Combining years of hands-on experience and an intimate understanding of the estate, the Mitchelton philosophy is to harness the vineyard’s potential by unlocking the best from individual blocks through innovation and attention to detail in the vineyard and the winery. Coupled with judicious use of innovative winemaking techniques, this approach gives shape and definition to the expressive qualities of the Mitchelton vineyard, creating wines of distinct personality, finesse and longevity.
With the focus on individual block-targeting, each soil profile is planted with the most suitable grape variety, clonal and rootstock combination. This intensive approach nurtures individual blocks separately, allowing every vine to achieve its full potential, revealing grapes of superior flavour and structure.
The team at Mitchelton are dedicated to managing their backyard, acting as custodians of a sustainable and distinct eco-system. The estate’s influential and ever-present neighbour, the Goulburn River demands a holistic winery and vineyard approach. Banked by red gums and widening into billabongs, the river is an intrinsic part of a sensitive natural cycle. Eco-friendly initiatives include:
- Establishing a unique and innovative winery wastewater wetlands system using indigenous native reed species to treat process water for irrigation reuse in the vineyard. This has involved community engagement through Landcare Victoria, the local Shire Council, schools and Catchment Management Authority.
- Recycling and micro-filtration of bottle rinsing water in the winery production line;
- Re-vegetating the banks of the Goulburn River with local gums and native grasses;
- Incorporating an Environmental Management System (EMS) that monitors all business activities to reduce environmental impacts, improve performance and decrease risk;
- Membership of the National Packaging Covenant that encourages the responsible resourcing of recycled packaging materials from approved suppliers;
- Minimization of spray inputs in the vineyard by adopting integrated pest and disease management practices along with zero use of synthetic pesticides in the vineyard for many years;
- Participating in native grass establishment vineyard trials to encourage biodiversity;
- Composting of winery bi-product waste (grape marc) for re-use as vineyard mulch.