STARRS REACH VINEYARD

Home to our single vineyard and estate-grown wine label, Starrs Reach Vineyard, this vineyard has earnt a reputation as a consistent producer of premium parcels of unbranded wine product which encouraged us to further pursue value-adding opportunities and develop our own brand.

The vineyard can be found on the Seven Mile Reach which is the longest river reach along the entire Murray River and situated downstream of Loxton. Developed to premium varieties with multiple uses including Grenache and Mataro, this vineyard can potentially supply significant parcels of rose, dry red or fortified product. The remaining plantings include Chardonnay, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Colombard, Sauvignon Blanc and Durif.

Starrs Reach Vineyard comprises 175 hectares of established wine grape plantings on deep sand to light sandy clay loam soils over discrete layers of limestone. Irrigation is fully automated via drip irrigation system with 24-hour scheduling capacity, continuous soil moisture monitoring and private off takes direct from the Murray River.

Vine nutrition is intensively applied via an inline fertigation system. Extensive upgrades to the existing drip irrigation system have been completed while a 200-kW solar energy system to supplement growing electricity requirements is soon to be installed.

Within this area there is also approximately 50 hectares of river floodplain and over 1km of rover frontage which we are committed to restoring and managing through revegetation (Eco Vineyards Project), creek restoration, managed floodplain watering, removal of grazing, pest animal and plant control.

The name ‘Starrs’ comes from our ancestors Leo and May Starrs, two of South Australia’s early irrigation pioneers who under a World War 1 soldier settlement scheme settled on the Lower Murray Reclaimed Swamps at Jervois in the 1920’s. We have named our vineyard after them so that their name will be remembered.