Cricket Block Vineyard

Cricket Block Vineyard

As the township of Tanunda grew, so did the historic Château Tanunda estate, with these vineyards planted in the 1920s. This vineyard is home to some of the oldest continually producing Riesling vines anywhere in Australia.

Sustainable winegrowing

Drip Irrigation: All sites are drip irrigated which provides us with the most control over water management. Each vine has its own dripper, targeting the base of the vine to ensure minimal wastage. We have soil moisture probes in our vineyards measuring moisture content so we are only watering when the vines need it.

Conscious Spraying: Our growing period sees minimal interference with foliage control. We only apply minimal fungicide sprays (less than 10 applications per season) and keep our pesticide use to an absolute minimum.

Soil Testing: We conduct regular soil tests to uncover exactly what our sites are in need of and distribute those specifics accordingly, ensuring no wastage and unlocking full block potential. We are doing this not only in younger vineyards but in the rejuvenation of old vineyards that are 50, 100, and 150 years of age.

Cover Crops: During our dormant period, all our vines are hand pruned. The cane prunings are mulched back into every other mid-row, while the opposite mid-rows are cultivated with clover, barley, vetch and the like. This adds structure, prevents erosion, delivers nitrogen and attracts beneficial insects.

Our Winemaking

Our Family