Eight Ranges Wines are crafted by our french winemakers from grapes grown on our “Certified Sustainable” Tussock Ridge Vineyard, which was established in 2001 by Mark Borrie and Trevor Deaker.
Planted in 2003, Grasshopper Rock is one of the world's southern most vineyards, dedicated exclusively to Pinot Noir.
The vineyard is on Earnscleugh Road, across the Clutha River from Alexandra. The site enjoys high sunshine hours and very cool nighttime temperatures. With extremes of heat and cold comes the risk of spring and autumn frost, providing a demanding but rewarding environment for the production of premium pinot noir.
Grasshopper Rock takes its name from an endangered grasshopper, Sigaus childi, found near the vineyard.
Paul and Angela Jacobson (nee Chiaroni)'s vineyard is situated on a sloping alluvial fan at Hillview Road below the airport plateau on the outskirts of Alexandra, Central Otago, New Zealand. The soil consists of 27m depth of fine schist and greywacke river sands. The vineyard is sheltered from the north western and southern winds.
The Chiaroni family was started in New Zealand by Ambrogio(Ambrose) Chiaroni, from Germasino, (prononced Jer-maa-zi-no) near Dongo and Lake Como, Northern Italy. He was Angela's great great uncle and he established an art and stone importation and retail business at 24 George Street in Dunedin. Later Mansueto and Ambrigio (junior) his nephew and Angela's Grandfather came out in the 1890s and they settled in Invercargill and Dunedin respectively and ran art businesses there.
Shaky Bridge Wines is located below the southern 45th parallel in the magnificent Alexandra Basin of New Zealand's stunningly beautiful Central Otago. The Alexandra Basin is the most southern winegrowing region on the planet, so our growing environment is all about cool climate viticulture. We have selected grape varieties and clones that thrive in the natural conditions of the basin with the goal of producing intensely flavored wines of superb quality. Such focus to quality is at the heart of our viticultural and vinification decisions, allowing us to create deliciously memorable wines.
