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Bannock Brae Estate

Back in 1996 Bannock Brae Estate existed only as a brown weedy patch of earth supporting a few rabbits and even fewer sheep. Nevertheless, it was earmarked as a prime piece of grape growing land - exactly what the Browns had been searching for.
Although the prospect of turning this burnt barren piece of landscape into a flourishing vineyard was daunting, the Browns received much good advice and encouragement from local pioneers and from Robin Dicey, the much respected viticulturist resident in Bannockburn. This prompted them to take the plunge.
The moment they made the decision to proceed it was full on! Heavy machinery came in to rip up the sandy gravelly loess some call "soil", cultivate and contour it. An irrigation storage dam was built, posts and trellis system installed, 30 Km of irrigation pipes and tubes laid out, wind machine erected to fight potential frosts on the lower lying portion of the vineyard, and of course, vines ordered and planted.
The decision to grow Pinot noir was an easy one for the Browns to make. This king of all wines is produced from vines notoriously fussy about the conditions they need to produce wine to their potential. Central Otago had already developed a reputation for being one of the few chosen areas on Earth that supplied this grape with everything it needed, and Bannockburn was shaping up to be the most desirable sub-region of Central Otago, so why grow anything else? (As it turns out the Browns couldn't resist growing a couple of rows of Riesling, just for fun, and just enough for door sales!)
One third of the vineyard is planted with the Dijon clone 115, while the rest is planted with clones 5 and 6. All vines are grafted onto American rootstock to protect against phylloxera.
All in all, Bannock Brae has 15,000 very healthy vines planted within a total area of 8.5 hectares - north-west facing - which the Browns describe as "our little corner of paradise".

Contact
Phone:	+64 27 2210695
Fax:	+64 3 445 4428
Postal Address:	Cairnmuir Road RD2 CROMWELL
Delivery Address:	As above

Staff
Owner:	Crawford and Catherine Brown
Manager:	Crawford Brown
Sales:	Crawford Brown
Marketing:	Crawford Brown

Producer Details
Opening Hours:	Not open to public
Vineyards:	8.5
Production:	3000
Winery Tours:	No
Facilities:	No
Newsletter:	No
Wineclub:	No

Sales
Cellar Door:	Yes
Internet:	Yes
Direct Mail:	Yes
Via Retailers:	No

Wines from this Producer

Bannock Brae Estate Barrel Selection | 2003

Bannock Brae Estate Barrel Selection Pinot Noir | 2002 | 2001

Bannock Brae Estate Goldfields Pinot Noir | 2003