Region: Adelaide Hills
Proprieter: Mark Joyce and Andrew Pike
Established: 1998
The vineyard site, which was previously apple and pear orchards, is characterized by steep North and East facing slopes and possesses fantastic gravelly clay and loam soils which are ideally suited to the classic cool climate varieties that have been planted – Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The vineyard is all hand pruned and handpicked with the fruit being chilled overnight in the Joyce cool rooms, before being transported to Pike’s Clare Valley winery for vinification.
For the aficionados, here are the viticulture details:
Hectares/Acres: 25 ha (60 acres) planted in the period from 1998 - 2001.
Climate: Lenswood represents a true ‘cool climate’ Australian wine region. Average rainfall is approximately 800mm-1000mm (32-40 inches). The steep sloping terrain virtually eliminates the risk of frost.
Soils: Gravelly, clay loam soils that drain extremely well.
Orientation: Steep north and east facing slopes predominate.
Vineyard Specifications: 2.5m vine spacing. Trellis is treated pine posts 1.8m high with single cordon wire at 1m with two moveable foliage wires for vertical shoot positioning.
Irrigation Levels: Entire vineyard fitted with drip irrigation system. Irrigate only when necessary i.e. to keep vines functioning at their optimum levels to produce quality grapes.
Pruning: Hand spur pruning only, leaving an average of 30-40 buds/vine. Crop levels are on average 5-10T/ha (2-4 tonnes/acre). Grapes are hand harvested, chilled and transported to Pikes winery in the Clare Valley for vinification.