The vineyard was first planted in 1999, predominantly to shiraz, with a small block of grenache in support. Nebbiolo and more shiraz were planted in 2017, while the grenache made way for shiraz in 2021 in what is now a vineyard consisting of just shy of 36.5 hectares of vines. The site is managed by General Manager and Winemaker Tom Carson and Vineyard Manager Paul Viggers.
“I have personally managed and worked in numerous beautiful vineyards throughout Australia and New Zealand,” Viggers says. “From vineyards surrounded by snow-capped mountains, where the vineyards hovered over perfect blue wild rivers running at the bottom of cliffs at the vineyard edge, to vineyards surrounded by the just-as-beautiful blue mountains of the Yarra Valley. However, upon entering Heathcote Estate for the first time, I immediately realised this was the most beautiful vineyard I have been on.”
Viggers puts much of that beauty down to a harmony with its surrounding environment. “The local flora and fauna and the vineyard complement each other so well,” he says. “Kangaroos, emus, lizards, birds, everything that has ever lived here, still lives here and lives well. It is such a rare thing for a vineyard to adapt so well to the environment. With the introduction of organic vineyard management practices in recent years, the vineyard and environment will only improve its cohesiveness. I love it.”
That pivot to organics began in 2016 during the planning phases for the new vines that would be planted the following year. It wasn’t until 2018 that official organic in conversion status was sought, with full accreditation conferred in 2021. “The conversion to organic principles is at the heart of our philosophy,” says Viggers. “These principles promote sustainability …not using herbicides, promotion of native grasses under vine and inter-rows all improves soil health, as does the use of natural fertilisers and mulches cultivated on the property. This all leads to better balance in the vineyard and healthier, happier land in general.”
That “happier land” also produces better wine, according to Carson. “Certainly, the transition to organic in recent years has translated to better balance in the vineyard and more detail and focused flavour profile,” he says. “And there’s a certain elegance to the wines we are seeing in bottle.”
“What makes our site special is the variations in soils and slopes across the individual blocks. We see subtle changes in the land giving variation to the fruit profile across each block, making the picking decisions even more complex.”
And while that evolution of farming has been critical, Carson also emphasises that the wisdom of planting a site with great variations of geology and aspect has also been critical. “What makes our site special is the variations in soils and slopes across the individual blocks,” he says. “We see subtle changes in the land giving variation to the fruit profile across each block, making the picking decisions even more complex.”
That complexity saw Carson implement a single block program in 2008 shortly after he began his tenure at the estate. “The ancient 500-million-year-old Cambrian soils are a major influence on the unique characteristics of Heathcote shiraz,” he says. “Wine writer Tim White always notes a gun smoke or flint character in central Heathcote wines, and we also see that from time to time. We wanted to apply a very hands-on and detailed approach in terms of 100 per cent hand-picking and keeping all parcels separate in the winery. By taking this attention and care in the vineyard, getting to know the individual blocks and sub-blocks, their soil profiles and all the subtle nuances, we were then able to fine tune what we were doing in the winery.”
“The ancient 500-million-year-old Cambrian soils are a major influence on the unique characteristics of Heathcote shiraz. Wine writer Tim White always notes a gun smoke or flint character in central Heathcote wines, and we also see that.”
That process yields about 20 unique parcels of shiraz that are vinified separately, and over time the expression of site and fruit has been given greater voice with Carson reducing the time in oak from 18 months to a year, while 500-litre puncheons replaced smaller barrels. The percentage of whole bunches in ferments has also increased and now features across all parcels. “These techniques have added finer tannins, more primary fruit and better balance,” he says.
Having so many parcels allow Carson the chance to create more complex and harmonious blends, but it also provides the opportunity to make premium single block wines, depending on which sections perform better in any given year, much like he does at Heathcote Estate’s Mornington Peninsula stablemate, Yabby Lake.
Carson notes that the spirit of evolution goes back to when he began, and that it will always continue to get the best out of the site and its vines. Planting of nebbiolo was one such step, with a firm belief that the chosen block is ideal for the grape, and the shiraz plantings made at the same time, in 2017, were to the so-called Best’s clone. “It’s a clone we’ve worked with on other sites and are really excited to see its potential here at Heathcote Estate,” he says.
That fine-tuning of the site’s, and the region’s, hero grape is something that Carson is always attuned to, with a matrix of information developing as the vines and wines mature. “It’s a constant evolution of understanding and adaptation – vine age, climate, viticultural practises, winemaking evolution and constantly looking back at how the wines are ageing and developing in the bottle. All of this giving us guidelines about the future and how we can extract the best results from the land.”
For Viggers, the changes amongst the vines are palpable, but no less so than what’s in the glass. And that link to a sensitive farming methodology is undeniable. “There is a clear increase in biodiversity, the soil is more aerated and healthier – and overall, we are seeing better balance in the vineyard. And this shows up in the detail and elegance of the wines.”
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