History
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The vineyard was established in 1989 and consists of
approximately 45 acres of a combination of Pinot Noir, Merlot, Chardonnay and
Pinot Grigio. The Estate is situated at Tawonga South in the morning shadow of
Mount Bogong in the Alpine Valley region of Northeast Victoria. At an altitude
of 600 metres high, this is one of the highest vineyards in Victoria. The
climate and soil is comparable to the best wine growing areas in Europe. In
addition to this, clean water and clear air coupled with very cold winters, hot
summer days and cool nights make for intensely flavoured high quality grapes. |
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 "It just keeps getting better"
"Some 220 tonnes of fruit was hand picked at Ezio and Wendy Minutello's Annapurna Estate vineyard on Simmonds Creek Road and transported to Seppelts in western Victoria to be used for this premium sparkling wine. (Seppelts Salinger Champagne). This is a credit to the proprietors and is recognition of the skill and hard work that has gone into the
vineyard."
Falls Creek & Mt. Beauty
This Week
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Time Line
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1969: The Minutello family bought the property, which
at the time was a dairy farm surrounded by bush and swamp. Only a small little
shack building was on the property with a small power line, no running water and
a single bush track in.
1969-1980: The family grew tobacco.
1980: The family stopped growing tobacco because it wasn’t profitable,
and the farm was largely unproductive from 1980-1986.
1988-1989: the first cuttings were planted in the vineyard.
1992: The first fruit was harvested.
1995: The first vintage was produced under the Annapurna Estate label.
1996: Annapurna Estate won Vineyard of the Year and was runners up in the
Victorian Farm Management Award.
1998: Annapurna Estate won the Victorian Farm Management Award from the
Royal Agricultural Society.
1999: Severe sprint frosts damaged the fruit (one in two hundred year
frost).
2000: The reticulated frost mitigation system was setup in the vineyard.
2003: Bush fires raged across the Alpine Valley. The Estate came under
threat and the Minutello family kept constant vigilance and defended their
property for over 30 days during that hot, dry season. The fruit was damaged
from the smoke.
2004: The current logo and wine label was developed.
2005: Bush fires once again swept through the area. Again the fruit was
damaged from the smoke. |
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