Farming
Our farming across multiple sites is not copy and paste. After years of experience gained over many vintages, a huge number of mistakes, plenty of questioning and a lot of listening, we have gradually refined our interaction to best reflect the unique soils and attributes of each site. Health, biodiversity and a spectrum of ancient soils are the foundations for our farming beliefs and practices.
Our farming has always been driven by what could be termed good motivations. However looking back over the last decade, we have gradually made changes, moving away from what was initially farming a monoculture to something with far greater focus on regenerative farming and total vitality of the land. Life and the balance between all living entities is now what we strive to embrace.
Although the term codependency is often met with negative connotations, in our interaction with the land, it is very much a positive term that shares exactly how vital each part of the interaction is to the other.
By reducing our chemical inputs and creating space for increased biodiversity and improved soil biology, we consider our vines are better placed to cope as the seasons increasingly become earlier and more challenging.
Future proofing is a concept we spend a lot of time considering, given the changing nature of seasons. This is a multi-faceted discussion, with significant emphasis on site selection, farming practices and suitability of alternative varieties. Through careful consideration of soil profile, property aspect, seasonal rainfall and growing degree days, we are able to tailor our farming to the needs of each individual property and establish vines that are less dependent on our inputs.
It is worth noting we have now moved into areas that have historically been considered too marginal for vines. By increasing our engagement with the land, and approaching farming decisions with a long-term view, we hope that we will see vitality, balance and diversity in our vineyards for generations to come.