Shiraz
Eden Valley, dry grown under biodynamic principles with cropping levels very tightly linked to the season. The natural balance is kept by accepting the dictatorship of mother nature, to drive the vine vigor which reflects the size of the canopy and cropping tonnage. Often a painful process when you measure the crop by buckets not bins but it does allow for a longer life for the vine and strong link to the flavours created by the dirt (terrior). We release our Shiraz with 5 years of age, and while most approachable it is just the beginning of a journey we hope will go for the next 20 years or more.
Current Release: 2006
Our Shiraz block was planted in 1966 by Colin Angas using cuttings from the nearby Henschke Mount Edelstone vineyard. Dry grown and planted on their own roots, the vines lie orientated North/South on a mixed loam over clay with scattered ironstone and quartz. After harvesting the grapes are de-stemmed and fermented in open fermenters. The batch is then drained via gravity and basket-pressed before spending its élevage in second use French barriques.
Colour: Deep medium cherry red
Bouquet: Expressive and well defined aromas of blackberry, black cherry and dark plums start the ball rolling as the wine flows through to the mid-palate. Here you’ll find hints of earth, beef consommé, licorice, dark cooking chocolate, olive tapenade, clove, tar and well judged smoky oak.
Palate: In the mouth the wine displays excellent texture and a bright line with fruit flavours of blackberry, blackcurrant and dark plums with a touch of black cherry. There are hints of deep exotic spice, black strap licorice, earth, olive paste, tar and macerated berry fruits. The wine finishes with a bright line of acidity, fine, ripe sandy tannins and a sustained finish.
Grenache Mataro
Grenache Mataro is the result of a quirky story. When the vineyard was planted there is one particular corner on a rise where the soil profile is a bit tougher. Here some vines struggled and were replaced a year or so later. The replacement vines were not Grenache but Mataro.Who was responsible for the mix up remains a mystery but we now purposely pick from that corner and co ferment the fruit rather than the usual process of blending later. This means there is a little variation in the percentage mix, creating greater vintage interest.
Current release: 2008
The Grenache and Mataro vineyards were planted on our property in 1967 and sit just under 400 metres above sea level. Dry grown and on their own roots, they lie orientated East/West on soils of sandy loams over clay with scattered ironstone and quartz. After harvesting the grapes are de-stemmed and fermented in open fermenters. The batch is then drained via gravity and basket-pressed before spending its élevage in seasoned French hogsheads.
Colour: Medium cherry red
Bouquet: Deep fruit aromas of blackberry, red plum and redcurrant waft from the glass along with hints of exotic Asian spice, gingerbread, licorice, earth, milk chocolate, clove and vanilla. There are higher tones of jasmine in the background along with a waft of graphite.
Palate: Well weighted in the mouth with excellent clarity and drive across the palate. Fruit flavours of juicy red plums, red cherry and redcurrant come to the fore along with dark hints of blackberry. Hints of five spice, gingerbread, red licorice, milk chocolate and mocha flow across the mid-palate to a finish that lingers nicely with bright acidity set against a curtain of ripe fine-grained tannin.
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon, not often thought of a great for the Barossa but in the hills of Eden Valley we have the cooler evening temperatures allowing this variety to excel. This fruit is from 1990’s plantings and took a while to establish in the dry years but is really coming into its own over the last decade later. A journey of winemaker styles over that time has also explored the flavour parameters and has settled into a style well reflective of Hutton Vale.
Current release: 2008
Our Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard was planted in 1998 at 400 metres in altitude with an East/West row orientation. After harvesting the grapes are de-stemmed and fermented in open fermenters. The batch is then drained via gravity and basket-pressed before spending its élevage in seasoned French oak.
Colour: Medium cherry red
Bouquet: Lifted varietal characteristics on the nose that just sing of the Eden Valley soils. The flavours lie in the red-fruit spectrum – red plum, red cherry and redcurrant fruits leap from the glass. There are hints of rich baking spice, licorice, bramble, earth, chocolate and minerals along with wafts of well judged, subtle oak.
Palate: Bright well-defined red fruits wash across the palate – red cherry, redcurrant and red plum predominately with just a dash of raspberry lift. On the mid-palate you’ll find hints of fruitcake spice, licorice, briar, iron fillings, earth and dark chocolate as the bright acidity and ripe, chalky tannins propel the wine to a long finish.
Riesling
Riesling has long been recognized as a premium variety from Eden Valley. Our vines are part of the 1960’s plantings on the northern side of the creek bed. The best vines are on the rise of the hill where the soil is deeper and the vines have the natural vigour for a double trellis. The flavour while typical of a cooler climate postion also has a distinct mineral element which we think is a result of the underlying marble in the soil.
Current release: 2011
Bouquet: Fresh lemon and limes with a lift of honeysuckle. On the nose are all the flavours expected from an Eden Valley and delivered with the Hutton Vale Riesling.
Palate: Citrus flavour abounds in the mouth with a mineral texture and gentle acid giving a crisp finish. The intensity across the palate is a perfect reflection of the bright and shiny wine in the glass. Drink young and fresh or cellar for years to come.