A Chat with Sam Statham ~ Rosnay Organic Wines

The beginnings of "Rosnay" are a classic Australian tale of tradition, multiculturalism and environmental passion.
Its is the blend of decades of farming without chemicals in a different industry, and an old family tradition of growing grapes in the french Beaujolais.

Former wool and cattle producers from Barraba, in northern NSW, Richard and Florence Statham moved to what is now "Rosnay" in 1995, after searching south-east Australia in search of the best site for a new vineyard and olive grove. They had no regrets leaving a farm that had been drought stricken for more than half the time, the rest of which stricken by poor wool prices, in favour of good soils and good water supplies for horticulture. With the advice of Peter Hedberg of Orange Agricultural College, they found a patch of picturesque, gently north sloping and well drained soils, just 8km south-west of Canowindra on the Belubula River, in the Cowra Wine Region, south of Orange. They called it "Rosnay".

Deb chat's with Sam Statham about their sensational story of winemaking and organic methods.