The Florance Vineyard

Kangaroo Island Is One Of The Worlds Last Unspoilt Wildernesses. K. I. As The Locals Refer To Their Island Is 70 Kilometers South East Of Adelaide Capital Of South Australia. K. I. Is 144 Kilometers Long And 64 Wide. Battered By The Indian Ocean And The Prevailing Southerlies Direct From Antarctica The Only Protection For Passing Ships Are The Three 19th Century Light Houses Standing Silent Sentinel. K. I.s Vineyards Require Protection Too So Are Planted In The Most Sheltered Sites Along The More Temperate Northern Coast On Their Own Rootstock In Some Of The Worlds Oldest Soils. Although The First European Explorer To Map The Area In 1802 Was Frenchman Nicolas Baudin It Took Another 180 Years Until The First Trial Vineyard Was Planted On K. I. By Gaetano - Caj - Amadio Of Chain Of Ponds Winery. Patron Of The K. I. Grape Growers And Winemakers Assoc. Inc. The Kangaroo Island Trading Company Was Established More Than A Decade Ago To Build Upon Cajs Pioneering Efforts Encouraging Viticulturalists To Plant The Best Sites With The Best Varieties. Michael And Rosie Florance Planted Their Pioneering Vineyard On Gum Creek Road In The Summer Of 1986-7 To Cabernet Sauvignon - Cabernet Franc And Merlot In The Cygnet River Valley. The Isolated Location And Maritime Climate Reduces Vine Diseases But Despite Being Fenced In And The Precious Fruit Netted During Vintage The Florance Vineyards Is Beseiged By Local Fauna - Wallabies - Kangaroos - Possums - Bush Turkeys - Emus And Birds - Southern Ravens - Black Crows - Silver Eye Finches - As Well As Black Tiger Belly And Copper Headed Snakes. Despite The Many Chalenges Michael And Rosies Success Has Encouraged Them To Plant More Vines. The 1999 Florance Vineyard Is The Ninth Bottling From The Property And We Are Confident It Will Benefit From Further Bottle Ageing And Decanting As We Have Previous Releases. Cheers Caj Amadio.