Ladies who Shoot their Lunch Wild Ferment Shiraz 2018 (1500ml)

About the winery

Fowles are a farming family, with a rich generational history of farming the land. They've farmed across the width and breadth of Australia and now call the Strathbogie Ranges, in Victoria, home. Here, amongst 4500 rolling acres, they farm sheep, cultivate vines and hand-craft cool-climate wines. The rugged and beautiful Strathbogie Ranges are located an hour and a half's drive northeast of Melbourne. The area has emerged as a truly distinctive, high-altitude, and cool climate region, producing intense wines that are elegant and full of character. 

Fowles' 300-acre wine growing property is 'Upton Run', located in the hill country above Avenel at an elevation of around 500 meters above sea level.  It is both a vineyard and sheep grazing property, the sheep grazing between the vines in winter to reduce the weed burden and the need for sprays. The vineyard, dotted with massive ancient granite boulders, comprises soils of decomposed granite. Ancient, nutrient poor and free-draining, these soils are great for grapes because the vines put their energy into fruit development.

The Strathbogie Ranges, located north of the Great Dividing Range, experience strong diurnal weather patterns – warm days (the January mean temperature is 19.5ºC) and cool nights. These conditions allow the fruit to gradually ripen over a long period, accumulating the right balance of sugars and acid whilst building intense flavour and colour. An almost constant wind whistles through the vines, providing good air circulation, which reduces the risk of frost damage in early spring and mildew in summer. 

The vineyards are certified by Sustainable Winegrowing Australia. No insecticides or herbicides are used and mid-rows are planted with a multitude of different grass species to promote soil health. A biodiverse ecosystem is encouraged in the vineyards, where beehives and insectariums bloom alongside flora, fostering balance. Fowles are also pioneering a project to support the microbat population, tiny insect-eating bats which consume their body weight in insects each night, vital in ensuring vineyard health.  

Fowles has a wide variety of plantings, including Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Arneis, Vermentino, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Gamay, Sangiovese, Merlot, Shiraz, Mourvèdre, and Cabernet Sauvignon.