About this WINE
The Mt Hillary Wine Co.
The Mount Hillary label wine is made from a private selection of grapes from the estate, in conjunction with Teresa Nobilo-Healy, granddaughter of pioneering winemaker Nikola Nobilo OBE.
The sole aim of Mt Hillary is to hand craft premium parcels that are a true and honest reflection of pure regional, varietal and winemaker expression.available only in a small, 500-case lot, and offered exclusively to BBR in the UK.
McLaren Vale
About 15 miles due south of Adelaide, McLaren Vale was one of South Australia’s inaugural regions to be planted in 1839; Tintara was the first commercial vineyard planted in 1862. Post fortifieds, war and a Depression, the dry red wine boom of the 1960s poured life into a multitude of small-medium sized wineries, mostly producing wines from Shiraz & Cabernet Sauvignon; vineyard hectareage stands at approx. 4000.
In terms of terroir, the region is characterised by a predominantly warm dry temperate climate, with little diurnal shift, despite the cooling presence of the Gulf of St Vincent, and low relative humidity (49%); a gently sloping topography rising NE from the coastal plains at 50 metres up to the Mount Lofty Ranges around Woodstock reaching 350 metres; soils varying between the fertile red loams on the coastal flats through to the hard rock shales & limestone deposits of the Ranges. The most prized terroir is known as the ‘Blue Ribbon’ between the town of McLaren Vale and Kangarilla in the Mount Lofty Ranges, just south of the Onkaparinga River.
Good Shirazes and Cabernets tend to be a deep purple in colour, richly extracted with velvety, luxuriant dark berry, black pepper and chocolate flavours with relatively high pHs, ageing for up to 10 years.
Recommended Producers
Coriole, d’Arenberg, Hewitson, Noon and Chalk Hill are good sources.
Syrah/Shiraz
A noble black grape variety grown particularly in the Northern Rhône where it produces the great red wines of Hermitage, Cote Rôtie and Cornas, and in Australia where it produces wines of startling depth and intensity. Reasonably low yields are a crucial factor for quality as is picking at optimum ripeness. Its heartland, Hermitage and Côte Rôtie, consists of 270 hectares of steeply terraced vineyards producing wines that brim with pepper, spices, tar and black treacle when young. After 5-10 years they become smooth and velvety with pronounced fruit characteristics of damsons, raspberries, blackcurrants and loganberries.
It is now grown extensively in the Southern Rhône where it is blended with Grenache and Mourvèdre to produce the great red wines of Châteauneuf du Pape and Gigondas amongst others. Its spiritual home in Australia is the Barossa Valley, where there are plantings dating as far back as 1860. Australian Shiraz tends to be sweeter than its Northern Rhône counterpart and the best examples are redolent of new leather, dark chocolate, liquorice, and prunes and display a blackcurrant lusciousness.
South African producers such as Eben Sadie are now producing world- class Shiraz wines that represent astonishing value for money.
Buying options
Add to wishlist
Description
Rich, blackcurranty aromas are lifted from the glass by an almost zesty vibrance, this is quite primary in its nature and full of juicy promise. Thick, generous and powerful on the attack it really coats the mouth with a ball of spicy dark fruits. Whilst not shying away from upfront pleasure there is also some savoury meaty notes to hold the interest in the length and the palate is left tingling with well-judged dark berry fruits. Ripe, but not overtly so – a good wine to match with some big chunks of steak from the barbeque.
Peter Newton, Private Account Manager
An abundance of ripe blackberry and wild raspberry aromas are expressed alongside delicate hints of sweet spice. The palate has plenty to offer, exuding glossy fruit, velvety tannins, and a lovely freshness from a complementing acidity. Soft red and black fruits are vying for attention, a little complexity here with savoury characteristics of mushroom and dark chocolate notes rising from underneath. Very well made, and a cracking quaffer that delivers for the price.
Chris Lamb, Private Account Manager
Mt Hilary is collaboration between Gemtree Winery and Teresa Nobilo-Healy, granddaughter of pioneering winemaker Nikola Nobilo OBE. A distinguished and quality – focussed estate, Gemtree was established in 1998 in the South Australian region of McLaren Vale but the fruit for Mt Hillary is sourced from the cooler climate Clare Valley. The expert team of Mike Brown, head winemaker, and wife Melissa, the estate’s viticulturist, have been producing biodynamically farmed premium Shiraz since 2008, with minimal intervention and allowing the wines to express their natural origins.
The vision of Mt Hilary is for the production of hand crafted wines from premium parcels that are a true and honest reflection of pure regional, varietal and winemaker expression. Their reputation is steadily growing, with recognition from James Haliday
wine at a glance
Delivery and quality guarantee