Situated by a beautiful lagoon which empties into the Hawkesbury River, lies the vineyard known as Jubilee Vineyard. It is owned by Alison and Ray Hayek whose first vintage was in 2008 and whose passionate love for what they do is clear.
Prior to owning Jubilee they had held an interest in a vineyard in the Hunter Valley. As parents to four boys they were keen to find a property where the children could run and play freely in fresh air. Fortunately they found this 27 hectare property near Ebenezer. Both Alison and Ray are chiropractors and whilst Ray still continues to work as a chiropractor and in academia, Alison is able to devote herself to mothering and the vineyard.
The Hayeks inherited a vineyard planted with Chambourcin, an American/French hybrid which can withstand humidity, essential in this area which receives summer rain. They have planted viognier and also shiraz, "for the heartbreak," laughs Alison. As a boutique vineyard it is important that they develop handcrafted, unique wines and explore the potential of more exotic blends.
The Hayeks work in close co operation with Tizzana Winery across the road, where Peter Auld makes their wine for them. They sell their wine through markets and city restaurants, as well as, of course, through their own cellar door. They sell White Chambourcin, roses, reds and ports, all of which share a cleanliness on the palate characteristic of the Chambourcin grape variety.
Alison clearly adores the family's huge lifestyle shift. She describes the beauty of dawn on the lagoon, which is home to cormorants, pelicans, swamp hens and a pair of nesting black swans. She delights in the blossom of spring time and the seasonal changes in the vineyard. This love is clearly communicated as she talks me through the various wines - it is clear that the work involved in running a vineyard is a labour of love in the best possible way.
In talking to students Alison is keen to describe the environmental challenges involved in terms of weather and climate patterns and their impact on the vineyard. It is important that the students understand the seasons in the vineyard and what work is undertaken according to those seasons - thus gaining better knowledge of, not paddock to plate in this case, but paddock to bottle!
Hello Ray
The email address we created for you on my iPhone has obvious errors and is not going anywhere - so could you kindly email me at pipnree@bigpond.com so I can send you the CCIA stuff?
Ta
Phillip
Posted by: Phillip Ebrall | 04/11/2011 at 09:08 AM