97 points and leaping into 2022.
The year is off to a great start for the Barossa Gnadenberg Road Shiraz #vintage2018
Reminiscing back to the year we planted is a story that takes a good bottle to tell. From purchasing our dream block of land in Barossa’s high country (Eden Valley) not realising the German word Gnadenberg Road translated to Hill of Grace. We felt like kids in a candy shop but realised from viewing this unique south-facing site, great vines would grow. Local winemaker and Penfold’s mastermind Max Schubert noted, the Moculta region of South Australia is an exceptional location for premium Shiraz vineyards.
Diary entry: Spring 2009 7.30am
‘As we drew the curtains within the stone homestead for the 155th year, we were shocked to see ten or more men gathered outside. Shovels in hand, faded denim overalls, work boots, soft laughter, some leaning on their dusty Utes, and waiting for the day to begin’.
We were shocked to say the least. These men were our neighbours and friends of. Many now in their later years had picked grapes on this site as teenagers and were thrilled to hear the vineyard would be re-instated after removal in the great Australian vine-pull scheme, late 1970’s. Heart-breaking to know vines as old as Henschke’s Hill of Grace vineyard, just up the road, had been uprooted to reduce ‘the vine glut’.
In the previous week, Pete severed his thumb from pruning vines with electric secateurs. We were devastated, but the vineyard had to be planted. Word had got around the local Gnadenberg Church and the locals were keen to help, or shall I say surprise us!
The year before Shiraz vines had been hand-reared in the garden nursery, containing an assortment of premium Shiraz cuttings from various vineyards across the state. It took a week to hand plant each vine, no machines, just man and shovel carrying a bucket of vine rootling’s. Mum made scones with jam served with billy tea, coffee pots were on the stove top and snags were grilled for quick snacks.
It took over two years of hand watering throughout the night. As for me, it posed the best time when the two toddlers were sleeping – bright light from the full moon was always a welcomed sight. Yalumba’s founder Samuel Smith planted his first vineyard the same way back in 1849; later we discovered he owned this land as a bare block back in the early 1850's.
Since then, vintages came and wines have been made, with the first Garden & Field Gnadenberg Road label release, vintage 2015. It scored well with Halliday (96 points) followed by the 2017 (95 points). Now, the 2018 is acknowledge with 97 points, (4.5 stars) from Winestate Magazine. View Wine Here
Simply put, we are humbled with consumer reviews and wine writer’s accolades. Thank you, enjoy and tell us your story when enjoying a bottle Here
