Ridgeline Wines - grown and produced by hand in the Yarra Valley
Ridgeline wines are produced only from low cropping, single vineyard, non- irrigated vines. The grapes are hand-picked in order that the fruit can arrive at the winery in perfect condition and all vineyard operations are carried out in such a way as to to ensure that the grapes produced clearly express the style of the site. Once in the winery, minimal intervention is employed. The use of gravity instead of pumps and manual working of the fermenting must rather than mechanical methods result in wines which express their own varietal attributes. Fermentation combines wild yeast and cultured yeast to allow for maximum expression of vineyard characteristics.The process is in a word gentle, and combined with an enthusastic attention to detail, Ridgeline is able to produce wines of balance and integrity.
Ridgeline began by producing a Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot and Shiraz in 2002, and added a Rose in 2003 and a Pinot White in 2004.
Ridgeline wines can be purchased in Australia directly from us via this website, or from a number of retail outlets. Please see the 'Finding The Wines' page. If you would like to be added to our mailing list, which will enable you to receive notification of all new releases, new outlets serving Ridgeline wines and opportunities for visiting the winery, please let us know via the 'Contact' page.
If you are interested in wholesale purchases of Ridgeline wines or overseas sales or distribution, please contact us directly.
Vintage Notes
2003 started out warm to hot and continued with dry, warm conditions throughout the growing season. We had good precipitation at the right times, the vines flourished and with long, dry, sunny days and the berries were able achieve lovely flavours. The harvest was conducted in very warm conditions, forcing us to pick early in the mornings to get the fruit to the winery in perfect condition. By the end of harvest the vines were certainly happy to be unloaded of their fruit, and water stress was starting to show up through the vineyard.
2004 started warm and suggested a similiar year to 2003. However we never got the really warm days, instead we had a most remarkable temperate growing season, dry but with adaquate rain falls, beautiful cooling winds and bright sunlight. I don't think I have seen a vineyard appear so heahlty and the
2005 - The end of 2004 finally saw some decent rains, rains much needed for the dry grown vineyard. Soil moisture was replenished to more normal levels, however it proved a difficult year for vineyard work with lots of disease and wet soils. The growing season was vigorous and long, the warmth followed the rain allowing the vines maximum opportunity to ripen a two ton per acre vintage. Vintage started as normal on the 9th of March with the Pinot and finished on the 20th of March with the Shiraz and Cabernet. The pick was conducted in ideal conditions with minimal rain and cooling conditions. A combination of the cool start with rain and warmth provided fantastic full flavored juices, with wines that lack no finesse. The wines have come out beautifully balanced and powerful without compromising subtlety.