“I told my wife Pip that I never wanted to plant a vineyard or build a winery. It didn’t make economic sense to me at the time,” says Foster, the former chef who turned his hand to winemaking after having been bitten hard by the wine bug. “But then when we stumbled across our property in Tooborac, and planting the home block was a no brainer. The granitic soils love shiraz.”
Foster points out the diversity of soils, temperatures, and altitudes across the Heathcote region which stretches around 90 kms. “In any one day there could be up to five degrees difference from north to south”, he says. “There are several different soil types from the red Cambrian to volcanic greenstone and granite which we find ourselves on in Tooborac. The Syrahmi Home Block vineyard is the southernmost vineyard in the Heathcote GI and the wine is vastly different to that which you’d taste from the north. You can taste the granite in your glass.”
Foster’s planning of the Home Block Vineyard began in 2015, with vines going into the ground in 2017. Set in a north facing amphitheatre amongst giant granite boulders, decomposed granite with no clay, and a light 15 cm to 30cm topsoil, Foster’s dedication is reflected in his choice to plant three distinct Shiraz clones – PT10, 2626, and Mt Langi – across a mere .35 hectares.
“PT10 reminds me of syrah grown in the Northern Rhone: violets, black olive tapenade, meaty savouriness and very aromatic with loads of silky tannins. 2626 is all about mid pallet and textural weight – it’s less aromatic and more fruit driven than the PT10 which I would describe as more savoury. The Mt Langi clone was chosen knowing its origin and it’s a clone that loves granite!”
“I have had plenty of experience working with these clones with fruit from the Greenstone Heathcote vineyard which I purchased for nine vintages. I chose the three clones because when blended they work harmoniously together. PT10 and 2626 can tend to overcrop but if managed well – pruned heavily, shoot thinning and dropping fruit – they produce quality fruit.”
Foster has planted just under 3,000 vines in the block – making it somewhere around 9,000 vines per hectare density – aiming to coax the ultimate expression from each vine. “The density causes the vines to compete. The roots grow deeper into the soils helping them to fight in drought years. The competing vines don’t overproduce – they produce smaller yields with good concentration and increased quality of fruit.”
“Some people might say I’m a bit of a rogue. When a majority of vineyards are planted north to south, I planted east to west. If vineyards are planted with high density, you usually find them planted close to the ground, whereas I planted with the cordon wire at a metre.”
Adam’s viticultural practices are grounded in environmental sensitivity. A no-till policy preserves soil structure and encourages biodiversity, fostering an environment where mycorrhizal fungi thrive, enhancing vine health and resilience. The strategic use of straw mulch under the vines suppresses weeds naturally, retains moisture, and contributes to the organic matter that nourishes the soil.
“A combination of factors make this vineyard distinctive,” suggest Foster, “but the ones that stand out are the east to west aspect combined with close planting in an amphitheatre and using the poussard method of pruning. We prune and lay down only one arm on the cordon wire and from this we aim to get 4-5 shoots. From these shoots we aim for one bunch per shoot which equates to, on average, 600-800gm per vine of quality fruit.”
“I feel planting east to west is a no brainer in Australia. The whole thing for me is to slow down the ripening. We want to have the fruit hang longer to gain concentration – not alcohol, but fruit concentration and avoid all the negatives of too much sun exposure.”
Foster says results speak for themselves. “Heathcote Shiraz is typically picked mid-February to middle of March. The strategies we have implemented to combat global warming and seek longer, more even, ripeness with a longer hang time without sugar ripeness but great complexity and fruit quality. We have only ever picked our Shiraz in April. In 2023 we picked on the 25th of April at a beaume of 12.5. Enough said! I firmly believe our practices are paying off and confirming everything we are striving for.”
“After tasting a glass of ‘Home Block’ Shiraz you can taste the vineyard in the glass… Our decomposed granite soils, the concentration of fruit as a result of close planting, the heightened aromatics and silky tannins derived from the greater lignification in the vineyard, and the 50% whole-bunch used in the winery. Our aim is to translate and bring a connection between the vineyard and what you can taste in the glass.”
“This vineyard is about pushing the boundaries and showcasing just how bloody good shiraz can be in this country. When we first planted our vineyard, we were told by professionals in the industry we were mad! But when I first tasted what the vineyard produced, that was the ultimate vindication. All the blood, sweat and tears had worked. I had produced something I can be genuinely proud of and that is uniquely Australian.”
The inaugural release of the Syrahmi Home Block Vineyard, from the 2019 vintage, is set for release in 2024.
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