Courabyra Wines

This significant development in the Tumbarumba region brings together brother and sister Cathy Gairn and Stephen Morrison, although it has taken 25 years for the two families to form Courabyra Wines. Cathy and husband Brian purchased their land in 1985, and moved there permanently in '87. After planting their 8.3ha vineyard to pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot meunier in '93, Cathy moved on to formal viticultural studies. Investment banker Stephen always came to help at harvest time. After looking for an appropriate cool climate vineyard for many years, he found one under his nose, at 157 Courabyra Road, in 2010. This is the oldest vineyard in Tumbarumba, established in 1981 by the region's founder, Ian Cowell, and thereafter for two decades owned by what is now TWE. Now known as Revee Estate, pinot noir (16ha) and chardonnay (8ha) take the lion's share of the plantings, with lesser amounts of sauvignon blanc, pinot gris and pinot meunier. The decision to label the wines 805 and 157 is obvious enough. -JAMES HALLIDAY