Angullong Vineyard is one of the largest vineyards in the area. The vineyard is situated near the locality of Panuara, about 35km south of Orange and 350km west of Sydney.
The vineyards straddle the Orange Region (GI) boundary, ranging in elevation from 620 metres to 580 metres above sea level. All of the fruit for our Orange Region wines is sourced from the vines above 600 metres.
Vine plantings occurred during 1998 (190ha), 1999 and 2000 (30ha).
A careful hands-on approach to vineyard management ensures continuous production of quality fruit and wines. All of our vines are hand pruned to ensure a correct crop load and vine balance.
Vine canopy is manipulated during the growing season to ensure fruit is exposed to the appropriate amount of sunlight and ensure adequate airflow to minimize the incidence of disease.
During the growing season the vines are assessed for crop yield; the fruit is strategically thinned if required to ensure the optimal ratio of fruit to leaf area is achieved, resulting in the best quality fruit possible.
The season finishes in late summer with harvest. Harvest usually starts in early February with Chardonnay for our sparkling wine, closely followed by Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio. It finishes in late April with Cabernet Sauvignon.
As fifth generation farmers operating as a family company we recognise the importance of sustainable agricultural practices. Our business and family are committed to ensuring the long term health and improvement of the land we work and the environment in which we live for the benefit of generations to come.
The vineyard is planted to a range of traditional and emerging varieties. These include, Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Malbec, Marsanne, Merlot, Montepulciano, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Sagrantino, Sangiovese, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz, Tempranillo, Verdelho, Vermentino, Viognier, Sagrantino and Montepulciano.
Alternative varieties have long been an integral component with Angullong’s winegrowing. In 1999 we planted a range of Mediterranean varieties that we believed would thrive in the Orange region. Over these past 22 years we have learnt a great deal about the vines and gained valuable experience with the wines that they produce.
In more recent years we have grafted several new alternative varieties including Sagrantino. This is a variety whose home is in Umbria in central Italy, although it almost became extinct in the 1960s. As in Italy, the region of Orange offers good heat during summer with cool nights that give the vines relief and subsequently lengthen their ripening.
The grapes for the Angullong ‘Fossil Hill’ Sagrantino was handled very gently in the winery, with hand plunging so as not to over extract the tannins. The wine was then matured in a combination of new and seasoned French oak.
Another Italian variety within Angullong’s ‘Fossil Hill’ range is their Barbera. We are aiming to produce a vibrant Barbera with loads of red fruit and spice with balanced tannins and acidity.
