31/07/2009

Spectacular photos Lake Breeze Wines, Langhorne Creek, July 2009

Lake Breeze winery lies on the banks of the Bremer River and is surrounded by majestic river red gums and overlooks the 80 hectare (200 acre) Follett Family Vineyard.

The old vines, which are dry grown, rely on 'winter' flooding of the Bremer River, which emanates from rainfall in the Mount Lofty Ranges between Mount Barker and Callington. The flooding is vital to carry the vines through the dry summer months as Langhorne Creek only receives on average 14" of rain.

Flooding is carried out by utilising the winter flow of the Bremer River, through a system of floodgates and banks, which divert water onto the vineyards. From here it remains for one or two days, until the soil is saturated and is then released onto the neighbouring vineyard.

The well drained soils receive a deposition of silt during the floods, which ensures that the fertility remains at a high level. The 'alluvial silty loam soils' allow for excellent water holding capacity, therefore making full use of the winter floods, allowing the vine to carry through the summer months without supplementary water.

These spectacular photo's are from the recent floods, the first in 4 years!