‘A real game changer’ that’s how Paul Bridgeman describes Levantine Hill’s new $20+ million state-of-the-art winery. Bridgeman, who earnt his stripes at Yarra Ridge, DeBortoli Yarra Valley, Yarra Yering and now Levantine Hill, is understandably proud and a little excited to share this stunning winery and function space with the public.
‘It’s an amazingly beautiful building and a purpose built winery which perfectly suits how we go about making the wine.’
Production is what it’s all about on the ground level, with grapes picked only metres away then brought into the winery before undergoing hand sorting, crushing/pressing and then into fermentation tanks. There are plans to add a bottling line later in the year.
The underground basement is a winemaker’s dream, with its temperature and humidity controlled environment perfect for barrel maturation. But it’s the mezzanine level where all the hard work comes together with an analysis laboratory and a tasting room flooded with natural light, vital for effective assessment of the wines.
‘It was not going to be just four walls and a tin roof. It always had to be as much an architectural statement and a bit of a monument as well as a practical winemaking facility,’ Bridgeman explains. It was renowned Melbourne architecture firm Fender Katsalidis Architects who were able to bring this mission to life, designing the winery and accompanying function space to complement the property’s existing restaurant and cellar door.
The building’s grand sweeping curves are redolent of the area’s undulating hills but its beauty is more than skin deep. Environmentally sustainable principles were incorporated into the sculptural design ensuring good temperature control and ventilation.
THE DETAILS
WHAT: Levantine Hill
WHERE: 882 Maroondah Highway, Coldstream
WHEN: Mon, Thurs, Fri 11am – 5pm, Sat, Sun 11am – 6pm
MORE INFO: Levantine Hill
