Cobaw Ridge Philosophy

Our wine being allowed to express the season in which it was grown, 100% estate grown made and bottled.

Our commitment to quality in all aspects of vine management and wine making. All vineyard operations performed by the vignerons. Great wine is made in the vineyard, not the winery. Utilising the natural balance of our vines, most more than 20 years of age.

As of season 2007, we have embarked on the process of full certified registration of organic status with NASAA. As of the 27th of May 2008 Cobaw Ridge Vineyard and Winemaking process with certified organic grapes, is certified 'In Conversion to Organic' by the National Association for Sustainable Agriculture Australia. (NASAA Registration No:3678). Visit the News and events Page. Winter 2008 Update

No cultivation mid row, maintaining the natural grasses by slashing and giving back organic material to the soil.

The vines are rigorously hand-pruned to reduce crop level to ensure quality. Vertically trained and hand- canopy managed to enhance fruit exposure to the sun and wind so as to reduce diseases and to promote better riper fruit without vegetative flavours. All vines are netted against birds to ensure fruit is in pristine condition.

Hand-picked to respect the integrity of the grape.

Drip irrigation used to water the vines, only used just to maintain soil moisture, depending on rainfall. Enough to maintain the canopy to ensure ripening.

Cobaw Ridge Winemaking Philosophy

Low cropped mature vines utilized. Fruit treated with respect, soft destemming, and membrane pressed, so to ensure full ripe tannins not harsh extractive or over worked. Hand plunged to softly extract maximum colour and flavours.

Small open fermenters used to gain maximum complexity between vats.

Cultured yeast used to ensure consistency in quality of the wine. We have resisted wild fermentation. (It may be trendy to go natural but we have seen too many sick and sorry wines dressed up as feral.) The wine allowed to go through full natural malo lactic fermentation in oak the summer following vintage, which produces a fuller softer effect.

All wine matures in barriques for 12 to 18 months, with the introduction of 25 to 30% new barriques each year. Not too much new oak so as to let terrior speak and not the barrel.

With minimal handling pre bottling. The red wine is neither fined nor filtered prior to bottling so as to retain as much body and balance as possible. No acid additions are usually required nor anti oxidants added; just low levels of sulphur dioxide at point of bottling.

All this goes back to good cool climate winemaking. Every thing is done so as to promote and preserve the full integrity of our unique vineyards terrior.