Bago Vineyards. Producers of fine wine on the NSW Mid North Coast
As Bago Vineyards produces wine from a single vineyard, all our wines show-case the distinct maritime style of the Hastings Valley. One needs only to sample a glass of Verdelho or Chambourcin to appreciate the celebrated uniqueness of the region.
Bago Vineyards is focused on the terroir of their estate, which is a major influencing factor in producing wines which cannot be replicated in other climates.
THE LANDFORM
Bago Vineyards is situated in the Camden Haven basin which is an up-lifted Sedimentary basin that drains eastward 15 km to the coastal town of Laurieton. This basin has been interrupted by volcanic activity which has given rise to our well drained and fertile alluvial flats. As the last major climatic change lowered the sea level the creek also lowered leaving behind alluvial terraces well above the present creek level.
THE SOILS
Bago Vineyards has been established on these terraces of deep red loam slowly developing a profile to a krasnorzem. These soils are quite vigorous, with the grapes grown on these soils displaying lots of growth due to their fertility, and as a result we have adapted a modern trellis system under the guidance of internationally renowned viticulturalist Dr. Richard Smart to control the vigour, disease, and to allow enough sunlight into the canopy to produce fruit of the highest quality.
ASPECT
We are much cooler than other coastal valleys and as a consequence suffer from many frosts each year due to our southerly outlook. Being on the southerly slope of the Bago Bluff mountain range our winter sun is shorter than on the other side of the mountain. The terraces where the grapes are grown become a cold air sink-hold during winter and with the tall forest surrounding the vineyard the vines receive the winter chilling required for an even bud burst in spring.
CLIMATE
The constant sea breezes during winter and summer keep the temperatures down, and during the summer months the temperature rarely raises above 30 degrees although the humidity can extremely high. The breezes in winter cool the air, and with still clear nights there are occasional large temperature drops. Bago’s rainfall is high by world standards for vineyards (over 1500mm annually) which in conjunction with our deep soils allows the grapes to be grown without irrigation. The high humidity allows our grapes to seldom become stressed, and the warm nights during spring and summer and the high humidity tend to encourage our grapes to grow unimpeded the whole summer season.
VEGETATION
The vineyard area was carved out of dense wet sclerophyll forest, the borders of which are still framed by tall gum trees standing there to remind us of the past. It is these tall trees that shelter and protect the vineyard during times of severe wind whilst still allowing cool, drying breezes.
