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Constructed during early settlement by a supervisor of colonial convicts, at the very epicentre of the market gardens which serviced Hobart, Clarence House is a heritage listed manor which remains largely unaltered since the 1830s. It passed through several hands before being acquired by the Kilpatricks in 1993, who answered the call of Bacchus and established the grounds to vine. There are now sixteen hectares of viticulture, several significant Burgundy clones of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, with smaller plantings of Sauvignon and Pinot Blanc, Merlot, Cabernet and Tempranillo. What's most unique about the Clarence House vineyards are the soils and topography, a number of northeast slopes which catch the.. Heirlooms of a hobart homestead»
Lindsay McCall's enthusiasm for great wine began in the 1970s, he established his first Mornington plantings in 1985 on the site of a derelict orchard at Red Hill along Paringa Road. From day one, McCall focused on exactingly managing the soils and the vines, after completing his day job as local school teacher. His affinity for the land and astonishing feel for winemaking produced monumental vintages of Pinot Noir, which propelled the exquisite range of Paringa Estate wines to international renown. McCall works closely with Mornington's finest vignerons to nurture better standards of viticulture and deliver finer vintages with each harvest. Limited yields of elite parcels, the artisanal efforts of.. Exquisite editions by the master of mornington»
Henry Best was a highly industrious merchant and butcher who serviced Ararat miners during the Victorian gold rush. He planted thirty hectares of vine along Concongella Creek in 1866 and constructed a commercial cellar wineworks which continue to process the most spectacular vintages until the present day. The heirloom plantings of Henry Best remain productive, as some of the most historically significant rootstock in the world. Home of the Jimmy Watson 2012 Trophy, Royal Sydney 2013 Australian Wine Of Year, James Halliday 2014 Wine of Year, Distinguished and Outstanding Langtons Classifications. Remarkable for a style that's all their own, chiselled, brooding and black. Best's Great Western endures as.. Carn the concongella cabernet»
After hearing tall tales of the Victorian klondike, he jumped ship and made his way to the Castlemaine goldfields. Black Jack mined no fortune but he found his fame as the only American mariner to still be savoured alongside have claimed the eminent M.Chapoutier Trophy for Best Shiraz at the prestigious Le Concours des Vinson on no fewer than three occasions... Found berth in the australian colonies during the goldrush of the 1850s»

Alex Head Head Red Barossa Shiraz CONFIRM VINTAGE

Shiraz Viognier Barossa South Australia
Alex Head works from a short list of idiosyncratically named sites to make pure, single vineyard wines of individual character and charm. Always very limited in production and highly attractive to the most devout Shiraz aficionados, the wines of Mr Head are crafted to accomodate the vagaries of vintage and their influence on the fruit of the vine. Assembled from a barrel cull of single site batches, Red represents Mr Head's entry level Shiraz, immediately approachable and exquisitely balanced, a whole that's so much greater than the sum of parts.
Head Red is fashioned to be the most traditional style of Shiraz in Mr Head's portfolio. The Blonde vineyard at Stonewell is planted to sandy loam mixed with quartz over limestone base, a terroir which accentuates perfume and complexity in the grapes. The Brunette property is situated at a higher elevation in the Moppa district of Barossa Valley, a site of heavier soils, deep red clay and ironstones, terroirs which contribute structure and longevity to the finished wine. Shiraz is micro managed at every stage from vineyard to bottling, old fashioned open ferments and whole bunch vinifications are followed by a year's maturation in a selection of predominantly seasoned French oak hogsheads.
Deep, dark garnet red. A fragrant floral, apricot nose followed by juicy blackberry scents and spiced plum notes. A solid palate of spiced currant and Barossa chocolate plum flavours, are supported by firm but judicious tannins behind a veneer of subtle milky oak. Mid palate richness is held in check by a squeeze of drying Rhone styled acids, generous yet refined right through to the finish.
Viognier
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Alex Head
Each release of Head not only represents Alex Head's strong views on what makes balanced, drinkable wines but a guarantee of absolute quality, value and consistency

Head Wines is an open journey of learning. Know from whence you came. If you know whence you came, there are absolutely no limitations to where you can go. Graduating from Sydney University in 1997 with a degree in Biochemistry, Alex entered the Wine Industry. After a trip through the major wine-growing vineyards of Europe, he immediately started working in fine-wine management, wholesale importing and an auction house to gain a broad understanding of the world of fine wine. He then worked vintages with the wineries he held in the highest regard. Tyrrells in the Hunter, Torbreck, Laughing Jack and Cirillo Estate in the Barossa Valley followed and in December of 2008 he gained a Producers Licence and released his first wines to the public.

Alex Head

Alex has long been interested in Old-World wines and their symbiosis with all things culinary; particularly Shiraz from an appellation in Frances Northern Rhone Valley called Cote Rotie (roasted slope). Shiraz has been the only red grape grown there for thousands of years, initially thought to have been cultivated by the Roman Empire. When Alex started out in the wine industry, he quickly fell in love with shiraz from the Barossa. However, it was the discovery of shiraz from Côte Rotie in Frances Rhone Valley that would ultimately give him the inspiration to work as a winemaker.

A great legend states that in the Middle Ages, a Seigneur of Ampuis called Count Maugiron owned the steeply terraced hills of Cote Rotie. He was also blessed with two beautiful daughters, one a blonde and the other a brunette. When Count Maugiron finally retired he passed on the two Cotes to his daughters and to this day, they are still referred to as the Cote Blonde and Cote Brune.

The Southern slope of the Cote (also suited to viognier) which contains more granite, mica and limestone made a softer, rounded more elegant wine which delighted its drinkers with perfume and femininity. Here, the soil and wines showed colour and character of his blonde daughter.

Alex Head

The Northern slope contained heavy soils of schist and iron, producing an intense wine with dark fruits and tannin that required age to show its true potential. Here, the soil and wine showed colour and character of Count Maugiron's brunette daughter.

These soil structures and colours are of utmost importance to the properties of the fruit which grow in these vineyards. For Alex's unique Barossa Valley wines, he selected two vineyard sites where, similar to Côte Rotie, the soils produce contrasting styles of Shiraz. The Blonde comes from a vineyard in Stonewell, which consists of sandy loam mixed with quartz on a limestone base that gives the wine accentuated perfume and complexity. The Brunette comes from a high elevation vineyard in Moppa, which consists of heavy soils of deep red clay and ironstone that give structure, longevity and reward from cellaring.

It’s hard to generalise about vintages when the grapes that you are using come from 6 different growers and 5 different varieties (early and late ripening) to make 5 unique wines. When you read a vintage report about a mass producer it has absolutely no relevance to a small producer like Head Wines. The fruit is micro managed every stage from vineyard to winemaking to bottling to ensure that the highest quality level is maintained.

Alex Head