Boat O' Craigo's distinctive name echoes that given to a farm in the town of Craigo in Scotland. It's a place where ancestors settled alongside the docking point for the ferry that crossed the North Esk River. The Boat O’Craigo name and tradition have drifted across seas to settle and book end Victoria’s burgeoning Yarra Valley with two magnificent vineyards, one in Healesville and the other in Kangaroo Ground. One red, the other white. As with the ferry’s docking-point, it is here at the gateways to the Yarra Valley that the physical journey of travels ends, although the journey of the senses is only just beginning. Fifty acres of vines, spanning across two stunning sites, enables Boat O'Craigo to produce outstanding estate grown wines across a range of noble varieties.
Boat O' Craigo's single vineyard wines are hand crafted from grape varieties specifically chosen to suit each site. Harvests are cropped at lower yields to concentrate the flavour of fruit that's hand picked at just the right time to ensure wines of premium quality and character. Boat O' Craigo work closely with the winemakers to ensure the style of each wine reflects not only the natural characteristics of the vineyards, but also the brand. Senior contract winemaker Rob Dolan has been a Yarra Valley winemaker for over 20 years and is recognised as one of the great characters of the wine industry. Rob has an outstanding winemaking record and has played a pivotal role in the evolution of the Yarra Valley.
The cooler, more sheltered Healesville vineyard site nestled in the foothills of the Black Spur Ranges has alluvial river gravel soils and has perfect growing conditions for our early ripening varieties including Gewurztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir being the only red vines.
The warmer Kangaroo Ground site on the western edge of the valley with its rich black volcanic, basalt soil, North East facing slope, giving it maximum sun is the home of our Black Cameron Shiraz, Braveheart Cabernet Sauvignon and several other red varietals even Grenache.
