guichen bay vineyards

 

"Guichen Bay Vineyards" were planted in 1998 in 34 hectares of undulating terra rossa soil

                                                    close to the shoreline of the bay from which it takes its name.

                  Entrance to the Vineyards and (right) a view of the shiraz blocks at the north eastern boundary of the Vineyards.

The Vineyards have a planted area of 34.0 hectares in a total of 42.4 hectares of freehold land. There are nine allotments each having a planted area of 3.8 hectares plus a tenth allotment containing the Community Corporation’s assets.

 

The freehold lots run east - west while the rows are planted north - south. Lots 1 to 4 are planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay while Lots 5 to 9 are planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc.

The two blocks of shiraz.

Varieties planted in the Vineyards:

Cabernet Sauvignon – 8.8 hectares (26%);

Shiraz – 6.6 hectares (19%);                                                                 

Merlot – 6.0 hectares (18%);

Chardonnay – 6.0 hectares (18%);

Sauvignon Blanc – 6.6 hectares (19%).

The plan above illustrates the layout of the Vineyards and the variety planted in each irrigation block.

One of the soil moisture monitors installed in a block of shiraz.                                A block of merlot and the revegetation area.

Infrastructure

Irrigation is from a single bore. Water is extracted by a Lister LPW4 diesel powered pump. Depth to water 6 metres, flow rate was tested at 45 litres per second (36,000 gallons per hour ) from 15 metres, and salinity measured at 396 Ml per litre. The vineyard is divided into 11 irrigation blocks. There is one soil moisture monitor in the Vineyard. Irrigation shifts are operated by an automated timing system and there is a fertigation system to supply liquid fertilizer through the irrigation system.

Power is supplied by a wind generated system with a petrol powered back up generator.

Shedding – multi purpose shed 15 metres by 8 metres providing Vineyard Manager’s office

and kitchen / dining facilities, toilet and shower facilities, vehicle, machinery and equipment storage. At the bore there is a chemical storage shed and mixing / loading / wash down facility.

Shown above is the bore pump shed, chemical storage shed, loading and wash down facility.

The tank shown above is used to insert liquid fertiliser (urea) into the irrigation system - fertigation.

Windbreaks

Windbreaks were planted in 1996 and 1998. Radiata Pines were planted along the western and southern perimeters in 1996. Casuarina Verticallata (sheoak), Eucalyptus Globulus (Tasmanian Bluegum) and Eucalyptus Occidentalis (flat topped yate) were planted as tube stock in 1998 along the western, northern and southern perimeters, in central windbreaks and between the irrigation blocks.

Shown below is one of the cabernet blocks and the southern windbreak of radiata pine which was planted in 1998.

Shown below is part of the central windbreak which is oriented north / south and comprises three lines of tasmanian bluegum,

flat topped yate and casaurina. One of the two blocks of merlot is in the foreground.

Shown above are the two blocks of shiraz separated by lines of casuarinas. The treeline of tasmanian blue gums and casuarinas

on the right is planted east / west.

Revegetation

Six mature native sheoaks (Casuarina Verticallata) were retained in an area of approximately one acre of land adjacent to the Main Shed which has been dedicated as a revegetation area. The area was planted with a variety of other native species in 1998 in accordance with a revegetation plan. The plantings were in the form of tube stock grown from seeds harvested by Reedy Creek Nursery from trees growing naturally within 5 kilometres of the Vineyard.

Some of the retained trees and new plantings are shown below.

                               merlot in April just before harvest                                                       shiraz in budburst early in the season

Grafting new varieties  

In response to changing demand from consumers and wineries, a block of 3 hectares of cabernet sauvignon in "Guichen Bay Vineyards" was successfully grafted over to sauvignon blanc in 2005. With the oversight of Scholefield Robinson HS' viticulturists and the Vineyard Manager, the old cordon of the cabernet was cut off and removed from the cordon wire and two buds of sauvignon blanc scion were grafted to each cabernet trunk in November 2005. In 2007 a partial crop of sauvignon blanc was picked and in 2008 a full crop was achieved.

     buds from the sauvignon blanc scion                      inserting the buds into their notch in the cabernet trunk and taping them into place.                                                      

             the sauvignon blanc scions successfully growing on their host cabernet sauvignon trunk

Grape Purchase

Until 2008 vintage the fruit was contracted to Kingston Estate Wines at the market price for the “Limestone Coast – Other" Region as published for each vintage by the Phylloxera and Grape Industry Board with discounts and bonuses for quality. Since then the fruit has been sold on the spot market.

