As winemakers we discern the subtle changes of vineyard performance for yield, power, ripeness, structure and flavour spectrum. We exert our first influence over the vintage with our canopy technique.
Our vineyard was planted upon an orchard in 1982. The varieties remaining from that era are our 17 Rows of Pinot Noir and the Chardonnay and Riesling that are Pobblebonk. We planted Friulano, Pinot Grigio, Moscato Giallo and, more recently, Malvasia Istriana.
The entire vineyard is located on a gentle north-facing slope. The soils are shallow loams over sticky clay. We focus on organic matter incorporation to assist the soils capacity.
Even so, the soil dries out earlier than Red Hill forcing the vines to mature in the warmer autumn months.
Of interest, the whites are delicate and acid whilst the Pinot Noir is heavy and brooding.
The Italian varietals for Quealy are Friulano, Moscato Giallo and Sangiovese. They require a different approach because they are more fruitful and heavy-fruited than Pinots. We use spur pruning to reduce yield, and keep the shoots upright and with a hand width space between each spur. This prevents their fat, heavy bunches touching or shading each other. These varieties ripen later, so we wait with hope for an Indian Summer to dry the soil and cause the vine canopies to senesce their lower leaves, wholly revealing the grapes to ripen in the sun.
