After being hand picked at the optimum balance between ripeness and flavour, the fruit is hand processed in our winery.

Picking commences in April, commencing with Pinot Noir, Semillon and Chardonnay and concluding in May with Roussanne, Shiraz, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and finally Cabernet Franc.

Whilst we produce a “low-tech” hand made product, winemaking techniques employed are distinctly “new world” and rely on clear juice and controlled temperature fermentation. Each variety is treated differently:

Semillon & Sauvignon Blanc

The fruit is whole bunch pressed and cold settled overnight. Fermentation is then induced with some juice in old oak barrels and some in tank. The wine is bottled young (in September) to preserve its freshness of flavour.


Whole bunches are pressed then settled overnight. Barrel fermentation follows in a mixture of new to 3 year old French oak barriques (225 litre capacity), with the wine remaining in the same barrels for 12 months, being stirred on yeast lees once every month until bottling. We do not employ malolactic fermentation, gaining developed secondary flavours from extended lees contact and wild yeast fermentation.

Pinot Noir

A combination of 60% crushed and destemmed fruit, 25% crushed only and 15% whole bunches are hot fermented in open fermenters after a short pre-ferment maceration. During ferment the cap is plunged 4 times a day. The wine is then pressed and transferred into a mixture of new and older French oak barriques to mature for 12 months before bottling under screw cap to retain fruit freshness of this delicate variety.

Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz

After crushing and destemming, the fruit is given a warm ferment in open and closed fermenters with the cap plunged (or pumping over undertaken) 4 times a day. The wine is given a post fermentation maceration of 7 to 14 days before being pressed into French oak barrels for 18 months maturation before bottling. We use a mixture of new and older barrels (all barriques except for Cabernet Franc where we use puncheons of 500 litres to maximise the aromatic fruit characters and encourage a less oaked “juicy” style).

The result is premium hand crafted wines that express the terroir of our historic site in one of Australia’s most spectacular locations. Whilst made to enjoy on release, the wine making philosophy and house style is such that all Goona Warra Vineyard wines will reward cellaring for at least 4-5 years after release.