History

After long careers in a variety of fields, and partly to give Peter some further challenges in life after being injured in a farm accident and ending up in a wheelchair Peter talked Anne into a move to Cowra in 1997.Their search for a suitable vineyard property covered many sites in the region. Peter settled on this site due to the excellent soils and drainage for both water and frost problems. A well respected consultant was engaged to map out the blocks and help choose varieties that would do well on these soils.

We are not sure if it helps that Anne is a seventh generation Macarthur—they were responsible for the early wine industry and many other agricultural innovations. Having grown up with a respect for her heritage and a love of wine it seemed a good idea to get more serious about it - however it is Peter that keeps the vines under control.

After the process of turning a former wheat and sheep property into a vineyard which involved a few technical problems getting water to the site from the river 1 Km away the grapes were planted at the beginning of a very hot summer and needed a fair bit of coaxing to thrive.

Shiraz, Chardonnay and Semillon were planted in 1997. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot were added in the summer of 2000-they should have arrived in October but arrived the day before Christmas needless to say it was not a holiday time for us that year! Not wanting to use chemicals on these tiny vines the weeds were fair competition but the hand weeding and resultant attentions produced results with the early crop giving an award winning Shiraz.

The awards continue to grow as the wines develop. See award list.

Viticultural Notes and Our Winemakers

The wines produced by ancestor William Macarthur, at Camden Park, have inspired Anne for many years, and led to the decision to move into vine cultivation in 1997. Chardonnay, Semillon and Shiraz vines were the first to be planted, followed by Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in 2000.

The gentle hillside slope permits good vine growth, and afternoon breees prevent the grapes from maturing too quickly. Drip irrigation and canopy management encourage firm, healthy grapes.

The constant quest for perfection in wine is something that drives Peter and Anne. Realising that not everyone will like their particular style they do invite you to sample the wines produced by Spring Ridge. There is an ‘edge’ - a quality that is being recognised by wine Reviewers and judges of State and National wine shows. Your visit to the callar door—or a conversation on the telephone will bring you into immediate contact with the growers.