Development of the Vineyards in 1998:

"Guichen Bay Vineyards" were developed and planted in 1998 on a 42 hectare block which was originally part of a mixed farming enterprise operated by Mount Benson farmers Bob and Jeanette Emery. Prior to 1998 the land was sown to a variety of crops and ran sheep.

Prior to development, 42 inspection pits were dug across the block to expose the soil profile and the profiles were appraised by Primary Industries SA. The soil type is brown to red/brown sands overlying limestone.

October 1997 - The Vineyards are located over an acquifer which is recharged by a reliable annual rainfall of 600ml which mostly falls in winter. The bore to supply irrigation to the vines and windbreak trees through dripper lines was sunk and cased to a depth of 15 metres. The standing water level is at 6 metres and the capacity of the bore was tested at 36,000 gallons per hour from 14 metres. The salinity level tested at 396 ml per litre at 10 metres.

February 1998 - the site was surveyed and the freehold lots and planting rows marked out together with the internal roads and revegetation area. A grove of casuarinas was preserved in 0.4 hectares set aside for revegetation. This area was subsequently planted with a variety of trees and shrubs native to Mount Benson and the grown from seeds gathered within 5 kilometres of the site.

May 1998 - shown below, planting rows for the northern block of cabernet are ripped to one metre depth.

                      The radiata pinetrees in the foreground were planted in 1996.

'lj'l

The "winged keel"- the tine is designed to shatter the limestone to a depth of

one metre and is fitted with a flangethat opens wide the ripline to allow

the soil and subsequently the organic material (eg pig manure)

to permeate the broken stone.

.

The outrigger on the D10 is a laser guidance system which ensures the riplines are straight and parallel.

 

Above - the "D10" having a drink.

Below - constructing the road access from Wrights Bay Road to

                                       "Guichen Bay Vineyards" and "Wrights Bay Vineyards"

in May 1998.

 

 

May 1998 below -  organic material is spread in the riplines to give the rootlings the best possible start after planting.

                                Shown here loading the manure into the spreader.The prepared area is the pad for the administration shed with

                                the site of the bore and irrigation pump in the background.

June 1998 below -                                                      the site after ripping - rolled, crushed and leveled.

September 1998 below - installing the trellis posts.

September 1998 below - laying the irrigation mains,                                                         flushing the irrigation pump.

November 1998 - 70,000 rootlings were grown out in Wehl's nursery block at

                              Mount Benson to supply 62,000 vines for planting in spring 1998

November 1998 - rye grass planted in the mid rows reach a metre in height

                             to give the young rootlings shelter from the wind while they establish themselves.

 

May 1999 below - the young vines (merlot) planted in November 1998 are allowed to sprawl

                               while they establish their root system. The radiata pines were planted along

                               the southern boundary of the Vineyards in July 1996.

 

November / December 1999 below - the one year old vines have been trained to the cordon wire.

                                                            Over the summer they will each have two canes trained along the wire.

                                                            The casuarina verticallata (she oaks) were planted in between the irrigation blocks

                                                            in October 1998. The hessian cloth is secured to every fifth row of trellis to provide

                                                            a windbreak while the treelines and rootlings establish.              

                                                                                                               

                                                                                                                          

December 1999                                        Above -young shiraz in Block 6, trained to the cordon wire.

                                                                  Each winter the rye corn cover crop is resown in the midrows.

                                                                  A strip of hessian cloth is secured to every fifth trellis to

                                                                  provide an additional windbreak shelter for the young vines.

                                  

                                                                  Below - running out the foliage lifting wires on the trellis.