At Henley Ridge in The Bellarine wine-growing region, we make wine with mind and heart.
We minimise intervention to allow the fruit, the terroir, and the season to express themselves naturally.
Maintaining a micro vineyard must be a passion and we hope to share part of this experience. Our approach reflects a traditional, hands-on style that honours the vine, the season and the fruit’s natural character.
From budburst to vintage, the vineyard is carefully maintained. The wires are gently lifted to train the growing shoots, the side growths are removed and almost weekly the shoot growths are tucked in. They’re protected against pests and disease and, as the grapes reach full size and colour, their sugar levels are tested regularly to determine the perfect vintage time.
Vintage is a true hands-on tradition.
Family and friends arrive in the early morning and work their way down the rows, cutting each bunch by hand. The grapes are collected in buckets, loaded into a nally bin, and taken into the winery. Once the picking is complete, the morning’s work is celebrated with a hearty BBQ.
For our small batch reds, the selected grape bunches are de-stemmed and gently crushed before fermenting in open vats.
The must is plunged twice daily with a stainless-steel paddle to bring out the natural colour and character of the variety.
After primary fermentation, the must undergoes malolactic fermentation, is pressed to collect the free-run juice and is aged in French oak barrels for a minimum of nine months.
For our white varietals, the bunches go directly into the press, minimising contact of juice with air. The free run juice is fermented in stainless steel tanks, then clarified, siphoned from lees and allowed to settle for up to four months..
Bottling is completed on site using nitrogen primed bottles to maintain purity and freshness. Finally our wines are labelled and packed.
Our Blends
(season dependent)
Shiraz/Merlot
Merlot/Shiraz
Our Varietals
Shiraz
Merlot
Pinot Gris
Sauvignon Blanc
