What makes high elevation wines so special?

Put simply, compared to warm regions, we get half the volume of grapes from each vine, but twice the intensity of flavour.

High elevation, cool climate wines are medium-bodied. The fruit flavours are more forward, which makes our wines crisp, bright and vibrant. They have a higher acid than most wines, which is the key to making wine and food work in perfect harmony.

By contrast, you've probably tasted big, warm-climate wines from other regions that are jammy, ripe and full of oak. Great wines, but almost a meal in themselves. Their strength can often overwhelm your food.

Cumulus Estate wines are more elegant, less oak, less tannin, and a lot more finesse when you're enjoying a meal.

For those interested in the technical side, there are two reasons for this.

Firstly, our lower temperatures mean that the grapes take longer to ripen, giving us time to get the evenness right across the bunches. That prevents any overripe characters.

Secondly, our elevation means greater intensity of sunlight. Not heat, but higher UV readings which matter more. This creates fruit with our characteristic brightness of flavour.