Kuitpo Vineyard , Adelaide Hills

Viticulturist, Geoff Hardy.

Set up in 1987 to provide a cool climate alternative to McLaren Vale, Kuitpo vineyard is located in the southern Mount lofty ranges of the Adelaide Hills. Cooler, wetter and with a heat summation similar to areas of the Napa, Sonoma or Bordeaux, Kuitpo's average January temperature is only 19.8 deg C, as compared to that of McLaren Vale's, which is 21.7 C. This appears to be a small difference, but proves significant in grape ripening terms.
Vines are on old podzolic soils over an ironstone gravel base, and are narrow planted mainly to a vertical shoot positioned trellis, though more recently a ‘ballerine' trellis has been used. Early plantings were to 2.5 metre x 1.5 metre rows, but more recent set up involves trellising vines to a double cordon for canopy ventilation and light penetration.
Mr Riggs uses Viognier from the Kuitpo vineyard. Viticulturist Geoff forms part of the sixth generation of the well-known Australian Hardy wine family.

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