Mitchelton – One of Australia’s Oldest and Most Pronounced Wineries
Mitchelton
Australia, Victoria
One of the oldest wineries in Australia with a history spanning 180 years, Mitchelton has travelled a long distance with the baton of wine-making being passed on from one generation to another. In fact, the winery today is what we call a ‘Destination’ winery, nestled in the beautiful Nagambie Lakes district an hour north of Melbourne whilst sharing the land with a luxury designer hotel. Things here are state-of-the-art, and despite boasting a myriad of designer and luxury resort-esque facilities, the folks here are serious about their wines.
Read on as we explore how Mitchelton thrives as one of the leading wineries in Australia’s vast winemaking scene while incorporating design and style with their viticulture know-how.
The Mitchelton History
The site’s history stretches back to 1836, when the explorer Major Thomas Mitchell crossed the river here on his 900-kilometre journey from Sydney to Melbourne. The intended riverside town was to have been called Mitchellstown. Ross Shelmerdine engaged the help of winemaking legend Colin Preece to find an ideal site for growing premium grapes in Victoria and he came across a perfect location with a great climate and water access. Ross went on to call his fledgling winery Mitchelton, a derivation of Mitchellstown and the vineyard’s first sod was turned in 1969 when the first vines were planted.
Transforming the Winery into a Destination
The plans for the winery, cellar door and tower were drawn by Robin Boyd CBE, one of the country’s most renowned architects. Following Boyd’s death in 1971, the equally admired Australian architect Ted Ashton completed the design. After Mitchelton opened in 1974, the 55-metre Ashton Tower soon became a recognised icon of the Victorian winemaking landscape. Its pointy roofline makes a statement in the region’s relatively flat terrain, while the tower acts as an overlook across the winery’s vineyard parcels.
More recently, Mitchelton continued its partnership with leading architects by engaging the practice of Hecker Guthrie to design a new cellar door and 54-room hotel. The impressive result borrows from the existing architecture’s modern lines, rustic textures and sculptural forms, making it a natural fit in both the built and natural environment.
Mitchelton Vineyards
The vineyards here produce grapes not only in the Mitchelton Estate but also in the famous Heathcote area, which are exclusively Shiraz plantings on the north-facing side of Mount Camel. From the rich, ochre-red ancient earth of the weathered Dookie Hills to the alluvial sands of the Goulburn Valley floor, this part of Victoria around Mitchelton is home to several wineries both distinctive and distinguished. The warmth of the region is softened by an abundance of lakes, billabongs and creeks, while the loose, sandy and gravelly soils typically produce generous yields without compromising colour or flavour.
The alluvial river sediments on which the Mitchelton Estate was founded come from the granite Strathbogie Ranges in the east, the mudstone sediments of the Graytown Hills, and the ancient marine deposits of the mountains to the south. The unique characteristics of these various soil types interact with Mitchelton’s vine roots in a variety of ways, ultimately creating unique wines of great complexity.
Sustainability and Working with the Lands
Committed to protecting the environment of their picturesque backyard, the team at Mitchelton are custodians of a sustainable and distinct ecosystem inspired by their ever-present neighbour, the Goulburn River. Bordered by red gums and indigenous flora and fauna – the river plays an intrinsic part in a sensitive natural cycle, which inspires a holistic approach to winemaking. To further minimise their environmental impact, they adopted several pioneering Environmental Management Systems. These include the introduction of an innovative wastewater wetlands process which uses indigenous native reed species to provide natural filtration of water used to irrigate the vineyard, minimal use of synthetic pesticides, composting of winery bi-product waste and the responsible resourcing of recycled packaging.
Introducing Mitchelton’s Wines
Specialising in the production of Shiraz, Riesling and Rhone blend wines from grape to glass, Mitchelton’s winemaking team is known for bringing out the unique regional characters of their estate-grown varieties. With meticulous attention to detail, Mitchelton wines boast a rare balance and intensity of flavour. Enveloped by the meandering curves of the Goulburn River, thriving with indigenous wildlife and vegetation, the unique environment of our vineyards and climate create estate characteristics found in every bottle. Chief Winemaker, Victor Nash and his team of experienced viticulturists work in harmony with the land to unlock the best from each block through innovation and interaction with the soil – a focused approach that creates wines of distinct personality, intimacy and longevity in our pursuit of wine excellence.
