Delatite Wines

DELATITE WINES COMPANY SUMMARY

Delatite is best known for its aromatic whites that have won many trophies and medals over the years, as well as receiving many great reviews. Robert and Vivienne Ritchie first planted vines here in 1968, built the winery in 1982, and in 2005 the baton was passed to their son David.

The 28 hectare vineyard sits between 450 and 500m above sea level in the foothills of the Victorian Alps below Mt Buller. The slopes vary in gradient and outlook (from north-east to north-west) whilst the predominant soil type is sedimentary red ironstone/mudstones.

Around 90% of the fruit comes from the Estate vineyards and from 2013 this has been tightened up so that the Reserve and Estate ranges are made only from 100% Delatite fruit. No added yeasts have been used since the 2009 vintage – indigenous or ‘wild’ yeasts have done all the fermenting giving added complexity. The High Ground range is made at Delatite from fruit grown on our own vineyards and from elsewhere within what we classify as ‘high country’ – within 50km of the winery. Some of this range are 100% estate grown, some 100% other vineyards and most a mix of both!

Rudolf Steiner’s Biodynamic principles have been followed since 2005 as we believe in growing grapes and making wine in as natural a way as possible with minimal intervention/additions. As fertilizers we utilize reactive rock phosphate, fish/kelp/fulvic acid, BD 500 and also spread manure concentrate and compost teas. No herbicides, insecticides or systemic/curative fungicides are used – the only vine sprays are wettable Sulphur, copper and Bacillus thuringiensis.