Oxford Landing Estates.
WINEMAKER: Andrew LaNauze
OPERATIONS MANAGER: Marty Burnell
KEY VARIETALS: Sauvignon blanc, shiraz, pinot grigio, cabernet sauvignon
FLAGSHIP: Oxford Landing Estates Sauvignon Blanc, $8.99
What should visitors make time for in the region? Warm sunny days and cool nights make it an ideal place for growing grapes and almost anything you can think of! Stop by a roadside stall to pick up some of the region’s best fruit and veg, and enjoy it at a quiet spot by the river. It’s fantastic on long weekends when thousands descend on the river to boat, fish and ski, but I prefer the quieter times, reading a book or playing my guitar as the river gently flows by. Bring a 4WD and explore the hinterlands and deserts that surround our beautiful river. What’s your approach? With 650 acres under vine, we could never call Oxford Landing Estates small, but we act like we are. We micro-manage 130 five-acre blocks as separate ecosystems so we become intimately familiar with each block and can give the grapes exactly what they need to achieve optimum flavour. ‘Small vineyard’ techniques, such as detailed pruning, canopy management and crop thinning give us ultimate control in expressing the individuality of each block. And we are nimble enough to harvest small batches of the fruit as soon as it ripens, so not an ounce of freshness is lost. The ‘small scale’ approach continues in the winery, with methods usually reserved for boutique winemaking. Thinking small makes a lot more work for us, but we take pride in working hard to craft quality wine. PMB 31 Waikerie SA oxfordlanding.com.au, @oxfordlanding