Working on the principle that enthusiasm triumphs over professionalism, the first vines were planted at Kingower by Sue Mackinnon, Graeme Leith, Anne and David Brown (who then wisely took up cheese making) in November 1973 by the headlights of the van from which they had driven from Melbourne after work. They laid out the wires, measured the distance between the vines, dug the holes with shovels and planted 150 vines. Cabernet, shiraz and riesling that Tom Lazar had left over from his last plantings at Virgin Hills, and which he had kindly donated. They then had some supper and drove back to Melbourne. They were younger, then.

One or two vines had to have their orientation re adjusted on the next visit but these vines are still alive and bearing fruit.

1974 saw a more structured approach but as it didn’t stop raining the vines were all planted in mud in scenes reminiscent of rice paddies in the east. Of course, when the rain stopped there was a drought, and the vines, 7000 or so, by then, had to be watered one at a time out of a Furphy tank. That took a while.

Sue and Graeme were convinced that things grown organically would be better for you, so when the weeds grew Graeme chipped them out with a hand chipping tool, or three; they tended to wear out on the pieces of quarts the miners had left behind.

In 1975 the rest of the vineyard, having had its gum trees, boxthorn, Chinese scrub and tree of heaven removed was planted to shiraz and cabernet to fulfill the aim of a 60% shiraz 40% cabernet blend. That year was assisted by the use of a ‘silly plough’ designed to be pulled by a horse. It consisted of a blade attached to a pair of handles that were then attached to an idiot who would try to weave in and out between the vines, turning over the grass at its root zone. The amazing thing is that it worked tolerably well attached to the faithful Ferguson tractor although the lack of communication between the tractor driver Sue, and the idiot Graeme, lead to occasional altercations.

And so the dream persisted and the vines grew completely organically until it became apparent that the silly ploughing and the subsequent cleaning up of 11 kilometers of row was too much for Graeme, who at the age of 36 was ageing noticeably. So a spray unit was bought (demo model – reduced price of course) and Round Up (glyphosate) a biodegradable herbicide was then used to control the weeds, elemental copper and sulphur to eliminate mildews are the only sprays used at Passing Clouds now, no pesticides or insecticides are used and the wine is as pure and untainted as we can make it. The original vineyard on its ancient soils and water worn stones where the creek (when it flows) has meandered over eons still provide the backbone of our wine, now complemented by the addition of grapes from nearby Rheola, Wehla and Axedale, and from our new cool climate vineyard at Musk, near Daylesford.

Over the last five years great pinot noirs have been made here – the
‘Passing Clouds’ from Coldstream fruit grown by Robert and Vanessa McKernan, and the outsanding ‘Three Wise Men’, from grapes grown by Bruce and Mary Jones in Narre Warren East.

The symbiosis between grapegrowing and winemaking ensures that
Passing Clouds always produces exciting, balanced, beautiful red wines.