VINTAGE 2022

Along bone-chilling winter in Heathcote led into a mild and suitably wet spring.  Soil moisture was key to getting the season off to this great start.  Mild conditions continued throughout the summer and the harvest didn't commence until the very last day of February, roughly two weeks later than average.  Picking in the first weeks of autumn is ideal and the quality of the fruit was as good as we could wish for.

THE VINEYARD

The Heathcote Estate vineyard was planted in 1999 and is situated on Drummond's Lane, bordering the well-known Jasper Hill Emily’s Paddock Vineyard.

The vineyard is planted on the slightly undulating, north-facing country on the ancient Cambrian soils which define the heart of the region.  This is classic Heathcote terrain - rich red-brown top soil of variable depth, but on average 15 centimetres lying above a sub-soil of clay, small rocks, ‘greenstones’, quartz and rubble.

This is scarcely fertile country, but it is ideal for vines as it has excellent water-holding capacity, without promoting too much vigour. The vast majority of the vineyard is planted to Shiraz (72 acres), with just one block of grenache.  There are five clones of shiraz planted - BVRC12, BVRC30, ESA3021, PT23, SA1654, SA1127.