Our Vineyards

Viticulture

I am always learning from the vines, each year teaches you something new… how to better work with the land to harness its potential

– Steve

ChaLou wines has access to some fabulous fruit.  Our estate vineyard in Orange is home to the ChaLou vineyard and provides us with all our cool fruit.  The Wallington vineyard in Canowindra provides us with organic + biodynamic warm climate varieties.

ChaLou Estate Vineyard

Located just 15minutes east of Orange the vineyard sits at ~900m above sea level.  The rock underlying the vineyard is referred to by geologists as the Oakdale formation which is Ordovician material approximately 460million years old.  It contains basic volcanic material; sandstone, siltstone breccia and conglomerate derived from basalt and andesite.

Vines were first planted in 2006 with a later planting above the cellar door in 2009. Varieties include Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Shiraz, Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc and Arneis.

New Plantings; In December 2022 Nadja and Steve pulled out 6 rows of Pinot Gris and 8 rows of Viognier leaving enough of each variety in the ground for future endeavours. They are extremely excited to have replaced these pulled out vines with 7 rows of Chardonnay and 7 rows of Chenin Blanc. This will be the Orange Regions first planting of Chenin Blanc and perhaps the countries highest.

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Wallington Vineyard

Wallington Vineyard is located  just 10 minutes from the historic town of Canowindra. After moving to Canowindra in 1990 Nadja’s parents Margaret and Anthony Wallington planted their first grapes in 1992. Throughout the 1990’s the vineyard continued it’s plantings with the latest vines, Grenache, Mouvedré, Petit Verdot and Viognier planted in 1999.

The soils are sandy clay loams producing elegant medium bodied wines, vines run N/S on a Southerly aspect and elevation of 400m above sea level.

In 2006 and certified in 2008, the vineyard was converted to Organic + Biodynamic practices.