The soils of Kooyong are distinctive. The bedrock found at depth is sedimentary – an ancient weathered sandstone dating back to the Ordovician period 450 million years ago.

The surface soils are also sedimentary, laid down by a marine incursion during the Miocene epoch.

Although the soils are classed overall as duplex clay loam, different parts of the vineyard express differing percentages of sand, loam and clay.

These differences markedly influence the characteristics of the fruit in each vineyard block.

Faultline, the largest block at Kooyong, is planted predominantly to Chardonnay in an area where the soils are characterised by a friable dark brown loamy clay.

Adjacent to the Farrago block to the West, the Faultline block is more gently sloping. The block is bounded by a geological fault that runs along the south-western end, beyond which the soil becomes quite poorly drained. Before this fault, however, the soils are well drained and high in organic matter.

The Chardonnay from the Faultline block is rich and full, defined by a generosity of texture while still supported by Kooyong’s inherent minerality.

Exclusively planted to Chardonnay, this small block is gently north-sloping with sediments ranging from those higher in sand to those higher in clay.

The best fruit within the block comes from the zone higher in clay where the soil has a mottled appearance due to high sandstone pebble content, hence the block’s name Farrago.

The Chardonnay from the Farrago block is defined by a precise linear character with strong silicaceous minerality. At its best, this is the premier white wine with the greatest ageing potential.

The Meres block is planted entirely to Pinot Noir with the exception of a tiny quarter acre annexe planted to Pinot Gris. Located along the eastern boundary of Kooyong, the name Meres alludes to water bodies – the dams which flank the block on all sides.

This gently sloping block is the most exposed of all our Pinot Noir plantings, leading to low vigour and low yields. The combination of the soils, a less loamy topsoil and more clay subsoil than the other blocks, and low vigour produces highly aromatic and perfumed red-fruited Pinot Noir with a structure that, as the vines age, is becoming more robust.

Planted exclusively to Pinot Noir, the Haven block is the most sheltered of the vineyard blocks. It is a relatively level site surrounded by thick tree belts which protect it from strong winds. The soils are classed as a duplex loam over clay, have a relatively higher percentage of loam and a moderate amount of sandstone pebbles interspersed through the soil profile.

The lack of exposure to strong winds allows the vines to keep a rich green canopy until comparatively late in the ripening period and the resulting Haven Pinot Noir possesses fruit in the more purplish spectrum with a certain richness and lushness yet a firm underlying tannic structure. Regal and poised, Haven shows excellent capacity for ageing.

Planted exclusively to Pinot Noir, the Ferrous block lies to the East of and adjacent to the Haven block. It is a more sloping block than Haven, therefore more rapidly draining, and is also much less protected from winds – a little like Meres.

These vines naturally produce low yields due to a combination of unique orientation, free drainage and a lack of protection from the elements. Together with this, the soil of the Ferrous block has a far greater prevalence of ironstone pebbles than any other part of the vineyard and delivers wine with great concentration and savoury tannic presence.