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Established 1973, Woodlands of Wilyabrup were one of the first vineyards in Margaret River, planted with a view to emulating the great growths of Bordeaux. Recipients of the highly prestigious Jack Mann Memorial Medal and Wine Industry Lifetime Achievement Award for their tremendous vintages of all things Cabernet. Assembling the rich Medoc style blends are what Woodlands do best. Painstakingly crafted by hand, to challenge the primacy of the illustrious Chateaux de la rive gauche, very few vineyards yield the quality of fruit that merits vintaging into a statuesque wine dominated by the prettily fragrant Cabernet Franc. Woodlands were established from the ground up with a view to achieving limited harvests of the abstruse Bordeaux varietals, only a few hundred cases of good red wine per vintage. Two precious vineyards, located within the elite terroirs of Margaret River's Wilyabrup Valley, are dry grown and farmed through holistic regimens of old world viticulture. The most bountiful vintages can only produce a small amount, the sanctity of soil yields a vividly varietal Cabernet Franc of stature, elegance and the most finite.. The complex bordeaux blend by one of margaret river's founding wineries»

Heggies Vineyard Merlot 2010 CONFIRM 2010 VINTAGE

Merlot Eden Valley South Australia
Merlot is planted to rocky outcrops where top soils are thin, resulting in a restricted water holding capacity which encourages lower yields, simply ideal for achieving great intensity of flavour and colour. Working with the challenging natural surroundings, the winemaking team try to capture the flavour and balance of the grapes in their purest essence.
Grapes are crushed and a portion of the fruit is maintained as whole berries, components are vinified in small static fermenters and the juices pumped over skins four times every twenty four hours. Some juices are held back for extended maturation on skins, others are run to barrel for completion of ferments in oak. The integrity of each parcel is maintained throughout vinifications, maturation and the final selection. Batches are aged in a combination of new and prior use French oak barriques and hogsheads.
Deep magenta hue. A complex and powerful nose, bright pure fruit aromas of plum, musk and blueberry over complex undertones provided by French oak. Wild forest berries, mints, black cherry and jube, earth and cedar notes over a palate of rich chocolate and plum fruit flavours, supported by ripe soft tannins, silky smooth, a harmonious, lingering finish.
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Heggies

The concept of terroir is the best way to describe the combination of elements that creates the distinctive flavour profiles of Heggies Vineyard wines. Unpredictable and at times downright frustrating is an apt description for this unique Eden Valley Vineyard. At 550 metres above sea level, Heggies is one of Australia's highest altitude vineyards and also one of its coolest.

Heggies

The magnificent sweep of country that is the Heggies Vineyard had been grazing land for most of its settled history and was owned by local grazier and bushman, Colin Heggie, before being purchased by Wyndham Hill Smith, then co-proprietor of the Yalumba Wine Company.

Friends since school days, Colin and Wyndham's friendship continued into adulthood and throughout their lengthy negotiation over the purchase of Heggie's land - a negotiation that was, it has been suggested, not much more than an excuse for relaxed chats. Planting began in 1971 on the tough North Eastern corner of the property and the first wine was released in 1979. It was the first wine to bear the idiosyncratic label that features a drawing of Colin Heggie, the bushman, looking out over the fledgling Heggies plantings astride his faithful chestnut, Jack.

At Heggies Vineyard, the close-planted clonally-selected grafted vines are grown in semi-drought conditions. The soil is lean and hungry - a thin layer of grey sandy loam over clay and decomposed rock - and the vines compete vigorously for moisture and nutrient. This competition encourages the vines' roots to dig deep into the soil where it is moist and cool throughout all seasons.

Heggies

For such a unique vineyard - standard vineyard management at Heggies is impossible. Each grape variety has its own programme of care according to its position in the vineyard. Trellising and canopy structure is varied from vine to vine, as are pruning regimes and row spacings. Working with the natural advantage rather than against it is the driving force in working the vineyard and every factor is taken into consideration, including the micro-climates within the vineyard, aspect and soil type.

The main advantage of the tailored vineyard management is the flexibility it affords. Staggered maturity times for the grapes allow some breathing space to give each variety the specialised attention required during harvest and throughout the early winemaking stages - the only way of ensuring each wine is able to develop its own character and personality.

Trial and experimentation is an important part of life at Heggies Vineyard. Winemaker Peter Gambetta has introduced a number of innovative winemaking practices to Heggies Vineyard, including the use of naturally occurring wild yeast ferments and strictly controlled oak influence in the oaked wines. The innovation will continue through Heggies passionate philosophy in success and knowledge through experimentation and persistence.

"It's a tremendously challenging vineyard and not an easy one to manage", says winemaker Peter Gambetta. "Each variety has its own programme of care according to its position in the vineyard. Working with the natural surroundings rather than against them is the driving force, with every factor taken into consideration, to try and capture the flavour and balance of the grapes in their purest essence."

Heggies