New taste for Valley

By Melissa Donchi
FOR Mark Haisma, winemaking is more of passion than a profession.
As the proud new owner and creator of Ridgeline Wines, Mr Haisma is determined to set his wine apart from the competition.
“If I try to compete with other larger organisations, I’m lost,” he said.
Instead, Mr Haisma has decided to keep his business small by developing a mailing list and placing his produce in select markets in Melbourne and Sydney.
Ridgeline Wines are produced from non-irrigated vines of a low-cropping, single vineyard at Coldstream in the Yarra Valley.
It’s one of the few vineyards in the Yarra Valley that doesn’t irrigate, something that Mr Haisma chose to emphasise.
“For me, it’s just unnecessary. This way I get to produce small firm bunches of grapes that are full of flavour without all the water and other things you get with irrigation.”
Vineyard owners Warwick and Paulette Bisley planted their crops back in 1997 and in 2002 approached Mr Haisma to buy their fruit.
Over the past four years, Mr Haisma has developed a close relationship with the couple and now has an input in the vineyard’s management.
Mr Haisma is meticulous with his vineyard management and emphasises the importance it bears on the quality of the fruit so that it reflects not only the cool climate conditions of the Yarra but also the particular microclimate of the site.
The fruit is dry-grown on a wonderful site of shattered gravel clay off the valley floor that has perfect drainage and good water retention during summer.
Mr Haisma is no stranger to wine production having worked in the industry for all of his professional life.
His first job was serving wine as a waiter at Domain Chandon in the Yarra Valley.
Since then he has gone on to run five star restaurants in Europe and Australia.
He now works at Yarra Yering where he started out as a farm hand to become apprentice winemaker and finally manager.
Today he co-produces the exquisite wines at Yarra Yering while also producing his own range of single vineyard Ridgeline Wines.
Ridgeline’s first vintage in 2002 included Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz. Since 2004 it has also added a rose and Pinot white.
Subscribe to the Ridgeline Wine mailing list at www.ridgelinewines .com.au.