What do you get when you combine a Mediterranean climate, plenty of sunshine, fertile red soil, the longest single river in Australia, and 300 hectares of vines surrounded by natural vegetation? Prime grape growing conditions. The Riverland is an arid part of the world but our vines and the surrounding native vegetation receive a lot of TLC (that’s tender loving care). The vines are split into 150 two-hectare blocks so that each one can be treated as an individual ecosystem. That means our team can make sure the varieties, grapes and the land below is treated individually, ensuring healthier fruit, greater harvesting flexibility and ultimately more flavour in your glass.
The ‘small scale’ approach continues in the winery with methods usually reserved for boutique winemaking. These include wild fermentation with yeasts native to the vineyard and blending with barrel-aged wines. Minimal handling of the juice also means less chance for error or contamination, so the fruit is processed gently yet quickly. Thinking small does make a lot more work for us, but we take pride in working hard to craft great wine.
At its core, the Riverland’s appeal is its sense of place and community. That’s why locals and the Oxford Landing family are proud to call it home. Warm, fuzzy community vibes are everywhere; at the local football club on weekends, in the playground at the local school, in the banter over a beer at the local pub, in the friendly flick of a finger as you drive along dusty rural roads, and in the waves from passengers as boats make their way down the river.
Wyndy saw the Riverland through the imaginative eyes of an artist. He saw the life the land could provide for his family and for the community around him. He rallied like-minded people and provided them with much-needed employment, and instilled in them a passion for making great wine.
The feeling of comradery here is really quite special and it permeates everything we do. The sense of pride is also gloriously contagious. We genuinely love this place and regularly gather at our picturesque riverside pump house (for one of our famous barbecues) to share stories of comradery, history and our hopes for the future. This is home. We wouldn’t be anywhere else.
Where are you?