Shadowfax grows Shiraz in five vineyards, each of which is bottled separately. These five vineyards are maintained by dedicated vignerons under the direction of the very talented Chief Winemaker. Of particular importance are the very close relationships that the winery maintains with a select group of growers who provide fruit for the Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir.
Shadowfax owns three small vineyards at Heathcote, highly regarded as one of the finest areas in Australia for growing Shiraz. One Eye is the oldest vineyard at Heathcote, planted in 1968. Alluvial loam sits atop ancient pre Cambrian era rock. One Eye produces full-bodied wines with texture, flesh and fine, silky tannins.
Pink Cliffs was planted in 1971, and is situated on a small rise that was mined for gold in the mid 19th century. The vines are planted directly into the ancient metamorphic rock resulting in a wine that has great tannic presence and excellent cellaring potential. Argyle is the most southerly and coolest of the Shadowfax Heathcote vineyards. Gravelly soils and moderating afternoon breezes produces a more elegant wine - often with a touch of pepper and spice, and very fine, savoury extract.
Seven hectares of Shiraz were planted in front of the winery operations at Werribee in 1998. Deep red clay loam soils sit atop sandy outwash gravels, the vines are allowed to carry only a small crop load each season, resulting in a wine with excellent bright fruit characters and a long tannic finish. The Landscape vineyard is situated at Tallarook, at the southern end of the Goulburn Valley in Central Victoria. Three hectares of Shiraz and one of Viognier were planted in the spring of 1999. The free draining granitic sands results in a wine with excellent colour, spicy aromatics and powerful flavours.
Shadowfax also purchases batches of Chardonnay from vineyards in Geelong, the Macedon Ranges, Beechworth and the Cardinia Ranges. Pinot Noir comes from small vineyards in Geelong and the Cardinia Ranges, while the Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris are grown at Charlstone, in the Adelaide Hills.
Open daily to visitors, the Shadowfax winery invites everyone to drop by and explore the full range of estate wines. Descend the orange spiral staircase to an underground cavern where all Shadowfax's barrels are stored. Here you can soak in the atmosphere, savour the aromas of maturing wines and learn more about the art of winemaking. Ask the cellar door staff to take you on a guided tour of this stunning underground space.
The Shadowfax cellar door's remarkable interior sets the scene for stylish yet casual private events. A sensational bistrot which specialiizes in delicious woodfired pizzas or grazing plates on weekends, is a perfect complement to the wines. Whether it's a dinner for 20 or stand up drinks for 100, Shadowfax is the ideal setting for special occasions with a difference. For those keen to know more about how the winery works, the cellar door team host a private tour of the facilities and guided tasting every Saturday.
"Shadowfax is part of an awesome development at Werribee Park, a mere 20 mins from Melbourne. The truly striking winery, designed by Wood Marsh architects, built in 2000, is adjacent to the extraordinary 60-room private home built in the 1880s by the Chirnside family and known as The Mansion. It was then the centrepiece of a 40 000-ha pastoral empire, and the appropriately magnificent gardens were part of the reason why the property was acquired by Parks Victoria in the early 1970s!" -Winecompanion.com.au
