Mt Napier

Christopher Ward says this is a weekend folly and passion rolled into 2ha of inspiration, exasperation, perspiration and occasionally exhilaration. Starting in 1999, he planted 1.2ha of shiraz with 4 clones, and 0.8ha of pinot noir (10 clones sourced from friends and neighbours, Tarrington Vineyards) and a tiny quantity of viognier. The very close spacing of the vines was intended to control the predicted excessive vigour, and has worked well. The grapes are hand-picked by family and friends, and vinified in the small winery onsite by Chris.When he and his wife planted the small farm, the intention was to sell the grapes, but - in the same way as many others - purchasers started to evaporate in the early years of the new millennium, so he enrolled in a 2-year part-time viticulture/introductory winemaking course offered by the University of Melbourne at the Dookie campus. Tamara Irish was his winemaking mentor (emphasising quality over quantity) until she moved out of the area. -JAMES HALLIDAY