The inspiration for Curly Flat Vineyard was Phillip Moraghan's experiences whilst studying in Switzerland in the 1980’s. During this period he was captivated by the many wine regions of France and Switzerland and completely enthralled by Burgundy and its Pinot Noir.
Fortunately for Phillip, his partner and future wife, Jeni shared the vision that has brought together the dedicated team to nuture Curly Flat from a romantic ideal to awe-inspiring reality.
Pursuit of the dream and a cool climate suited to Pinot Noir, brought Phillip and Jeni to Lancefield in the Macedon Ranges near Melbourne. The high altitude region is ideally suited to wine growing, with well drained volcanic soils and moderate rainfall.
Curly Flat is located on a slope that catches the very last rays of sunshine in the magical moments before dusk. This prolonged exposure to the Autumn sun provides a vital ingredient for the very special fruit that is produced at Curly Flat.
To build expertise Jeni and Phillip volunteered their labour in other vineyards and wineries - but it was Macedon Ranges pioneer, Laurie Williams (Flynn & Williams label), who nurtured their understanding and passion for growing wine. Phillip began studying viticulture and travelling overseas to gain experience in wine growing and wine making - he has done several vintages in the USA, including Ponzi Vineyards in Willamette Valley Oregon and Russell Hearn's Premium Wine Group on Long Island NY.
The first vines were planted at Curly Flat in 1991 and with progressive plantings the vineyard is now 14 hectares (33 acres) – principally Pinot Noir with some Chardonnay and a little Pinot Gris.
A new winery was constructed in time for the April 2002 vintage. The original homestead, built in 1890's, has been extensively renovated to host wine tastings and other wine related events.
Prior to the 2002 vintage the wines were made at a neighbouring winery under contract - with equipment and labour input from the Curly Flat Team. In 2002 Phillip took over the winemaking role, under the guidance of one of Australia's leading winemakers who is a renowned Pinot Noir specialist.
The first vintage wines, 1998 Pinot Noir and Chardonnay were released in Australia in late 2001. Curly Flat wines became available in the United Kingdom in 2004 and are now also exported to Japan and Hong Kong.
Curly Flat Vineyard is concentrating on producing wines of the highest quality that have already received critical acclaim in Australia, Europe and the United States. Indications from subsequent vintages engender great confidence in the ability of Curly Flat to consistently provide wine of the highest quality.
>The current releases include:
- 2005 Curly Flat Pinot Noir
- 2006 Curly Flat Chardonnay
- 2007 Curly Flat Pinot Gris
- 2007 Curly Flat Rose
