Image: Tamburlaine Organic Wines

Tamburlaine Organic Wines announced the purchase of Boomey vineyard in Central-West New South Wales, previously part of the Cumulus operation.

The 645-hectare property, planted with 507 hectares of vineyard, is situated across the rolling hills of Boomey, just northeast of Molong.

Tamburlaine bought what was originally the Cabonne winery at Cudal, a 20-year-old, 12,000 tonne facility designed to process the Boomey grape production alongside fruit from other vineyards in the region.

The increasing demand for Orange region organic fruit led Tamburlaine to investigate the potential of purchasing Boomey.

“The Cudal winery and Boomey vineyard have been reunited. We are simply putting the band back together,” Tamburlaine’s managing director Mark Davidson said.

“I believe that at the time of planting in the mid-1990s, the Boomey vineyard was the largest single site planting in the southern hemisphere.

“Once fully certified organic, along with existing company vineyards, Bellview and Borenore, we will hold approximately 700 hectares of certified vineyard in the region.”

Underpinning the vineyard’s ongoing sustainability is quality basalt and limestone-based soils and excellent water availability.

“With some other growers in the region now adopting organic practises as well, Orange must lay claim as the capital of premium organic wine production in Australia,” said Davidson.

“It is certainly a region with all the right qualities and a proven track record.”

Boomey has substantial plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Merlot, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, as well as several other varieties.

According to Mark, there will be some substantial grafting in the seasons ahead to add other commercially-trending varieties and a few that are better adapted to a warming climate.

Currently, 301 hectares of the Boomey vineyard is either fully certified organic or in conversion, with plans to shift entirely to certified organic production over the coming years.

“We have retained the experienced vineyard team which has done such a good job over the years and are keen to adapt to a contemporary organic program, led by Manager Russ Quilty and Viticulturalist Marty Gransden,” said Davidson.

The Boomey vineyard purchase comes alongside the recent announcement that Tamburlaine was successful in winning Federal Government support for upgrading bottling and packaging plant at the Cudal Winery as part of the Manufacturing Modernisation Fund.

“The result of these investments in the wine industry and in the region, will be more local jobs across the Central West over the coming months, in addition to those we have already created,” Davidson added.

“We are also keen to develop training programs in the grape growing, wine and beverage industries in cooperation with other local producers to open new pathways into the industry for locals, especially school leavers.”

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