One of the closely guarded secrets which remained cardinal to the preeminence of Grange Hermitage, was the sacred tally of exceptional vineyards which were called on to provide fruit for the new world's most stately Shiraz. The elite Grange Growers Club is one of the nation's more exclusive fellowships, an illustrious canon of distinguished wine growing families which are the stuff of Australian viticultural history. One of McLaren Vale's most eminent dynasties, Oliver's of Taranga were an essential inclusion into many of the mighty Grange's most memorable vintages. Oliver Taranga's estate flagship HJ Reserve Shiraz represents peerless value for a wine of its provenance, power, persistence and depth,.. A principal part of the great grange»

Constructed during early settlement by a supervisor of colonial convicts, at the very epicentre of the market gardens which serviced Hobart, Clarence House is a heritage listed manor which remains largely unaltered since the 1830s. It passed through several hands before being acquired by the Kilpatricks in 1993, who answered the call of Bacchus and established the grounds to vine. There are now sixteen hectares of viticulture, several significant Burgundy clones of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, with smaller plantings of Sauvignon and Pinot Blanc, Merlot, Cabernet and Tempranillo. What's most unique about the Clarence House vineyards are the soils and topography, a number of northeast slopes which catch.. Heirlooms of a hobart homestead»

Legendary Penfold winemaker John Duval began his apprenticeship in 1974 under the tutelage of the late great Max Schubert. Duval's family had been supplying Penfolds with fruit and root stock for generations, many of South Australia's most prestigious vineyards were sown with cuttings from Duval's family property. Duval was awarded International Wine & Spirit Competition Winemaker of Year and twice London International Red Winemaker of Year. He now focuses on releasing painfully limited editions, assembled from precious parcels of elite Barossa vine, hand crafted by one of the world's most accomplished and peer respected winemakers... Ancient barossa hamlet vines»

Samuel Smith migrated from Dorset England to Angaston in the colony of South Australia circa 1847, he took up work as a gardener with George Fife Angas, the virtual founder of the colony. In 1849, Smith bought thirty acres and planted vines by moonlight, the first ever vintages of Yalumba. One of his most enduring legacies were some unique clones of Shiraz, which were ultimately sown to the illustrious Mount Edelstone vineyard in 1912. Angas's great grandchild Ron Angas acquired cuttings from the Edelstone site and migrated the precious plantings to his pastures at Hutton Vale. The land remains in family hands, a graze for flocks of some highly fortunate lamb. In between the paddocks, blocks of Sam Smith's experimental vines yield a harvest of the.. The return of rootstock to garden of eden»

Some precious old blocks of ancient vine Grenache still remain after a government sponsored program to cull unproductive vineyards during the 1980s. Yielding excruciatingly small harvests of the most characterful fruit, these wizzened old veterans deliver small batch vintages which are evocative of the old world classics from Cotes du Rhone. The enduring Wirra Wirra were established 1894, their eclectic range belies the splendour of small parcels which are separately handled and bottled for exclusive release. The Absconder draws fruit from vines planted a century ago, it merits a breathing and decant, an articulation about the sublime excellence of old vine Australian Grenache... The compelling case for old vines grenache»

The mean gravelly soils and invigorating climes of Mount Barker of the Australian southwest, were identified during the 1960s by the world's leading viticulturalists, as a place uncannily similar to the great terroirs and clime of Bordeaux. The pioneering vines of Forest Hill were the first ever planted here, sired from rootstock of ancient Houghton clones, inaugurally vintaged by the illustrious Jack Mann in 1972. The Cabernet and Riesling of Forest Hill were promptly distinguished by multiple trophy victories and praised by gentleman James Halliday as the most remarkable wines to come out of the Australian west. Forest Hill have remained a source of the most profoundly structured, intensely focused, yet softly spoken range of wines. Powerful yet.. Softly spoken wonders from the west»