Ghost Rock and Supernatural
Cradle Coast, Tasmania.
Available in Victoria.
Tasmania's Cradle Coast is wild and naturally spectacular region, reputedly with the cleanest air in the world. The residents experience full extremes of weather, from the warm summer days to drenching springs, howling winds and snow down to the foothills of Cradle Mountain. Vinously, the sub-region was pioneered by Cate and Colin Arnold over 20 years ago, and to this day, the family pretty much are the Cradle Coast wine region—the locals even call their son Justin (who now owns the Estate) 'The Mayor'.
Ghost Rock is comprised of 27 hectares of vines on fertile loamy clay combined with some volcanic soils. This Northdown area of the Cradle Coast is a little cooler than the rest of the Tasmanian winegrowing areas, and so allows for a remarkably extended ripening period. In conjunction with the fertile soils, good vine age (20-years-old in the main), high-density planting and an obsessive pursuit of quality, this means both the sophistication and intensity of Ghost Rock wines is always pretty special.
Farming techniques and winemaking from second-generation operator Justin are drawn from the 20-odd years of experience and knowledge from his pioneering parents, and a much-needed personal connection with this wild (and sometimes brutal) landscape. Justin firmly believes wine growing was always meant to be labour-intensive and doesn't allow hard manual work to get in the way of attention to detail. This helps make him stand out as a beacon of knowledge and innovation in a previously unknown wine region.
All the range is 100% from the Estate—all grown, made and bottled onsite. The plantings are mostly comprised of Pinot Noir (with a multitude of clones including 777, D4V2, MV6, 115, Abel and D5V12), then Chardonnay and Pinot Gris, with lesser amounts of Riesling, Pinot Meunier and Sauvignon Blanc. There are three tiers to Ghost Rock: the Estate wines; the Single Vineyard series; and Supernatural, which follows the amiable lo-fi mantra of being small-batch, wild-ferment driven and exclusively unfined/unfiltered, with low SO2.
Wine
Supernatural Pét-nat
Variety
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc
Terroir
Fertile loamy clay and some volcanic soils
Vineyard
Clairdown, Bonadale and Oulton Vineyards
Winemaking
Fruit picked based on clonal ripeness. Ferments split 50/50 between wild and inoculated. Juice chilled, settled and racked prior to primary ferment and subsequent bottling (at around 12 g/l residual sugar).
Supernatural Summer Skins
Variety
Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Riesling
Terroir
Fertile loamy clay and some volcanic soils
Vineyard
A range of Ghost Rock estate vineyards
Winemaking
Pinot Gris and Noir portions co-fermented on full skins (wild), and Riesling fermented separately on full skins. Pressed to tank and older oak, with no malolactic fermentation and regular lees stirring. Bottled unfined and unfiltered with low SO2.
Supernatural Pinot Noir
Variety
Pinot Noir
Terroir
Fertile loamy clay and some volcanic soils
Vineyard
All six vineyards Ghost Rock estate vineyards
Winemaking
Ferments split 50/50 between wild and inoculated, cold soak for all batches for five to 20-days prior to commencement of fermentation. Thrice-daily plunging before draining and pressing of ferments. 11 months élevage prior to bottling.
Ghost Rock Rosé
Variety
Pinot Gris, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir
Terroir
Fertile loamy clay and some volcanic soils
Vineyard
Clairdown and Bonadale Vineyards
Winemaking
All varieties hand-picked and de-stemmed, before co-fermentation on skins in an open-top fermenter. Free-run juice drained after 12 hours of colour and phenolic extraction, and the skins pressed to tank, for a cool, gentle continuation of fermentation. One neutral oak barrel (8+ years old) was filled for a short period of élevage.
Ghost Rock Riesling
Variety
Riesling
Terroir
Fertile loamy clay and some volcanic soils
Vineyard
Oulton, Bonadale, and Iris vineyards
Winemaking
Hand-picked and de-stemmed fruit pressed in the evening under inert conditions. Cool ferment after mild clarification. Fermentation stopped at the desired residual sugar level, followed by a three-month lees-stirring program.
Ghost Rock Pinot Gris
Variety
Pinot Gris
Terroir
Fertile loamy clay and some volcanic soils
Vineyard
Various Ghost Rock estate vineyards
Winemaking
Intentionally left on the vine for full ripeness. Pressed to tank for cool ferment.
Ghost Rock Estate Chardonnay
Variety
Chardonnay
Terroir
Fertile loamy clay and some volcanic soils
Vineyard
Bonadale and Oulton Vineyards
Viticulture
Winter pruned to 20-25 buds for optimal fruit to vine ratios, and undergoes vigorous leaf plucking toward season’s end to ensure good light exposure and ripening.
Winemaking
Hand-selected and pressed under inert conditions. Following overnight settling, juice racked and fermented in French oak (a combination of puncheon, bottle and barrique). Wild and innoculated fermentation, partial malolactic fermentation and regular lees stirring. Nine months maturation in oak (40% new). No fining.
Ghost Rock Estate Pinot
Variety
Pinot Noir
Terroir
Fertile loamy clay and some volcanic soils
Vineyard
Three vineyards on the northern side of the road
Winemaking
Multi-clonal selection with picking over 10 days, a five-20 day cold soak. Half wild, half inoculated ferment, daily plunging, and 11 months maturation in French oak (30% new) before bottling.
Ghost Rock Zoe Brut Rosé
Variety
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay
Terroir
Fertile loamy clay and some volcanic soils
Vineyard
Clairdown, Bonadale and Oulton vineyards
Winemaking
A 60/40 blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Pinot Noir fruit is picked later than the Chardonnay. All fruit hand-picked and whole-bunch pressed, aged in tank and neutral oak for nine months post fermentation, then 20+ months on lees in bottle following tirage.
Ghost Rock Catherine Brut Rosé
Variety
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay
Terroir
Fertile loamy clay and some volcanic soils
Vineyard
Bonadale and Oulton vineyards
Winemaking
A 60/40 blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, hand-picked and whole bunch pressed. Aged in tank and neutral oak for nine months following fermentation, and a further 40+ months in bottle on lees. A classic Brut style of Tasmanian sparkling.
Ghost Rock SV Bonadale Chardonnay
Variety
Chardonnay
Terroir
Fertile loamy clay and some volcanic soils. 10-year-old vines.
Winemaking
Hand-picked and whole-bunch pressed under inert conditions. Following overnight settling, racked with partial wild fermentation in French oak (a combination of puncheon, bottle and barrique). Partial malolactic fermentation and regular, rigorous lees stirring. Maturation for nine months in oak (40% new), then bottled without fining or filtration.
Ghost Rock Bonadale Pinot Noir
Variety
Pinot Noir
Terroir
Fertile loamy clay and some volcanic soils
Vineyard
Bonadale Vineyard
Winemaking
Hand-picked, 100% de-stemmed and cold soaked for 14 days prior to wild fermentation in a 3,500 litre Burgundian oak vat. Matured in first-class French oak barriques (approx 40% new). Bottled unfiltered and unfined.
Ghost Rock Oulton Pinot Noir
Variety
Pinot Noir
Terroir
Fertile loamy clay and some volcanic soils
Vineyard
Oulton vineyard
Viticulture
Vines were winter pruned to three-arm arches and heavily de-leafed following veraison.
Winemaking
Fermented utilising the XP yeast strain following an extended cold soak. Matured in French oak barriques (approx 40% new). No racking during maturation, no fining, no filtration.
Orders
For all order enquiries please get in touch.