Marius

Region: Southern Fleurieu
Proprieter: Roger Pike
Established: 2003
Address:
Edwards Road
Willunga
South Australia, 5172

Marius produces very hand-crafted wines. All fruit is hand-picked and this is done sequentially over approximately three weeks to ensure that all the grapes are as near as possible to 'perfect' when picked. Mid-rows are not cultivated or tilled, the natural grasses and weeds are slashed, no pesticides are used and their worm population is growing rapidly. The spray programme is only low-level fungicides at high-risk periods for powdery and downy mildew as they are blessed with good air circulation through the vineyard.

The Marius vineyard is situated on rising ground to the south-east of McLaren Vale township at an elevation of 170 metres above sea-level. It is ideally positioned to take advantage of both the maritime climatic influence and the cooling gully breezes on summer evenings. The vineyard is small, being only four and a half acres of Shiraz.

The soils range from clay through ironstone and limestone to alluvial gravels. The philosophy at Marius is to grow flavour and produce powerful wines. This is achieved by all their vineyard practices combining to produce low yields of small bunches of flavoursome small berries with a high skin to juice ratio.