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Where The Frankland Flows»
Three British Army officers, in their capacity as agents of the East India Company, established one of Western Australia's first agricultural enterprises in 1836. Named after Captain Richmond Houghton, it was not until Thomas Yule's stewardship that vines were planted and the first vintage of Houghton wine flowed in 1859. Thomas Yule now sources fruit from the eminent Justin Vineyard in Frankland River, a dark ruby Shiraz of lifted liquorice and intense brambleberry, seasoned by piquant pepper notes and supported by showroom tannins. The very elite of Frankland River Shiraz... Artisanal wines of distinguished sites»
Princely Parcels of Portsea»
Dr Frederick Kiel would take the trek by paddle steamer from Melbourne every summer during the late 1800s to spend his summers at Sorrento. His children established a grazing station nearby, on a property acquired from the Baillieu family along Portsea Ocean Beach, ultimately planted to vineyards in 2000. These are the most extreme western longitudes of Mornington, the undulating paddocks and sweeping views of tempestuous Bass Strait are a magical place for growing Burgundesque styles of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, well protected north facing parcels of propitious free draining limestone and calcareous sands. The windswept maritime vineyards of.. Mornington's westernmost vineyards»
Valley Of The Giants»
It was a matrimony between an American biochemist and the founder of Margaret River Devils Lair, that set the scene for one of the nation's most illustrious estates. A member of the Top 1OO Wineries of World, Giant Steps were established 1997, with a view to assembling an elite range of limited release Yarra Valley vintages. Crafted from the fruit of superior sites, some yielding just a few hundred cases each year, these are exclusive editions from bespoke parcels of elite terroir, bearing the curiously cryptic monikers of precious blocks of vine, Gruyere Farm, Applejack and Wombat Creek. Fashioned for aficianados of the euro style, defined by.. Big wines from little vineyards»
Welcome To Bellvale»
Airline pilots make surprisingly good wine. Their appreciation of the sciences, a respect for the weather and a bird's eye view of the land, all invaluable to the winemaker's art. John Ellis would take every opportune weekend away from his regular New York Paris route, to pursue a passion for viticulture. He planted the first commercial Cabernet Merlot vines in the Hamptons and found time between trans atlantic flights to work vintages amongst the Grand Cru vineyards of La Bourgogne. Ellis ultimately made the great lifelong sea change in favour of our land downunder. He settled on a farmstead outside Leongatha, amongst the slow ripening pastures of.. Placing pinot amongst the pastures»

Bests Great Western Bin 1 Shiraz CONFIRM VINTAGE

Home of the 2012 Jimmy Watson Trophy!
Shiraz Great Western Victoria
Given the scarcity of Best's prestige, limited release, old vineyard icons, Bin #1 affords enthusiasts their first taste of the Great Western Shiraz style and leaves them eager to discover more. A classic, cool climate, aromatic wine, floral and spicy, peppery and elegant, retaining vital Great Western fruit character. Very ready to drink upon release, in the enduring Best's style, demonstrating the unique splendor of Great Westen Shiraz. Bin 1 is a great accompaniment to fine food, the celebration of a century's history at Best's Great Western.
Available in cartons of six
Case of 6
$161.50
Unique factors of soil and climate in the Great Western area contribute to Best's success. The land along the Concongella Creek is flat with powdery loam overlaying a deep clay sub-soil while newer plantings are sited on frost free hills. A long, slow ripening period and continental climate are characteristics of Great Western. The vineyards are in superb condition, producing fruit of remarkable quality and concentration. Meticulously crafted with the same attention to detail as th great regional flagship, Bin 1 represents the essence of Best's and the uniqueness of Great Western. The finished wine exhibits all the attractions of structured Victorian Shiraz, perfumed, subtley oaked and elegantly spiced.
Rich, inky red with purple hues. Vibrant lifted aromatics displaying fresh red berries and purple fruit, classic cool climate pepper and spice over delicate floral characters. A rich and juicy wine with layers of generous flavour and complexity. Luscious, up front characters of freshly picked red cherry and raspberry melds into more developed plum, blackberry, pepper and spice. The palate is long and mouthfilling, a wine of generosity, rolling tannins and wonderfully integrated oak.
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Bests
Three superior old vineyard sites - the secret behind Bests Wines

Best's Victorian enterprise comprises three sister vineyards: The Grand Matriarch and headquarters, Concongella at Great Western, St Andrew's at Lake Boga and the baby Salvation Hills at Rhymney Reef. Each vineyard produces distinctly different grape characteristics from vines aged from five to 135 years. Together they add fascinating facets, contrasts and diversity to Bests stable of wine. Twenty-one hectare Concongella, enjoys a cool temperate climate.

Bests

The newest, 22-hectare Salvation Hills also in the Great Western region is slightly cooler while the third, 28- hectare St. Andrews, lies 237 km further north near Lake Boga in the Swan Hill region and has a warm, temperate climate.

Bests Concongella Vineyard at Great Western was established in 1866. The 'Concongella' estate takes its name from the picturesque Concongella creek that lazily meanders beside the vineyard. Meanwhile the premier wine-growing region of Great Western ("one of the best in the country" notes wine writer Hugh Johnson) takes its name from the nearby old gold mining village of Great Western, some 240km west of the City of Melbourne.

Unique factors of soil and climate contribute to Best's success. The land along the creek is flat with a powdery, limey loam overlaying a deep clay sub-soil while newer plantings are cited on a frost-free gravel hill. Climatically cold to very cold winters, and frequently dry and cool summers, with occasional bursts of hot weather, are the norm.

Bests

Viv Thomson believes a little stress concentrates grape flavour, at Concongella it happens naturally. Despite these natural adversities, Concongella consistently produces high quality grapes of intense flavour. The vineyard is a blend of old and new plantings, Shiraz, Pinot Meunier, Dolcetto and Rhine Riesling being among the former and Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, the latter.

Best's St Andrew's Vineyard at Lake Boga was established in 1930. The more stable and reliable weather conditions at St. Andrews complements the more rigorous and diverse climatic Concongella conditions. The limestone soils of St. Andrews, together with the warm, dry climate produce smooth, fresh soft wines with above average fruit flavours which Bests often enhance with touches of quality oak.

With the sale of St. Andrews in 1928, the pot-still was moved to Concongella and later to the new St. Andrews. Today, the original still adorns the wall of the St. Andrews tasting room, with a new pot-still now inuse. The production of grape fortifying spirit and fortified wines has played an important role in Thomson enterprises.

However, with the decline of interest in fortified wines and the Governments increased excise on brandy, sales have decreased steadily since the 1970s. St. Andrews gives today's generations of Thomsons a strong hand, contrasting nicely with Concongella. The combination of a warm, temperate climate and tough limestone soils, produce grapes with good fruit flavours.

Bests