Our story
The LAnd
Our small patch of land is planted high on the slopes of Mount Canobolas within the traditional lands of the Wiradjuri people.
Canobolas the name comes from ‘coona’ meaning shoulder and ‘booloo’ meaning two, which the Wiradjuri pronounced Gaanha-bula. It was an important occupation site used for the sourcing and sharing of food, and for corroborees and ceremonies particularly relating to men’s business. To the Wiradjuri people, Gaanha-bula is a place of spiritual connection through worship of Baiame (the Creator God and Sky Father) and through the dreaming story of Gaanha-bula as one of three feuding brothers.
The mountain is the remnants of an extinct volcanic complex which erupted in several phases between 11-13 million years ago, making it a relatively recent geological feature. The basalt rock that was created by the lava flows has broken up over millions of years, forming the deep rich red soils that are excellent for grape growing and wine production.
The Vineyard
Canobolas Wines is the third oldest vineyard and one of the most significant producers of premium wine in the Orange region. The vineyard and winery were established by the Smith family in 1986. They chose the site after a lengthy search for an ideal combination of climate, soil and aspect to be able to create great wine. Sloping North to North East the vineyard rolls from 820m above sea level down to 775m at its lowest point with rich soil and excellent air drainage. It is planted with mainly Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.
The part of the mountain which we are situated on is the remnants of an extinct volcanic complex which erupted in several phases between 11-13 million years ago, making it a relatively recent geological feature. The basalt rock that was created by the lava flows has broken up over millions of years, forming the deep rich red soils that are excellent for grape growing and wine production. The resulting soils are known as Red Ferrosols (Krasnozems).
Although they do not occupy large areas in Australia, they are widely recognised and used because of their favourable physical properties. They have excellent structural stability, some clay, good water-holding capacity and high nutrient content.
In parts of the vineyard you'd have to dig well over 2.5 metres deep before you reach anything beyond the beautiful red soil and then it's a mix of broken free draining basalt rocky outcrops. This has allowed the 38 year old vines to grow unirrigated as they can send tap roots down deep into the earth.
The blocks have varying composition, our top Chardonnay coming from the deepest red soil and the best Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc coming from the stoniest part to the vineyard where shards of basalt and small amounts of fine quartz fragments can be found nearer the surface. There is a gradual change across the vineyard slope creating unique pockets of terroir. We keep the parcels separate during fermentation to tease out and discover the expression and diversity of soil within our site.
the wines
Our winemaking style is dictated by each vintage.
Utilising wild ferments and intervening as little as possible, we let the grapes fully express themselves as they transmute into wine. Our intention for each vintage is to create wines of power and grace that seek to impress on the grounds of their elegant composition.
We listen to the story each parcel is trying to tell, and through organic vineyard management and minimal intervention winemaking, we ensure that the wine’s story is heard and celebrated.