“The Orbis vineyard is bisected by the Willunga Fault, which formed the Mount Lofty Ranges,” Verity Cowley says. “It features the most southerly example of the prized Kurrajong soils in McLaren Vale … formed from the varied layers of rock fractured and crushed by the fault. These soils are renowned for giving wines added spice and savoury character.” She adds: “With added elevation and gully winds providing cooling at the end of hot days, our microclimate is able to produce wines that are medium bodied, have fine velvety tannin and excellent savoury character.”
The vineyard was first established in 1968, with 12.4 hectares committed to vines. By the end of the ’70s, those plantings had almost doubled. A small addition was made in 2001, with climate-appropriate varieties best suited to the site being planted from 2019, shifting the varietal balance away from shiraz. Today, the 23.5-hectare property is planted to shiraz, tempranillo, grenache, nero d’avola, montepulciano, fiano, trousseau, cinsault, garganega and albariño.
Cowley recently stepped up to the role of head winemaker and managing director at Orbis, including a part ownership stake, after the departure of former winemaker Lauren Langfield. Despite this change, there is a strong sense of continuity, with Cowley’s experience with organic and low- or no-preservative winemaking at Temple Bruer fitting neatly with Orbis’s ambitions. “Orbis has, for two years now, adopted Simonit and Sirch winter and summer pruning methods including controlled branching, pruning to strength, shoot thinning and the leaving of ample wood to prevent die-back,” says Cowley. “This has resulted in a significant improvement in uniformity of ripening and the elimination of green character in some of our wines.”
The Simonit and Sirch approach requires a significant investment in labour and training, but it’s already paying dividends. “It is a significant investment due to the extra care and precision required in initial pruning,” Cowley says. “It has repaid us with improved fruit quality through uniformity of ripening, an ability to make lower alcohol, more drinkable wines, increased yields – and now a reduced effort required in pruning and shoot thinning each year as the plants settle into their new structure.”
Re-trellising has seen the cordon wires raised, along with the move to vertical shoot positioning (VSP) – a change brought about not only to make vineyard work easier, but also to allow Orbis to graze their vineyard year-round with the babydoll sheep they farm. Initial trials with winter and autumn cell grazing between the rows initially helped with weed management, but the benefits to the soil through their manure and the sustainability advantages became so apparent that they have made the switch permanent for the blocks that are appropriately trellised. “When we were able to year-round graze our first few blocks in the spring and summer of 2021, we immediately knew that we were onto something,” Brad Moyes says. “The grazed blocks had no broad-leaf weed issues, they didn’t require any intervention to control under-vine growth at all. Sheep grazing removed snail habitat, we felt safe walking through them without concern for snakes, and we could see the nutrients being recycled under our feet.” The benefits spurred a large-scale replanting and retraining program to sheep-proof the remaining blocks – even though the babydolls are short in stature, young shoots and fruit still prove to be tempting snacks.
Bringing the sheep in as vineyard workers has its advantages, but it also comes with a duty of care. “Our current, very recent, challenge is the management of high measured sheep blood copper levels,” says Moyes. “Testing indicated high vine leaf copper levels, and sheep had accessed some vine leaves as pasture quality declined in a dry summer.” He adds, “With veterinary assistance we are assessing dietary supplements for the sheep to assist with copper excretion and tolerance. We will also minimise copper use going forward, move to a recycling sprayer to minimise copper fall onto pasture, test pasture following spraying prior to sheep re-entry, and increase use of double lifting wires to reduce the risk of sheep accessing vine leaf.”
While the Orbis Vineyard is one of the highest and coolest in McLaren Vale, with sea breezes providing further cooling effects, the impacts of climate change are still keenly felt – and not always as warmth. Frost, for example, which has historically not been an issue for the Vale, “has appeared to increase to the point of becoming a significant issue in some vineyards in the region,” says Moyes. “We suffered our first recognised frost damage [in 2024] on the lower flatter portion of the vineyard … Avoidance of tall under vine growth assists with air flow and is known to reduce frost risk. These blocks may be a focus for short grazing during frost risk months – another benefit of high cordons.” Balancing spring frost snaps against hotter, dryer summers is the challenge, one the Orbis team tackles through careful water management (practically a full-time job between December and March for long-term Orbis employee Andrew ‘Macca’ Mackenzie), climate-appropriate varieties, and cover crops.
Like any best-practice vineyard, the pursuit of soil health is of paramount importance. “Grape marc from our on-site winery and bio-char from old vines are composted with wood waste and manure and distributed bi-annually under-vine, providing nutrient and mulching benefits,” Cowley says. Mulch and compost are produced onsite, and full grass cover is maintained in the mid-rows, with no herbicides or pesticides employed. “Samples have shown that long-term use of full diverse grass cover, cellular grazing, general avoidance of herbicide use and mulching have seen our soils develop high levels of beneficial mycorrhizal fungi, the benefits of which are seen in the health of our vines.”
That provides an obvious upside for the growing of wine grapes, but it also underscores the overarching commitment to sustainability, says Cowley. “Our Ouroborous logo symbolises our pursuit of closed-loop agriculture and carbon net-zero. Its anti-clockwise orientation signifies the regeneration of land and environment, and our Orbis name is latin for circular motion. The 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals are a framework for our decision making.”
Hardwood timber used for vineyard end-posts and any building – including a recently completed winery extension – is all sourced sustainably onsite from their own wood lot, and chickens aid the composting process by picking through the piles while contributing their own organic matter. Biochar is made onsite from prunings and vines that have been removed. The operation is also now completely off-grid, with solar energy used to power the winery, and electric vehicles and machinery used where possible, including an electric forklift and Polaris farm vehicles. The farm also produces meat, wool, honey and eggs, providing an economic ballast against difficult vintages such as 2023.
The sustainability mantra goes all the way to the bottling line, too, with locally produced lightweight recycled bottles used, which are sealed with natural cork that has been individually tested to eliminate cork taint. The production of those corks and the forestry methods involved have been measured to sequester 300 grams of CO₂ for every closure, as opposed to the 37 grams emitted per screw cap. Foils are eschewed and the labels are made from sugar cane waste, which is fully biodegradable. They will even collect empty bottles to wash and reuse.
Orbis’s understanding of sustainability goes beyond the environment – they’re thinking about social and economic sustainability, too. “We are committed to building a sustainable business model that supports not only our vineyard’s longevity but also the well-being of everyone involved,” Moyes says. That extends to giving employees some skin in the game. “Through employee ownership, we empower our team to have a direct stake in the vineyard’s success, fostering responsibility and shared purpose. We have a dynamic, motivated workforce that is fully invested in producing wines of the highest quality.”
Employee ownership is just one part of what ties Cowley to this place. “What I love most about our vineyards at Orbis is the deep connection we have with the land,” she says. “Through regenerative and organic farming practices, along with year-round under-vine grazing, we are nurturing the soil and ensuring its health for generations. Being part of a team that shares this passion, where each of us is valued and empowered through employee ownership, makes it even more special. Here, we are not just crafting exceptional wines, but cultivating a future where sustainability, community, and passion drive everything we do.”
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