How it all started
Kate and Tim visited Tasmania for their first wedding anniversary in 2006 and decided that this was the place for them. Their future was a vineyard somewhere in Tasmania. Life however, doesn’t always go to plan and three children happened, 3 beautiful girls, with twins to boot!
In mid 2014 the newly expanded family of five packed their belongings into a container and left Sydney in pursuit of their dream of a vineyard and the idyllic lifestyle that Tasmania offers. Arriving in Spring 2014 the task began…to find the perfect site for a vineyard, family home and biodynamic farm.
Fast forward to 2017 and land was purchased in the Coal Valley at Tea Tree, located in Southern Tasmania. It came with a northerly aspect, sunshine all day, amazing soils and a relatively steep slope. All ticks in our book.
Though dream to reality is quite a bit different. And where to start, was the question.
We decided it was how we farm. In our garden we have always been organic and we didn’t see any reason to change that ethos. Developing this further we wanted to nurture the soil and choose to farm biodynamically. It’s about respecting the earth that gives us food and about integration and not separation. To that end, eventually it will be a poly-culture farm.
We are planting Shiraz, Pinot Noir, Gamay and Gruner Veltliner close planted on 1.8ha and while these are growing, we have sourced parcels of grapes that speak of the terroir of the Coal Valley. We make our wines with minimal intervention. These grapes have been hand picked, wild yeast inoculated, basket pressed, hand bottled and hand labelled. A real labour of love and a testimony to how we like our wine.
BK (before kids) Kate completed her Bachelor in Wine Marketing, managed a Dan Murphy’s in Sydney, worked in marketing at Australian Liquor Marketers and at Wine Australia, in the role of promoting Australian wine domestically. Tim most recently held the position of General Manager for Pooley Wines and has worked in the past for Negociants Australia, Yalumba, Wirra Wirra, Wineark, BackVintage Wines and Keystone Hospitality.
“What on earth have we done?.”
Philosophy
Treat the earth and yourself well. Leave things in better condition than you found them. Grow vegetables. Source local produce. Drink great wine. Eat great food. Invest time into the things you love. Breath. Meditate. Take time to smell the roses. Look around and smile. Understand that things will be tough sometimes. Know that they will get better. Say hello to a stranger. Say I love you more. Listen to music loud. Dance like it’s the end of the world. Dream big. Step out into the slipstream and see where it takes you. Every mistake proves you’re trying. The only mistake is not giving it a go.