A small but successful family owned vineyard on Tasmania’s lower East coast, Cape Bernier Vineyard, has won the 2010 Tasmanian Vineyard of the Year, conducted by the Royal Agricultural Society of Tasmania (RAST).
Cape Bernier Vineyard overlooks Marion Bay. It’s surrounded by properties involved in traditional grazing uses. Some 15,000 vines are managed on just 4ha. Pinot Noir is the predominant grape under cultivation, but the vineyard also produces chardonnay and pinot gris.
“Because we’re located at the southern, cooler end of the East Coast, our growing and harvesting season is later than other parts of the State. Typically we’re about two weeks later than the Coal River Valley, and while we’re looking at harvesting our chardonnay grapes next week, most other vineyards in Tasmania have already done so.”
Alastair says the key to good viticulture on his vineyard is understanding his land, and what it can deliver within the context of location and climate. “We want to work with our ‘terroir’ and produce fruit and hence wine which displays these characteristics. Pinot Gris thrives here, but each variety requires different canopy management. Some like the shade of the leaves, and others prefer more direct sun, and as a result we can be leaf plucking some parts of the vineyard in January, but leaving others untouched.”
The Richard Langdon Trophy will be awarded to the Vineyard Owner & Manager, Alastair Christie, at a field day for industry representatives to be held at Cape Bernier Vineyard on Thursday May 20 2010.
An East Coast property which switched from sheep farming to vine growing in 1998 was named the 2009 Tasmanian Vineyard of the Year.
Kelvedon Estate, which was first farmed in 1829, now produces Chardonnay and Pinot for Hardy’s (Constellation) Bay of Fires label, as well as Pinot and Sauvignon Blanc for its own label, Kelvedon Estate.
Entries were judged on a number of criteria, including soil management, weed control, disease control, pruning, forming of the vine, trellising, and water management.
The annual Vineyard of the Year Award is an initiative of the Royal Agricultural Society of Tasmania, in partnership with DPIW and Wine Industry Tasmania. It focuses on viticulture management as the single most important element in producing great wines.
As part of the Award, the owner and vineyard manager Julian Cotton will host a field day for other vineyard professionals and industry representatives so that the winning vineyard can share its viticulture methods. The field day will be held at Kelvedon Estate on May 21 2009.