Wooing Tree Vineyard Ltd

About Winery and Wines

Wooing Tree is a family owned single vineyard site, situated in the heart of Central Otago next to the town of Cromwell and opposite the "Big Fruit Sculpture". The location gives a perfect mix of various sub-regional climates and optimum heat degree-days.In 2001 we put in an offer for the land and purchased it in 2002. We took on the services of viticulturalist Robin Dicey to help set-up the vineyard and manage it in the development stages. This enabled us to stay overseas and continue to pay the bills remotely. Approximately 44,000 vines were planted in 2002. The 26 ha single vineyard site has 16 ha planted in mainly Pinot Noir of multiple rootstocks and the following premium clones, 5, 6, 115, 667, 777 to give variety, complexity and risk minimisation. The vines are all grafted on American rootstock to prevent phylloxera problems.

The vines are planted at 2666 vine/ha on VSP trellis system (Vertical Shoot Positioning). We use 1 cordon wire and 2 pairs of canopy wires, which are lifted as required. The vines are spur pruned (usually at 2 buds per shoot) and shoot thinned, leaf plucked, bunch thinned and green harvested all by hand during the season. We have a computer controlled irrigation/fertigation system, which is monitored via Aquaflex data loggers to keep an eye on soil moisture and temperature levels. Birds are often a problem leading up to harvest and we have to net the rows to help keep the birds away.