The Climate:

Summer maximums	38 to 42 degrees C
Summer minimums:	18 to 25 degrees C
Winter maximums:	20 to 25 degrees C
Winter minimums:	4  to - 4 degrees C

 Wine Production The vineyard wsa established by Alice Springs pharmacist, Denis Hornby, who sold his retail pharmacy in 1980 to operate the vineyard and winery full time.
The winemaker since the flirt vintage in 1978 is Gordon Cook.
Gordon is now a senior lecturer at Regency Institute of T.A.F.E. in Adelaide.
Total productionis apprximately 1000 dozen bottles per year with tawny port being brought in from the Barossa and blended to our style. The port is a big seller! Production varies enormously with the red varieties producing far more fruit than the whites - 6 tonne to the acre for shizaz, 1,5 tonne per acre for the semillon.

•  Chateau Hornsby vineyard was established in 1973/4 with the planting of 2 hectares of rooted cuttings from Sunraysia nurseries.
•  The varieties planted were shiraz, rhine riesling, semillon and cabernet sauvignon - one half hectare of each. The four grape varieties have been expanded to include Chardonnay, one hectare being planted in 1992.
Six wines are made from these varieties.
The planting of grenache vines is planned for 1999.

For the individual visitor we are open 7 days per week from February to december and offer morning and afternoon tea, light lunches, wine tastings and wine sales between the hours of 9am and 5pm. Sit in the shade and enjoy the scenery whilst nibbling on some freshly baked beerbread and cheese. Sip on a locally drown and made wine (or a beer) and forget the world for a while.