Place of Changing Winds

Tucked in between Mount Macedon and Mount Bullengarook in the Australian state of Victoria exists a site historically known as Warekilla, a word meaning “Place of Changing Winds” in the local Wurunjeri language. In recognition of the original custodians of the land, Robert Walters chose the same name for his project on this remarkable piece of land. Sitting at 500 meters above sea level with a large diurnal range, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay thrive in this cool, amphitheater-like site. While the organically managed farm is just over 33HA, its most compelling feature is the high-density 3.1HA vineyard in which there are almost 45,000 vines planted on a variety of rootstocks with variation in trellising and pruning styles! Based on conversations with friends Hubert Lamy and Sylain Pataille, the philosophy here is that the vines must drive their roots beyond the 400-million-year-old Bullengarook gravel and a rare type of eroded basalt, called mugearite which results in significantly lower yields.

Walters’ ‘no compromise’ approach is the result of 20 years spent importing some of the greatest growers into Australia as the buyer for Bibendum Wine Company such as Anselme Selosse, Alain Graillot, and Francis Egly, just to name a few. Ultimately, he realized that his boundless curiosity could only be quenched by working in the field himself. He set out with his partner, Kate Millard, to seek a plot that would adhere to their meticulous philosophy. Five years of searching and a phone call from the legendary grower and winemaker at Bindi, Michael Dhillon, led to the discovery of site for sale in Bullengarook. It was immediately clear that this special place could render something compelling and where Walters could finally draw on his knowledge gained through his relationships. The first vines were planted between 2012 and 2018 to a density of 10,000, 12,000, 14,500, 20,000, 25,000 and 33,000 vines per hectare – a vineyard unlike anything seen throughout the viticultural world. With a small team managed by the legendary Rémi Jacquemain, the attention to detail is on a microscopic level. It is no wonder that these profound wines have garnered a cultlike reputation in Australia.