VITICULTURE

At Southern Light Vineyards, we select only the finest fruit, with all pruning and harvesting carried out by hand to ensure balance and quality. Careful canopy management lets dappled sunlight filter through the leaves, nurturing even ripening and enhancing flavour development while protecting the fruit from any harsh sunlight.

Through spring and summer, we manage the canopy and fruit load with techniques such as shoot removal, shoot positioning, shoot trimming, selective leaf removal, and occasional green harvesting.

“Pruning is the most important thing we do in the vineyard for the whole year. It sets up the season, it determines what our end goals will look like. Mother nature then steps in to try and stymie them!”

– Dan Sergeant, Vineyard Manager

 Thoughtful under-vine management and sheep grazing provide natural weed control, support healthy soils, and reduce the need for herbicides. Our worm farm converts winery organics into compost, which is returned to the vineyard to improve soil structure and biological health.

This year, we joined Sustainable Winegrowing Australia, further committing to ongoing improvement in vineyard and winery practices.