The Vineyard...

...and moving towards organics

Planting started in 1993 with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc on the upper terrace of the vineyard in the deeper soils of the block 20-50cm cm to gravel From 2000-01 additional blocks were planted of the same varieties on the land nearer the edge of the terrace in the shallower soils < 30 cm to gravel.  Differences in the two soils, clone selection and vine age give slight variations in fruit flavors allowing us to produce truly complex single vineyard wines.   

As from the winter of 2011 Alana Estate started a 3year conversion from a conventional form of viticulture to a system of biological management (organics) that focuses on soil health, through the monitoring of soil, vine and in the vineyard on chemical, physical and biological properties.

The philosophy behind this system is that healthy soils will produce healthy vines more resistant to diseases and insect pressures. In turn healthy soils will also be devoid of board leaf weed species such as mallow, fat hen, and nightshade for more manageable, less invasive and less competitive grass types.

To succeed under this system several things must occur and are not limited to;

• Regular soil and vine testing
• The planting of inter-row cover crops, which can be mown to inter-row or side thrown to under vine. 
• Annual applications of compost derived from our own winery and vineyard waste.
• Soil drenches and foliar sprays (teas)consisting of broad spectrum biological fertilizers containing minerals and trace elements along with plant elicitors and biology foods such as Fulvic and Humic acids.
• Vine monitoring as an indicator for foliar applications.
• Vineyard monitoring for ecosystems services and disease pressure to explore soft/biological alternatives.