Larry Cherubino started his career as a horticulturist, then diverted to winemaking in an era when winemakers spent pretty much all their time in sheds. With an impressive winemaking CV, Cherubino had already launched his eponymous label at the time he and his wife Edwina (a fourth-generation West Australian) bought the Riversdale Vineyard property in Frankland River in 2010. However, it wasn’t without its unforeseen challenges, as Cherubino recalls: “I had my father-in-law’s sheep in the adjacent paddock. Just after we purchased the vineyard and were getting ready for a harvest, the sheep got out and consumed 12 hectares of fruit. Family gatherings and dinners were a bit strained for a few years. I can almost laugh about it now!”
The sheep knew Cherubino had chosen a special piece of land. “Our Riversdale vineyard is situated at a high point in the river valley, where the elevation rapidly ascends to 250 meters from the river banks to the upper slopes. This elevation, along with the airflow, contributes to our fruits’ distinctively Frankland characteristics, yielding bright, vibrant wines with concentrated and coated acidity. Additionally, we utilize two distinct sites for wine production: the southern slopes and the northern riverside slopes. These two aspects are vital for the diverse varietal and clonal selections we utilize.”
“The soils here are not solely composed of the highly oxidized ironstones common in the region; there’s also a mix of granite and ironstone. This combination results in deeply colored red soils with a high content of fine clay particles. These soils boast significant water and nutrient retention and are typical of areas close to the river that quickly reach higher elevations.”
“The ferrous aromatics and mineral-like qualities often used to describe Frankland River reds show strongly with every passing vintage. The single most important factor that has transformed our wines has been the attention we have placed on our soils.”
The distinctiveness of Riversdale extends beneath the surface, with a soil composition that diverges from the norm within the region. Cherubino explains, “The soils here are not solely composed of the highly oxidized ironstones common in the region; there’s also a mix of granite and ironstone. This combination results in deeply colored red soils with a high content of fine clay particles. These soils boast significant water and nutrient retention and are typical of areas close to the river that quickly reach higher elevations.”
The connection between the land and the wines it produces is palpably felt by Cherubino: “The ferrous aromatics and mineral-like qualities often used to describe Frankland River reds show strongly with every passing vintage. The single most important factor that has transformed our wines has been the attention we have placed on our soils. We are fortunate to have started with a very good base, characterized by their balanced fertility and water-holding capacity, as well as improvements in organic matter and carbon. Vine health and stamina have had a tremendous effect on the freshness and quality of the whites and the detailed freshness of the tannins in red wines. This has allowed us to reduce oak usage by 80%, relying on old, large barrels, concrete, and terracotta. Oak is a hard habit to break, but better fruit with superior quality tannins and acidity is giving us a lot of confidence to get the vineyard nuance into the bottle.”
Over the years, Cherubino has navigated the complex interplay between climate adaptability, varietal diversity, and the pursuit of flavor complexity in the art of ‘wine-growing’ at Riversdale. With an eye on both present conditions and future shifts in climate, Cherubino has curated a collection of 15 varieties: grüner veltliner, touriga, counoise, mourvedre, grenache, mencia, petit verdot, malbec, cabernet franc, syrah, cabernet sauvignon, riesling, fiano, merlot, and nebbiolo. Cherubino elaborates on this selection process: “Frankland River is a mild, cool continental climate located about 60 km inland. The wines are fresh and have verve, but the yearly rainfall can vary from 400-600 mm. Our choice of new varieties must be based not only on heat degree data but also on rainfall, which is a major decision variable. Water is everything. We are working with Italian varieties that require a long, cool summer, low water use, and benefit from late autumn rains. Overall, mencia, grenache, fiano, greco, and nebbiolo are standouts.”
“Our choice of new varieties must be based not only on heat degree data but also on rainfall, which is a major decision variable. Water is everything. We are working with Italian varieties that require a long, cool summer, low water use, and benefit from late autumn rains. Overall, mencia, grenache, fiano, greco, and nebbiolo are standouts.”
Building on this foundation, Cherubino further refines the vineyard’s varietal mix with an innovative approach to clonal diversity: “We’ve introduced around 20 Cabernet clones and new ones from Bordeaux, plus six syrah clones, aiming for vineyard-driven complexity. This was crucial due to the limited genetic variety in Frankland River and the state. Frankland River’s extended Indian summer and cooler temperatures allow us to cultivate many Mediterranean varieties while maintaining excellent acidity, a hallmark of the region. Selecting drought-resilient varieties was key, given the unpredictability of future rainfall. Despite efforts to drought-proof the vineyard through improved soil, reservoirs, and catchments, the future remains uncertain. These varieties are chosen to withstand up to 30% rainfall reduction.”
Cherubino’s dedication to clonal experimentation is not just about enhancing the vineyard’s adaptability but also about contributing to the broader viticultural landscape through consultancy and setting a high standard for wine quality and style. He reflects on the impact of this work: “I like to think we’ve added a lot by way of the new clonal selections we introduced to date; our work helped to develop vineyards via our consultancy, and importantly, the quality and style of the wines we hope to set as an example of what can be done. Sometimes it’s better just to do it!”
Over the years, Cherubino has woven the principles of sustainable viticulture into the fabric of Riversdale Vineyard, stepping a practical path forward toward carbon neutral certification. He reflects on this, noting, “Our journey towards sustainable credibility has been lengthy. Instead of strictly adhering to ‘organic’ or ‘biodynamic’ certification and ‘conventional (scientific) farming’ principles, we prefer to blend the best of each system in our vineyards. This approach keeps us progressive, responsible, sustainable, and importantly, profitable.”
Cherubino illuminates that the efforts have not only enriched the vineyard’s soil health. “Over the past decade, we’ve actively cultivated cover crops and implemented mulching techniques to enrich the organic matter content of our soil. This strategic approach has led to remarkable results: our soil’s total carbon levels are now approaching 6%, a 3% increase. These outcomes were initially unintended but have accelerated our transition to carbon neutrality, capturing up to 15,000 tonnes of carbon in our soils. We are excited about the benefits this brings to our wines and our bottom line. Starting early next year, we plan to begin trading carbon credits, hoping to offset our fertilizer use through these initiatives.”
The results could be seen in the fruit, as Cherubino recounts, “We changed our nutrition, and in doing so, we could leave fruit on the vines longer. This resulted in a much more complete ripening of the fruit with better vine resilience.”
The impact of these sustainable practices extends from the soil to the quality of the ferments in the winery, Riversdale has seen a marked improvement in vine health and wine quality. “Our carbon levels have increased by 3% to almost 6%, which places us very well and on par with many others who have even more ability to capture carbon via organic matter and old growth orchards. Our YAN levels have increased on average by 150-200, and this is off the back of no additions of inorganic nitrogen for some years. The incidence of poor fermentation dynamics has dissipated, and as a result, we have clean, bright wines. All of these changes have been driven by the need to improve our soils, reducing acidification which limits diversity, cutting back on inorganic nitrogen, and focusing on soil pH and balance to create a diverse set of soil biota.”
Cherubino’s visionary approach places Riversdale Vineyard in good stead. “Today, we’re just months away from achieving carbon neutrality and sustainable certifications.” This will mark a significant milestone in his commitment to environmental stewardship and the production of exceptional wines deeply rooted in the land from which they come.
Please sign in or create account as candidate to bookmark this job
Please sign in or create account to save this search
Please sign in or create account as candidate to create a resume
