The Bridge Vineyard

History – first plantings were in 1998 with Shiraz and Malbec.

The vineyard site was chosen due to its potential and superior site conditions for creating super premium red wines notably Shiraz.

The vineyards advantages enable the property to be operated as a natural entity employing techniques from traditional, organic and bio-dynamic schools of agriculture.

The superior aspects of the vineyard include

• East facing slope
• Deep Cambrian soils
• Elevation ??
• Frost free
• Valley breezes
• Soil minerals

The deep Cambrian soils present a myriad range of minerals that impact on the color flavor and structure of the wines from the vineyard include no irrigation, no synthetic fertilizers ,no herbicides and low cropping levels provides a wine that did not need acid adjustment, enzymes, tannins, fining agents or unnecessary modifications. Its only natural.

Cropping at ¼ ton per acre is economic madness but it is at these levels that the vines are able to ripen their grapes and produce the concentration desired. This is a pre-requisite for full site expression in single vineyard wines.

The philosophy has been created out of 30 years of industry experience and the potential of producing wines that are individual and true.

Vintage 2004

Seasonal Conditions

A classic year unfolded with cool temperatures and rain periods that coincided with the growth cycles of the vineyard. A long dry Autumn allowed perfect maturity and a trouble free harvest.

Harvest and Winemaking

Hand harvesting fruit at the peak of maturity with crushing in the vineyard  (we call it the Blue Sky winery) before a lengthy pre fermentation soaking of the must. Extreme color saturation and flavor development is achieved by this action and from there the fermentation is initiated with part natural fermentation ( from yeast active on the skin of the berry before finishing off to complete dryness with a selected dried yeast. Basket pressed to within an inch of its life and then to a slow cool maturation in oak barriques for 20 months. Hand bottled and bottle aged for 9 months before release.

Tasting Notes.

• Appearance - Bright full color near opaque with purple robe.
• Bouquet - A complex lifted bouquet of raspberry spice and vanilla.
• Palate - A fine palate that is rounded flavorsome and very long
• Cellaring - 10 years

The overall impression of this wine is the youthful state it exhibits in its color, bouquet and flavor. The fruit concentration and acid tannin structure is perfectly natural for cellaring.