In a quiet little corner of East Gippsland is a winery making vino worth shouting about. On the Mitchell River, just outside Bairnsdale, Lightfoot Wines has been squeezing all the juice from the fruit since 1994. And special soils, sustainable vineyard management and on-farm water storage is the secret of their success.
Thirty years ago, founders Helen and Brian Lightfoot used to farm cattle on the property before the discovery of the famed “Terra Rossa over Limestone” soils changed everything.
Few places in Australia have this rare soil other than South Australia’s world-famous Coonawarra wine region. So, they planted a vineyard, and an emerging star was born.
It’s a decision that’s paid off for the Lightfoot family who are producing award-winning wines that are building Gippsland’s credentials with the critics.
Brothers Tom and Rob Lightfoot took over the vineyard in 2007. Speaking with Tom, you get the feeling the region is on the cusp of coming into its own.
“Growing numbers of serious vignerons are looking at Gippsland to establish more vineyards because the cool climate is great for producing elegant wines,” he said.
“And the affordability of land compared to other more established wine regions makes it a very attractive proposition.”
Lightfoot Wines has 75 acres under vine, making them the largest vineyard in Gippsland, and the Mitchell River is crucial to their success.
The Mitchell River is the largest unregulated river in Victoria and licenced water users can be subject to rosters and restrictions during low flows.
Tom said they recently built an on-farm dam that allows them to pump from the river and fill the dam over winter when flows are higher.
“Building on-farm storage gives us a contingency against the hot, dry weather we often experience in summer,” he said.
“Our 20 megalitre dam lowers our dependence on the reliability of river flows during dry spells and gives us enough water to get us through the whole season."
Tom says Southern Rural Water were very helpful during the dam build.
“The Southern Rural Water team told us what we could and couldn’t do and were always there to help with solutions on how we could tackle challenges,” he said.
Lightfoot Wines use a fully automated drip irrigation system that lets them water during the night to reduce evaporation and they plant cover crops in the vineyard to reduce run-off.
“Typically, the tractor runs along the same wheel tracks in every row, and this can increase soil compaction. We’re countering this by planting cover crops in alternate rows and keeping the machinery out of these rows over the growing season,” he said.
“When planted rows get a bit overgrown, we can cut it or roll it down to create a sort of green mulch or compost that yields nutrients and reduces evaporation from the soil.”
Tom grew up working vintages in Australia and spent time making wine in America before settling back home and said the experience was invaluable.
“I went to Northern California and Oregon in the Pacific Northwest where they make top class Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, varieties we specialise in,” he said.
“The climate is similar to ours and I learned a lot about vineyard management and water use that I’ve borrowed and adapted for our farm.”
Tom said Lightfoot Wines now employ seven people full-time, as well as several casual cellar door staff and contractors to help pick fruit and prune the vineyard during the growing season.
“The winery is moving in the right direction, and with more people planting vines in the region, we hope to be able to access fruit more and grow our business,” he said.
“Like all growers, we’re at the mercy of mother nature.
“Some years will be kinder than others, but we believe we’ve got the right farming philosophy and infrastructure to keep producing fine wines well into the future.”