Hutton calls managing this vineyard a custodian gig. “These are some of the oldest vines in the world,” he says. “They were planted long before I was born and, hopefully, will continue to thrive long after I’m gone.” Planted in waves – semillon in 1923 on chalky sand, shiraz in 1968 on clay – the rows vary according to viticultural fashion at time of planting, with 2m to 3m row spacing, 1.5m vine spacing, and some rows curved to contours while others run straight.
Despite this diversity, everything is now cane-pruned on VSP trellis, with shoot thinning post-budburst and bunch thinning at veraison. “It’s a strategy to concentrate the flavours,” Hutton adds, with low yields (two–three tons/ha) trumping raw tonnage, and up to half of the potential fruit for reds being dropped in the pursuit of quality. Hand-picking is the norm here. The tractors used for vineyard work stay onsite, and are scrubbed down between deployments in different blocks in order to protect the vineyard’s old vines – all planted on their own roots – from disease and pest threats. “The Short Flat Vineyard is widely regarded as one of the most iconic Semillon vineyards in the world,” Hutton says – and protecting that heritage requires hustle.
The terroir of the vineyard is a deceptively complex patchwork. “The vineyard boasts a variety of soils,” Hutton explains. Towards the front of the property, dense red clays form the base for muscular shiraz – “deep colour and strong tannin” contributing to the brooding power of Vat 9 – while further in, the ground drops into pale, chalky sand where fast-draining sandy loams help century-old semillon vines draw out that region-defining “vibrant acidity, fresh citrus”. This section, once an ancient riverbed, even contains fossilised marine remnants – whispers of the terroir’s geological memory, quietly asserting themselves in the mineral structure of wines like Vat 1. At the rise of the Contours block, wind slows the ripening of shiraz to achieve “complex aromas and smooth, integrated tannins.”
Against this patchwork of soil types and aspects, the Hunter Valley’s heat and humidity – 35°C days and 80% in summer – meet cooling nights off the Brokenback Range, with a 15°C drop coaxing, in Hutton’s words, “beautiful fruit and subtlety” out of the resulting wines – especially semillon. “The region produces a style of semillon that remains unmatched anywhere else in the world,” Hutton says. “The hotter weather here allows the Semillon to ripen at lower Baumé levels, which is key to the bright acidity and exceptional flavour that defines our Semillon.” Indeed, the fruit for Vat 1 is harvested at 10–11 Baumé, which bestows on the wine a piercing zip that requires several years in bottle to be tamed. “[Vat 1]’s a wine that many other wineries in the Hunter Valley have tried to replicate, but the combination of this exceptional vineyard site and the heritage vines planted here makes that a difficult task,” Hutton beams.
Despite their age, the vines here are remarkably healthy and produce well-balanced fruit. Much of that is down to meticulous modern viticulture – focused on building resilience in the vineyard through soil health, microbial life, and biodiversity. “Working a 100% dry-grown vineyard has completely changed the way I think about managing vines,” says Hutton. “It’s made me rethink everything, especially the importance of the soil microbiome in water retention.” One of the most impactful recent changes was shifting from the region’s old scorched-earth weed control policy to using an undervine mulch. “That mulch didn’t just cool the canopy—it slowed ripening and improved wine flavour. We saw more water retention and a better overall vineyard ecosystem.” Responding to analysis that showed a lack of nitrogen in the soil, Hutton “began planting specific cover crops and applying products designed to encourage and support the growth of mycorrhizal fungi.” The results? “Improved soil structure, with better moisture retention and aeration,” he says, with “reduced compaction and improved water infiltration rates.” He adds, “While this has led to more work for our team in terms of shoot thinning and bunch thinning, it has also contributed to healthier, more balanced vines.”
“We strive to work in harmony with nature,” Hutton says. Partnering with the Department of Primary Industries, the team introduced beds of insect-attracting flower species to encourage beneficial insects like lacewings and ladybugs. “Initially, I was hesitant,” Hutton admits. “But now we’ve reached a point where we barely need chemical sprays. It was a huge moment.” Sustainable Wine Australia membership locks in the rigour. The reward isn’t just ecological, but also economical and financial: “By reducing reliance on chemicals, diesel and water, we lower input costs while improving the long-term health and productivity of our vineyards,” he says. “This approach also ensures the continued quality of our wines, which are critical to the success and reputation of Tyrrells.”
The wines themselves remain icons of the region and Australia more broadly. Vat 1 semillon remains a benchmark – not just in the Hunter, but globally. Its distinct brightness and longevity are drawn directly from those deep, ancient sands. The old-vine shiraz – picked for elegance rather than power – leans into a style often described as “pinot-esque”: floral, savoury, effortlessly poised. Meanwhile, the Vat 47 chardonnay, the region’s first wine to be made from the variety, speaks in cool whispers of citrus and white stone, underlined by a taut mineral core.
The Vat 47 chardonnay isn’t only one of the crown jewels of Tyrrells portfolio – it’s also the genesis of one of the Hunter Valley’s most notorious vineyard tales. “Murray [Tyrrell] was working with fruit from the Hunter Valley Distillery’s chardonnay vines, which had been planted in 1908,” Hutton explains. “These vines were believed to be the oldest chardonnay block in the world, and their fruit was renowned for its exceptional quality. Murray was so taken with the fruit that he approached the owners of the property, requesting permission to take some of their chardonnay cuttings to plant in the Short Flat vineyard.” His request unfortunately denied, Murray “made his way onto the property and stealthily harvested several thousand cuttings from the old chardonnay vines. This act of vineyard ‘thievery’ led to the creation of the Short Flat old vine chardonnay block, which is now one of the most sought-after and revered chardonnay sites in the Hunter Valley.”
While Tyrrells and the Short Flat vineyard have no shortage of history, Hutton is more concerned with building a sustainable future for these venerable vines than he is in reminiscing over the estate’s glory days. The vineyard comprises just 12.5 hectares of a much broader 644-hectare estate, where native revegetation efforts have become a central priority. Invasive species are removed, native trees are planted, and vineyard visitors are educated on both sustainability and biosecurity through the cellar door team.
For Hutton, the goal is clear: “My dream is a fully self-sufficient vineyard. No herbicides, no synthetic inputs, and a completely balanced, living ecosystem.” Short Flat’s old vines have survived nearly a century of climatic extremes, and with the tools now in place – late pruning to delay budburst, canopy retention to shield fruit, clay-based “vine sunscreen” to guard against heatwaves – it’s clear that they’re being set up for the next hundred years.
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