While the estate itself, founded by Richard Macdougall in 1998, is relatively new, the region itself is no stranger to viticulture. The first vines here were planted in 1842 at the Neuchâtel vineyard, 25 kilometres or so north of Bellbrae, and within a few short decades the greater Geelong region accounted for over half of Victoria’s vineyard area. This impressive boom was followed by a catastrophic bust in 1877 when the region became the first in Australia to discover the presence of the dreaded grapevine parasite Phylloxera, which had started to wreak havoc in vineyards across Europe. Desperate to contain the threat, the Victorian government ordered the entire region’s vineyards to be uprooted, and by 1883 the region was toast. It took nearly a century for the region to rediscover its vinous mojo, starting with the establishment of the Idyll Vineyard in the late ’60s.
With viticulture in the broader region coming on in fits and starts, it’s perhaps appropriate that Bellbrae Estate’s own efforts have had their rocky moments. “Our 10 year old block is called Lazarus as it has had a tough life,” Steele says. “Firstly the posts wouldn’t penetrate the limestone, so setting up the vineyard took twice as long and way too many broken posts … Secondly, one of the crew left the gates open during the springtime and the sheep ate the young shoots one weekend so we lost the crop!”
That hard earth – calcareous soil, formed by the weathering of limestone and marl, dappled with sandier and more clay-heavy patches – comes through in the wine. The Surf Coast subregion is “cool climate with close proximity to the Southern Ocean,” Steele says. “Pinot noir and chardonnay thrive on the calcareous clay soils that are quite marginal. The limestone base is vital for the mineral and fresh acid feel of the wines.” It’s not all about stone-and-sea briskness, though: “Shiraz – or syrah – here is also highly regarded for its graphite tannins,” Steele adds – a product of that limestone clay interacting with small amounts of ironstone in the soil, and the main reason Steele was drawn to this site. Bellbrae’s location, so close to the ocean, pumps the breaks on yields, with a corresponding increase in fruit quality. “We are windy and quite dry,” Steele says, “which moderates crops to a sustainable, small level.”
Sustainability is the byword here. Herbicide use has been off the table for eight years, aside from a one-time small application to shift some stubborn couch grass so that more beneficial cover crops could be planted in. Mulch applications conserve water; sprays are biological rather than synthetic “to encourage beneficials to flourish,” in Steele’s words. “We don’t till the soil, as we prefer to see the life remain in the soil,” Steele adds. Moth control occurs via pheromone pouches tied around the vineyard – “The male moths are attracted away from the females and create nearly zero offspring,” Steele explains, “hence we don’t need to spray.”
Steele’s focus is on the needs of the vines. “We take rigorous soil samples and corresponding petiole [i.e. leaf stalk] analysis, which we study with a fine-toothed comb,” he says. “From there we detail a program for nutritional requirements for each block that is tailor-made to provide optimal conditions for a healthy vine to continue to produce outstanding fruit. We therefore rule out over-feeding – producing too-vigorous vines and poorer-quality fruit – or under-feeding – leading to unhealthy vines and poor yield.”
Steele’s approach to vine health isn’t just about their nutritional needs. He’s an ardent proponent of the Poussard method of pruning, and takes post-pruning care seriously. “We use soft pruning – Poussard method – to increase sap flow,” he says. “We therefore will only do four cuts per vine, limiting the disease pressure around wounds. We cut leaving safety wood so that the wound dies back with net zero effect on sap flow.” The switch to this more labour-intensive and knowledge-demanding pruning style in Bellbrae has been a revelation for Steele. “Poussard pruning has been a critical step,” he says. “To do minimal cuts is to help the vine stay disease free. To prune with sap flow in mind has shown that the vines are more productive and more healthy from roots to growing tips.” Leaf-plucking and canopy management here are geared towards quality: “We open up the canopy in certain sections of the pinot noir so that we can maximize dappled light,” Steele says, “ensuring ripeness of seed and skin tannin, and potentially stalk tannin for use in fermentation.”
The results have been impressive. The Surf Coast’s proximity to famous beaches and the visitor drawcard of the Great Ocean Road means that many operators here focus more on developing their enotourism than they do their wines, but Bellbrae bucks the laid-back, good-vibes-only trend. The Tetaz Pinot Noir – from the oldest plantings, on richer ‘chocolate’ soils – has turned heads as a serious, structured pinot, garnering plaudits from James Halliday and the Geelong Wine Show. Bells Syrah captures the freshness and oceanic power of the beach it’s named after, with waves of fruit character pulsing through. The Boobs Chardonnay – named after a famous local surf break – drives along the palate with freshness and limestone minerality, edges softened just enough by the judicious use of new French oak. It’s not all top-shelf here, though – the estate’s Longboard range offers a more approachable, drink-now style that speaks to the region’s surf-oriented lifestyle.
Bellbrae’s operations are calibrated to give back to the local community, sustainably. “We employ local people who can ride their bikes here to help lift wires, net, and pick,” Steele says. “We support charities like Feed Me Geelong and community groups like the Jan Juc Boardriders Club, fostering thoughful talk around sustainable practices and keeping clean creeks that flow into the nearby seas.” Like a seasoned surfer effortlessly negotiating a dangerous break, Steele makes it all seem natural and easy.
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