Our Wines

The Vineyard and Winery
Greg and Jady Roberts operate a micro-boutique winery and label which is located in the lower part of the Yarra Valley set amongst the botanical like surroundings on their Wonga Park property. The vineyard was planted in two stages 1997 and 2002 dedicated to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and is meticulously maintained by Jady and Greg.
The soils are complex yellow clay loam with high mineral content. The vineyard is unirrigated and has been developed using organic principles and applications of fish and seaweed emulsion have resulted in strong healthy vines and fruit.

The fruit is low yielding and handpicked at optimum ripeness, between 13 and 14 beaume. The fruit is in balance when full physiological ripeness is reached and with natural acid retention. Therefore there is no requirement for any acid additions.

The wines are handcrafted: whole bunches, foot treading, open ferments, basket pressed, minimally handled and in most cases unfiltered by Greg at the on site micro-winery.

Chardonnay & Pinot Giftpack	Autumn in the vineyard across the dam	Processing the shiraz pulp	Processing shiraz grapes

Processing shiraz grapes	Processing shiraz grapes	Boys will be boys	Basket press

The terroir of Wonga Estate is one that provides rich fruit, texture, minerality, good structure and natural acidity. Recently only wild yeasts have been used and with high quality French oak selection, no tannin additions are necessary or used.
Our first release of pinot noir and chardonnay was in 2000, a total production of 100 dozen. Since the expansion in 2002 our total production of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay is 600 dozen.

In 2002 the range expanded with Shiraz grown in the Colbinabbin area of Heathcote. The cambrian earth for which the area is famous has become the most prized of soil profiles, existing in a long double band starting south of Heathcote and extending some 35 km to the north of Colbinabbin. It is these 500 million-year-old volcanic soils that are the source of such exceptional Shiraz. 2002 was a surprising year in that crops throughout the Heathcote region were well down to as little as 25 per cent in some vineyards. Thus producing intense full-bodied styles.

The fruit is from low yielding dry grown old vines planted in its rare Cambrian earth, it is this Cambrian earth that, like the terra rossa of the Coonawarra, confers the area’s unique ability to produce extraordinary Shiraz.
The wine is fermented with its indigenous yeasts; barrel fermented and matured in new and one year old French barriques for 24 months.

Our first release was 2002 Heathcote Shiraz.  Total production was 120 dozen. Due to popular demand Wonga Estate now has increased its production to approximately 400 dozen per vintage

Quality is of course our focus. Wonga Estate wines are made to have good structure, texture, length and longevity and are designed to go well with food.  Wonga Estate wines are now sold in leading restaurants in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Darwin.  Our wines are also available in some small retail outlets and of course through our cellar door, telephone, Internet and mail order.

Frost affects the vines	Prize wines box set	The harvest being loaded into hoppers	Chardonnay vines in late spring

Bottling wine 2008	Crushing the grape	Processing the crushed grapes	Pinot grapes undergoing varasion

*Click on the images above to enlarge.

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