Where
is Lerida?
For
those not familiar with the Canberra region, Lerida is situated
at the base of the escarpment of the Lake George Range that
runs along the western side of Lake George. The Lake, when
it has some water in it, is some 45km NE of Canberra and on
the route of the Federal Highway, which goes to Goulburn and
ultimately to Sydney.
Photograph taken by Graham on 2nd July
2007 after heavy rain
From
Sydney:
Drive
past Goulburn on the Hume Highway. Take the Canberra turn-off
to the Federal Highway. Look out for Collector, and 11km south
of the southern turn-off to Collector on the Federal Highway,
look for the Gurney VC Rest Area on the right hand side. This
is also marked with a winery sign which says 'Lake George
Wineries'.
Turn
right off the Federal Highway onto "The Vineyards"
road, turn right again and travel north along this road for
800m until you see the Lerida Estate sign and our driveway
on the left.
From
Canberra:
Take
the Federal Highway north towards Goulburn. Travel 45km from
Civic, and look for the Gurney VC Rest Area on the left. Turn
left to join "The Vineyards" road, turn right again
and travel north along this road for 800m until you see the
Lerida Estate sign and our driveway on the left.
The
Lake George "Terroir"
The
Lake George Range rises steeply from the Western shores of
the Lake. The alluvial fans at the foot of the range form
a perfect location for viticulture. The soils are relatively
infertile and drain freely. These conditions encourage deep-rooted,
healthy vines and provide enough stress to favour the production
of grapes with thick skins and excellent fruit flavours and,
as we read in a recent edition of Nature, high levels
of anti-ageing polyphenols.
The
slopes face East allowing the rising sun to dry out any dew,
and so reduce the impact of moulds and mildews. The steepness
of the slopes also contributes to vine health by promoting
good air drainage and reducing the risk of frost damage during
the growing season.
In
addition, as with the rest of the district, Lake George has
the ideal ripening conditions for super-premium wines. The
bright sunny days of March and April combine with cold nights
to prolong maturation and retain the delicate aromatic compounds
essential for the expression of varietal flavours.
The
Vineyard
At Lerida Estate we have 19.42 acres of vines
planted on lower slopes of Lake George Range. Vines planted
consist of:
Lake George by Satelite (Image supplied
by Wikipedia)
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