Basils Farm
Reviews
I visited Basil's Farm yesterday with ten...
Source: google Suzanne Laragy
Superb! Beautiful setting, lovely helpful staff and...
Source: google Jennie Carney
Really relaxed and beautiful place, nice staff,...
Source: google Katherine Rees
Spectacular views and vino. Cellar door looks...
Source: google Carla M
About Winery and Wines
Basils Farm sits on the shores of Swan Bay – a shallow, 30 square-kilometre marine embayment at the eastern end of the Bellarine Peninsula in Port Phillip Bay. Matthew Flinders named the bay “Swan Ponds” after its black swans, up to 2,700 of which can be seen in summer and early autumn. It is partly separated from Port Phillip by Swan Island, Duck Island and Edwards Point. Most of the area is included in the Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park as well as being listed as a Ramsar Wetland of international importance. Swan Bay contains a variety of ecosystems that make it environmentally important for water birds and migratory waders. These include salt marsh, intertidal mudflats and vast seagrass beds on which, almost everything living in the bay relies on for food. Although now home to a vineyard, café, cellar door and produce gardens, Basils Farm has an interesting history. Originally owned by the Walpole family, it was the building site for 53 foot 2-masted schooner named ‘Fidget’. In service around Port Phillip Bay from 1869, its use included being a timber and lime carrying barge. The last recorded history of ‘Fidget’ was in 1919 when it went out of register. Its fate is unknown. The farm site has been home to a number of owners since the mid 1800’s. It contained the only dam in the area which was constructed by the State Government for the local graziers and dairy farmers as it was long before mechanical diggers were invented. It became a catch up meeting place for surrounding farmers to water their stock.
The vineyard includes our 19 year old “Dam Block” pinot noir vines and “Olive Block” pinot noir vines planted in 2013. Recent plantings of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Shiraz bring the total to 4.2 hectares under vine. Planted in dark sandy loam over red ironstone pebbled clay, the vines are constantly battered by salt winds due to our coastal location. The Basils Farm team believe that great wine starts in the vineyard and our soil and vines are nurtured using biodynamic and organic methods. This introduces a biodiversity of micro organisms and micro flora into the soil, making the vines stronger, with better resistance to disease and also less susceptible to attack by pests. This biodiversity is encouraged through the preservation of neighbouring bush and wetlands. The vines are picked and pruned by hand. Natural composts and mulches are used to cool under vine and maintain soil moisture in summer.