Lightfoot & Sons Myrtle Point Shiraz 2015

The Lightfoot family first planted a small vineyard in 1995 on their cattle farm 'Myrtle Point' in the pristine Gippsland Lakes region. The vineyard site, situated between the foothills of the Great Dividing Range and Bass Strait, was selected when soil mapping of the region identified tracts of the much celebrated Terra Rosa over limestone soil structure. The 29 hectare Myrtle Point Vineyard was planted over two years, almost half with Pinot Noir together with smaller bocks of Chardonnay and Shiraz.

Initially only small batches of wine each vintage were made for the enjoyment of family, friends and a handful of local wine enthusiasts. That all changed in 2007 when sons Rob & Tom Lightfoot took over the vineyard from their parents after gaining experience in the wine industry away from the region. Learning from industry heavyweights, both here and overseas, cemented their passion for the industry and the drive to return to East Gippsland and create Lightfoot Wines. "I’d spent a fair bit of time working in Oregon in the US, growing and making Pinot Noir. The Willamette Valley has a lot in common with Gippsland, and I was keen to come back home and use that experience to make Pinot Noir from our vineyard," recalls Tom Lightfoot.

The wines are made by Alastair Butt and Tom Lightfoot. Alastair had also moved to Gippsland in 2007 and brought more than 25 years of winemaking experience to the winery, having worked previously in the Yarra Valley and Hunter Valley. His enthusiasm, particularly for Chardonnay, has been a pivotal part of the Lightfoot Wines story. Tom, with a degree in Viticultural Science and Wine Production, manages the Myrtle Point Vineyard and assists Alastair in winemaking.

Over the years the team has continued to grow. "We are fortunate to have built up a team of people here who are really committed to what we do and are passionate about winemaking in Gippsland," says Marketing Manager, Simon Cordery. In 2017 they added a cellar door, perched above the Mitchel River Valley with sweeping views of the vineyard, the limestone escarpment and the valley below.

"We have come a long way since planting the first vines way back in 1995. Every aspect of what we do has changed and evolved. The most significant change is our shift from traditional viticulture to a biological farming model motivated by both the pursuit of quality and a desire to improve sustainability. The main difference is that we used to focus just on the fruit, whereas we now take a more holistic approach which starts with soil health. The use of compost, mulch, fish and seaweed emulsions creates a healthy soil biome and, as a result, healthier vines that are robust, and yield high quality fruit," says Tom Lightfoot.