Renae Hirsch

Wits End is the name of the organic vineyard owned by Chalk Hill Winery.

The Wits End vineyards are planted with Chardonnay, and of course Shiraz on Urrbrae and Gilgia soils. Urrbrae (also a suburb in Australia) is a rich, red soil comprised of clays and loam. The south vineyard is planted on Urrbrae, while the north vineyard is black clay called Gilgia.

It is this soil found on the north vineyard that gave the vineyard its name. In the winter, the wet clay sticks to everything causing an unmanageable mess and making work in the vineyard very difficult, sometimes impossible! The frustration dealing with the vineyard often results in the crew reaching their 'wits end'.