Quid Pro Quo makes cool-climate wines (from Canberra region grapes) and warm-climate wines from the Lower Hunter Valley (from grapes sources from our ‘Milbrovale Vinyard’ near Broke, NSW.)

COOL CLIMATE WINES – CANBERRA DISTRICT AND LAKE BATHURST

Red grapes
Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot
Sangiovese
Shiraz

White grapes
Riesling
Viognier

These grapes are sourced from outstanding growers in the region near Canberra.

WARM CLIMATE WINES - THE ‘MILBROVALE’ VINEYARD

Red grapes
Shiraz
Sangiovese (4 clones),
Primitivo,
Nero D’Avola (2 clones),
Negroamaro,
Montepulciano
Touriga Nacional
Gamay Noir
Grenache Noir

White grapes
Chardonnay (6 clones)
Semillon (2 clones)
Fiano

Located near Sentry Rock, and set against the backdrop of the Brokenback ranges, the Milbrovale Vineyard near Broke in the Lower Hunter Valley, sits in the long-established Broke-Fordwich wine region where grapes have been grown for over 90 years. The site has excellent soils for growing a wide variety of grape varieties, with the soil profile ranging through red-brown volcanic loams to lighter sandy loams (on the alluvial planes areas of the property).

The site has a very high degree of water security, as has been evident in the recent years of drought. Water to the vineyard is provided by 3 enormous dams which utilise in part the Broke Fordwich PID (private irrigation district) as needed.

In 2015, when we acquired the Broke property, we decided to replant a totally re-designed vineyard with an eye to the impact of climate change - which has seen average temperatures rise notably over the last decade in the Hunter Valley. This environmental change carries with it, in our view, important implications for the grape varieties best-suited for the future in this area. In turn, this led to our decision to favour Mediterranean varieties – Sangiovese (4 clones), Primitivo, Nero D’Avola (2 clones), Negroamaro, Montepulciano and Fiano from Italy; Touriga Nacional from Portugal; and Gamay Noir and Grenache Noir from France –
and a mix of Australian and French clones of Shiraz (3 clones), Chardonnay (6 clones) and Semillon (2 clones). Great care was taken with the selection of exceptional clones of each variety to suit the soils and micro-climate, as well as with the type and use of rootstock or the decision to use own-root plantings. We place great importance on clonal diversity in our wine-making and, where suitable, multiple clones of a variety have been planted.

We care deeply about the health of the land and the environment, and approach our vineyard management with an eye to always seeking to use environmentally sustainable practices.

Important aspects of the vineyard design include techniques to ensure excellent airflow in vineyard rows – important for promoting grape quality health in the humid periods in the Summer months. This is achieved through the use of short vineyard row sets (42m), wider than standard row spacing, and a higher than standard setting for cordon wires.

Our planting practice includes some novel, double-vine techniques in some of the Italian grape variety plantings. More traditional single-vine plantings have been used in the other varieties.

We are about to embark on Stage 3 of our vineyard expansion and re-planting program.

More on that to follow.