrattonbully region on record. Canopy and fruit management over the spring growing season was necessary due to the optimal growing conditions.
Before the beginning of harvest the Orange region received a substantial amount of rain. The second half of March through to mid-April produced sunny dry weather allowing most varieties to ripen with minimal problems. The cool summer and regular rainfall produced lower than average yields. Wines look very promising
Hand picked and gently pressed to preserve delicate fruit aromas and achieve elegance and finesse on the palate.
Lifted aromas of white peach and pineapple. A generously fruit driven palate packed with ripe fruits balanced well by subtle barrel ferment complexity, providing a long refined finish.
Pepper Tree Wines
Address 86 Halls Road, Pokolbin NSW 2320
Telephone 02 4909 7100
Open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm Weekends and Public Holidays 9.30am to 5pm
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