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Rudi’s vision to find a unique and picturesque site is realised with the planting of the first commercial vines on
Bendigo Station at Bendigo Loop Road in 1998.
Our principal Bendigo Estate Vineyard occupies a 15-hectare north-facing slope, where dry clay soils are threaded with fine gravel and quartz. The vines are planted at densities of between 3,500 and 5,000 vines per hectare, encouraging competition between the roots and helping us grow fruit with concentration, structure and a clear expression of the site.
Beside it lies our gently north-facing 15-hectare Loop Road Vineyard. Its Waenga fine sandy loam and shallower Molyneux sandy loam soils provide a different growing environment within the estate. Here, we grow Pinot Noir—clones 10/5, 5, 115, 667 and 777 and Chardonnay clones B95 and 15 for our Méthode Traditionnelle sparkling wines.
We also grow Pinot Gris, including clones GM 2-15 and Selection Ovaille, at approximately 3,800 vines per hectare for our dry, textural estate wine.
Together, the two vineyards give us 30 hectares of Bendigo fruit and the ability to explore how different soils, slopes, varieties and vine densities reveal themselves in the glass.
We began converting our Bendigo vineyard to biodynamic farming in 2007 and achieved full Demeter certification in 2011, following four years of independent inspections, audits and changes to the way we managed the estate. Our winery is also certified organic by BioGro.
Biodynamics asks us to consider the vineyard as one living system rather than a collection of individual vines. We build soil health through composts and preparations, encourage biodiversity and pay close attention to the relationships between the soil, plants, animals, weather and changing seasons.
For us, certification provides important independent accountability, but the real purpose is found in the vineyard: healthier soils, resilient vines and fruit that arrives at the winery in natural balance. It is an ongoing commitment to farming responsibly, understanding our land more deeply and leaving the estate stronger than we found it.
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