Moorilla Vineyards

Moorilla Vineyard

The Moorilla vineyard is located in Berriedale, north of Hobart in Tasmania, at 42.8° south. Claudio Alcorso planted the first Riesling vines here in 1958 on what was known as "Frying Pan Island", a small peninsula that juts into the Derwent River. Additional plantings of Pinot noir and Gewürztraminer followed soon after.

Today, our vineyard extends over 3.5 hectares. It is a very complex and beautiful site that starts at only one metre above sea level and rises up to 20 metres with the sandstone bedrock. Upon the rock is a thin layer of clay over a metre thick layer of siltstone and shale.

Depending on the location, we have some blocks with only centimetres of this clay topsoil and others with nearly half a metre. These shallow soils combined with our location in Australia's second driest capital mean that we have a naturally low-yielding vineyard. Yields vary between varieties but a typical year would see us averaging less than five tonnes per hectare (two tonnes per acre). This closely compares to some of the low-yielding appellations of Burgundy.

Due to our proximity to the ocean, we see steady and nearly constant breezes along the Derwent River. These are very beneficial and act to prevent both frosts and fungal diseases. They also tend to keep the vines cool and help facilitate a long ripening process and the development of flavours.

In comparing our two vineyards, we tend to see the wines made from the Moorilla vineyard to be less fruity and more complex. The wines show a range in flavours and aromas such as spices mixed with fruit and floral characters. They also tend to have a lighter tannin structure and a firmer acidity compared to our warmer vineyard in the Tamar Valley.

Moorilla's St. Matthias Vineyard

Our St Matthias vineyard is on the Tamar River, 15 kilometres north of Launceston in Rosevears, Tasmania at 41° south. Named after the St Matthias Church (circa 1842) at nearby Windermere, this too is a very complex vineyard site. Soils are much more fertile here: they are clay-based with areas of sand and gravel on the 16 hectare property. The vineyard carries a gentle slope up from the west bank of the River. The combination of slope and water proximity provides an excellent natural frost protection.

Consistent breezes ensure long and cool ripening conditions. Compared to the Moorilla Derwent River vineyard the wines show more fruity flavours and aromas. They can be both racy and mineral yet retain the vital delicate nature and high acidity that are the trademarks of cool climate wines. It suits the production of Riesling, Pinot gris, Sauvignon blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot noir, Cabernets, Merlot and Shiraz.

As autumn progresses, we tend to see morning fogs with afternoon sun and breeze creating the ideal environment for the growth of the noble rot, Botrytis cinerea.

Combined, we see the St. Matthias vineyard as a major component in making Moorilla wines. It gives us the flexibility to make intense sparkling and white wines, full-bodied reds and gives us the ability to produce naturally sweetened dessert wines.