OUR ORIGINS
Owners and Vignerons, Owen and Cassandra Inglis founded Sidewood in 2004 borne of their uncompromising vision and passion for creating beautifully balanced, elegant, award-winning wines. Despite Sidewood being a relatively new brand in the wine industry, it has already achieved Five Red Star Accreditation from James Halliday and in 2016 became the largest eco-sustainable winery in the Adelaide Hills.
Situated a short drive east from Adelaide in the Onkaparinga Valley, the winery and vineyards are nestled in the cool- climate region of the Adelaide Hills, a heartland of Australian premium wine. The vineyard portfolio includes locations in Echunga, Nairne and Verdun with the original 300-acre Oakbank vineyard also being home to Sidewood’s 40 thoroughbred racehorses that fall under the name, Stable Hill Thoroughbreds.
Owners and Vigneron | Owen and Cassandra Inglis
Winemakers | Darryl Catlin
Viticulturist | Mark Vella and Peter McIntyre
Production | 50,000 dozen
Vineyards | 91 ha
WINE PRODUCTION
Purchased in March 2014, Sidewood Estate’s state-of-the-art winery in Nairne. Under the watchful eye of internationally acclaimed Winemaker Darryl Catlin, the site continues to produce award-winning wines. Every Sidewood wine is vinified at the Nairne facility, ensuring fruit is fresh and ready to crush within an hour of picking.
The Sidewood Winery was built to accommodate small to medium size batches of fruit specific to the needs of the Adelaide Hills. Clients can choose between driving the style or working closely with Darryl and the team, guiding them through the process from start to finish. This maximizes the potential of your grapes to become exceptional wine.
The winery is equipped with:
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A range of presses including – Bucher XP, 5T Siprem Airbag + 2T traditional basket press
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Three state-of-the-art temperature controlled cool rooms
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A range of variously sized temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks and fermenters including small open fermenters
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A cutting edge cross flow filter for gentle filter wine to final stages of bottling.
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Nitrogen Generator – for inert handling of wine at all stages
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Temperature & humidity controlled barrel room storage
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The whole winery is in an insulated shed
OUR VINEYARDS
Situated 380m above sea level, the vineyard climate, rainfall and soil type impart key attributes and characteristics to the wines.
Due to this altitude, the Adelaide Hills climate is significantly cooler than more traditional regions – on average 4 degrees cooler during the day and 8 degrees at night. The cool, dry Summer and Autumn ripening conditions produce grapes with ideal fruit concentration, spectrum of flavour and natural acidity.
Rainfall varies quite dramatically across the region ranging from 1400mm at Mount Lofty down to 850mm at Charleston, which is only 10km away. Sidewood’s 91ha of Vineyards are carefully manicured to ensure the fruit flavour profiles are at their peak when harvested.
The geography and climate of the region have contributed to soils that are highly variable in structure and chemistry. The soils can be described as a mixture of sandy loams, loams and clay loams over clay subsoils that vary in structure. It is not unusual to find these soils combined with shale and ironstone. The variation in topography and soil type can affect wine growth and this contributes greatly to wine styles.
The vineyards and environmental conditions are curated with an unwavering focus on excellence in viticulture. Hand-picking and fruit selection play a vital role to ensure that only the best fruit is grown and used in Sidewood wines.
Sidewood’s hard-working viticultural team led by Vitiworks Directors, Mark Vella and Peter McIntyre, use best-practice viticulture ensuring the sustainability and health of the vines throughout all conditions pre and post-harvest. They have been a vital part of the Sidewood Team since 2008. Mark and Peter have a combined experience of 35 years in the wine industry with over 25 years in the Adelaide Hills region. Alongside their qualified viticulturists, dedicated machine operators and experienced labour crews, Vitiworks ensure the highest level of management within the Sidewood Estate vineyards.