The general principle of ‘Pride of Place’, refers to the pride and respect for the role played by the ‘place’ in which the Hollick vineyards are grown, the natural characteristics imparted by the vineyard situation, and the influences which our management practices make to the final product. Three premium vineyard sites give Hollick a diversity of some of the best fruit grown in the Coonawarra and Wrattonbully wine regions.
Limestone Coast G.I.
Coonawarra and Wrattonbully are part of the greater Limestone Coast Region Geographical Indication (GI).
This is an area of unique characteristics which are a result of the entire region being submerged under the sea for over 25 million years, during which time marine crustaceans and shells on the sea floor formed limestone reefs. Approximately one million years ago the region began rising out of the sea and during periods of glaciation over time the sea receded. In its wake, it left fourteen stranded coastlines or ranges between the Naracoorte range and the current coastline. Wind-blown organic material accumulated on top of these limestone reefs and formed the famous terra rossa soils found particularly in the Coonawarra and Wrattonbully wine regions.
Wrattonbully
Situated north of Coonawarra and south of the Padthaway region, Wrattonbully lies in the rolling hills of the Naracoorte ranges.
The climate is marginally warmer than Coonawarra, facilitating grapes to ripen, on average, two weeks earlier. With similar soil profiles to Coonawarra, this temperate region is well suited to the production of premium wines.
Red Ridge Vineyard
The Hollick “Red Ridge” Wrattonbully vineyard is located near the town of Naracoorte in the GI of Wrattonbully, which is approximately 50kms north of Hollick's Coonawarra winery. The vineyard features similar soils to Coonawarra with shallow terra rossa over limestone; at the top of the ridges, the terra rossa is the shallowest which is where Hollick sources some of its most intensely flavoured fruit. When developing this site, Ian Hollick was adamant that the climate would be ideally suited to Shiraz and with this belief planted 20 hectares of this variety in 1998. This belief has paid off, with the Hollick Wrattonbully Shiraz consistently achieving high scores in tastings and reviews. In 2000, a further 4 hectares of Cabernet Sauvignon and a hectare each of Tempranillo and Sangiovese was planted on this site, and these plantings now form the basis of wines in Hollicks “Pushing the Boundaries” range.
Coonawarra
Coonawarra's terra rossa soil is some of the most famous soil in the world. Its dark red clay over limestone provides excellent drainage and the right balance of nutrients, the ideal medium for vine growth and production of high-quality fruit.
The climate of Coonawarra is markedly influenced by proximity to the coast, often creating morning cloud cover, which has a profound effect on sunshine hours and hence, fruit development. This moderating effect provides optimum conditions for ripening – long and slow – allowing maximum flavour accumulation and development of fine tannins. Since the renaissance of Coonawarra in the 1950s, the region has produced many classic red wines, mainly based on Cabernet Sauvignon. Coonawarra has become synonymous with this grape variety and is recognised and admired world-wide as a leading area for the production of premium quality table wines. The long and cool ripening season also produces white wines of distinction, particularly from Riesling, Chardonnay and more recently Sauvignon Blanc. In the vineyard, the Hollick Team utilises a blend of traditional methods and modern technology, which are employed to achieve balance in the wine, and consistency of style in the market place.
Neilson's Block
This 12-hectare vineyard was one of the original John Riddoch selections in Coonawarra, and prior to the commencement of planting in 1975, was a dairy farm. The vineyard is largely planted to Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with a small area planted to Pinot Noir. Consistently producing exemplary fruit, much of its production is generally earmarked for inclusion in the Ravenswood Cabernet Sauvignon and Neilson's Block Merlot wines. Extensive canopy renovation of the original 1975 Cabernet Sauvignon plantings was commenced in 2002.
Wilgha Vineyard
The 80 plus hectare Wilgha property was purchased by Ian and Wendy Hollick in 1987. The property featured established, dry grown Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz vineyards with the Shiraz today forming the backbone of the Wilgha Shiraz. The vineyard was developed steadily with the bulk of the planting occurring in 1993 and 1994. The total area under vine is 45 hectares today. The vineyard also features the "Italian Block" where varieties such as Sangiovese, Barbera, and Nebbiolo have been trialled for their suitability in Coonawarra.
Environment
Hollick Estates recognises that its business has an impact on the environment.
As such, Hollick is committed to ensuring that we continually measure and evaluate our current practices and adopt the best policies to minimise our carbon footprint wherever possible. Hollick is signed up to the Wine Industry Sector Agreement for Carbon Emissions Calculation and Reductions and has worked with EBS Climate to provide a picture of our current Carbon Emissions and recommend ways to reduces these. Three main targets have been set out, based around the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and increasing the proportion of renewable energy generated and consumed in South Australia
Examples of this practice include/ but are not limited to:
- Reduction in waste & energy
- Minimisation of water use both in the winery and for irrigation - includes water harvesting from winery buildings and drip irrigation use.
- Installation of energy efficient light bulbs
- Involvement of staff in environmental and sustainable practices
- Recycling programs including glass, plastics, paper & cardboard, cooking oil, corks
- Working with suppliers that practice environmental responsibility
- Disposing of chemicals and raw materials responsibly
- Trial organic viticulture principles and planting of companion crops in vineyard row centres.
