Vineyard
An opportunity that would not come a second time.
This story starts with a chance meeting in the coastal town of Cadaqués in north-eastern Spain. It ends with the hand-over of an old patch of vines in need of attention and hard work, on the deep sands of Vine Vale in the heart of the Barossa Valley.
Vinya Vella is the name we've given this small parcel of land. Just under 6ha, of which 4ha carry very old, gnarled vines dating to the early 1900s. The site sits in Vine Vale, a small area on the eastern edge of the valley below the higher slopes of Eden Valley. The soil here is distinctive, with a deep water table and a very sandy profile over a sandy yellow-red clay underneath. That combination gives the vines moderate nutrition from the sand in spring, for growth, and long-term access to stored water in the clay below, enough to carry them through a hot, dry summer.
This vineyard is the only source of fruit for our wines. It's managed and run by myself and my father, Paul, with help at key times when the work outpaces what two people can do. Harvest is one of those times. So is shoot thinning and leaf plucking.
As an international viticulture consultant, I travel to and work with vineyards across a wide range of growing regions. That work feeds back into how we manage our own vines. It also gives me the chance to trial techniques, some old and largely forgotten, some new and still being tested.
The vineyard is predominantly Grenache Noir, with a small amount of Mataro and Tinta Caída. There are four plantings:
- 2019 (1.15ha)
- 1995 (0.72ha)
- ca. 1900 (4.04ha), very old vines (read more here)
- 2023 (one row of Shiraz, now grafted to Palomino and Canocazo from Stonegarden)
The old vines are weather-beaten and gnarled. Their age shows in both growth rate and rate of decay. With a PhD in vine age and years working in old vine vineyards, I can say confidently these vines are easily more than double my own age. Getting to an exact number is ongoing. We're still working through local archival records to narrow it down.
All vines are pruned and trained as bush vines, the traditional method in the Barossa Valley and in Mediterranean Europe, where Grenache originates. This training gives the canopy maximum light exposure while still sheltering the fruit underneath. That balance is managed carefully each season. Enough dappled light on bunches and buds for fruitfulness, enough protection to prevent burn or rushed ripening in summer heat. Short pruning also restricts yield and limits the spread of wood disease, since no cuts are made into old wood.
Around the world, the oldest surviving vines are almost always short-pruned bush vines. It's the least damaging training system for long-term vine structure, and continuing that labour-intensive approach here is how we expect these vines to keep producing balanced, healthy crops for decades to come.
Technical Specs:
Soil
Deep aeolian sands over yellow-red clay define the vineyard. The surface sands are free draining, well aerated and naturally low in nutrient-holding capacity, while the underlying clay acts as a seasonal water reservoir. This combination promotes extensive root exploration, moderate vigour and consistent ripening under warm Barossa conditions. Building soil organic matter and biological activity has been a long-term focus to improve nutrient cycling and resilience without changing the inherent character of the site.
Vine Training
All vines on Vinya Vella are trained as bush vines, from the young vines to the old vines spur pruning is practiced.
Grenache is an upright variety which lends itself to this style, the bush structure shades the soil and protects the fruit.
Bush vine training and short pruning prevents large pruning cuts and allows vines to grow large and to very old ages compared to many other vine training systems.
Varieties
Site:
99% Own rooted Grenache.
Very old vines:
Right now the site is "heritage clone" Grenache, this means we don't really know much other than it's pre-phylloxera and very old. As with many old sites this would be a mass selection and therefore polyclonal.
Several unknown vines within the old vines have been DNA tested, this revealed they are a lost Spanish variety called Tinta Caida or Parrelata.
Young vines (30 and 4 year old):
These were propagated from cuttings selected from the strongest old vines within our own vineyard.
Watch this space.
Weed Control
Competition for nutrients and moisture are controlled under the vines with a mechanical knife and by hand. The soil is so sandy that it virtually has no structure, knifing allows us to cut under the growing weeds disturbing their roots so they then dry in the sun.
The mid row is managed with a combination of annual and perennial cover crops. The fine sand has a tendency to blow away so keeping cover while not traditional in this area is preferred.
The mid row is mown with a flail mower to retain stubble during summer to hold the soil and prevent erosion. This mower keeps the organic matter in the mid row for recycling and not under the old vines.
Water
Establishing vines in sand without water is difficult to near impossible in the current environment. In young vines water is applied to guide the roots down into the clay. Once they are established minimal water is required.
The old vines have irrigation tubes also, we have space for 3600 vines but approx 500 vines are missing or dead. Interplant competition is so strong in old vineyards and the sand is so deep that some water is required for the young vines to survive the early years. This tube is laying on the ground as it is not considered permanent infrastructure. It will be removed at a later date. As we improve the soil health and vine health water can be applied at key times to top-up the natural rainfall, such as in early spring or mid summer. Grenache is a very strong variety and water wise so it has not been reliant on irrigation in the past.
Longer Reads:
The lead-up to vintage 2023
Here is a nerdy pre-vintage ramble about the Barossa Valley growing season as we waited for the grapes to ripen.
February 2023 - A Viticultural Season to Remember
Vine Vale
Vine Vale is a small area in the eastern section of the Barossa Valley, characterised predominantly by sandy soils and cooling winds from the more elevated Eden Valley. The name Vine Vale is likely linked to its long serving suitability to grape ‘vine’ production since the early 1800’s.
A longer read on the climate, soil and history of Vine Vale.
Winemaking: The Hard Work is Done in the Vineyard
When it comes to winemaking for the Vinya Vella old vine Grenache the approach is simple, catch the fruit as it ripens to make a bright, elegant, lifted and medium bodied wine with texture and clarity.
Vine Age: Vine Vale is Old, Vinya Vella is Very Old
Grenache is a Jewel, Old Vine Grenache is a Rare Jewel.
Vintage conditions 2022
Some greater detail behind the vintage that shaped the 2022 wine
