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The Terroir |
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The characteristics of a site – its soils, climate, slope and aspect, exposure to the sun and wind, water, even neighbouring vegetation influence the flavours in the grapes and thus the character of the wine.
Our vineyard sits 380 – 400 metres above sea level but below freezing level, for at least most of the growing season! Gibbston Highgate Estate consists of well drained, uncemented gravel and stones overlade with shallow, wind blown loams.
The Gibbston Valley lies in the rain shadow of the mountains giving us warm and dry summers, low rainfall during the growing season, and cool nights, promoting the concentration of flavours in the berries during a prolonged ripening season.
This is the best climate for cultivating cool climate wine varieties, such as the most ancient of the nobles, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, a more modern, couturier version of the variety, and Chardonnay a Burgundy variety of white Pinot Noir named the Queen of the wines. Pinot Noir comprises different cloned materials to encourage complexity and diversity in the wines.
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