Vineyard
The Were Estate vineyard is located in Wilyabrup, a sub-region in the northern end of the Margaret River wine region. The area, with its gravelly-loam soil and maritime influences, is rapidly gaining international recognition for its exceptional wines. We endeavour to combine innovative viticulture with the skill of our winemaker, Clive Otto, to produce wines with elegance and finesse. The vines are planted on a north-south aspect with VSP trellising and 3.35m row spacing. The vineyard is planted on the remnants of an old horse stud and some have suggested that the fertility of the soil has contributed to the flavour of our grapes...
To the best of our knowledge Were Estate is the only vineyard in the Margaret River wine region to have a sub-surface irrigation system. That is, the irrigation pipes are placed 400mm below the surface of the ground. Having the pipes below the ground means that less water is lost through evaporation and as a result approximately 50% less water is used. Other benefits are reduced weed growth and less damage to the pipes and drippers from machinery and animals.
In the early stages of growth, the vines are irrigated at regular intervals to encourage rapid root growth. Once the vines become established a limited amount of water is applied. This is to curb vigour and to help promote the production of high quality fruit. We have recently introduced geese to control the snails and are looking to introduce guinea fowl to help control weevils which can devastate the vineyard in early spring. Every step is being taken to reduce the use of chemical sprays, to use mulch for weed control and to take a more 'organic' approach to the management of the vineyard. We are conducting experiments with canopy management to find ways to maximise fruit ripeness, airflow and the amount of dappled light penetrating the fruit, particularly the red grapes. We are also conducting several trials to investigate the effects of pruning techniques on fruit quality and yield.
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