BEVERAGES > Organic Wine > Cape Jaffa Wines

Winemaking couple Derek and Anna Hooper take a very hands-on approach to their winemaking. Using a combination of old and new world techniques Derek and Anna draw on their experience at a number of world-renowned French wineries across Burgundy, Bordeaux and the Rhone Valley. Red wine fermentation particularly pays tribute to the time-honoured European way involving hand-plunging of wines in open concrete tanks. French oak is the only choice for storing and maturing wines.

Cape Jaffa's modern and innovative winery is certified by Australian Certified Organic as an organic processing facility, and winemaking operations are timed to coincide with the events of the biodynamic activity calendar. Harvest dates, rackings and finings are also governed by this schedule. The use of artificial fining agents is avoided, using natural milk products to fine white wines and hand-separated egg whites to fine reds. Where possible, Derek and Anna keep the handling of their wines to a minimum.

Cape Jaffa Wines is the first fully certified biodynamic vineyard on the Limestone Coast, one of only four in South Australia, with 25 hectares under vine. Cape Jaffa Wines is the first fully certified biodynamic vineyard on the Limestone Coast and Mount Benson's pioneer winery, producing terroir-driven and regionally distinctive wines for over a decade. The Hooper family's passion for wine, food and the outdoors brought them to this region in 1993, and since then winemaking has been enriched by surfing and catching crayfish. Cape Jaffa's first vintage was produced in 1995 and today produces a range of cool climate wines, including quality red wines, white wines and certified biodynamic wines.