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Halls Gap Vineyard was planted 1969, along the steep eastern slopes and parched rocky crags of Grampians Ranges, at the very beginning of a renaissance in Victorian viticulture. Since early establishment in the 1860s by the noble Houses of Seppelt and Bests, the region had earned the most elite peerage, a provenance of extraordinary red wines, bursting with bramble opulence and lined with limousin tannins. The Halls Gap property had long been respected as a venerable supplier to the nation's most illustrious brands. Seppelt and Penfolds called on harvests from Halls Gap for their finest vintages. Until 1996, when it was acquired by the late, great Trevor Mast, who was very pleased to bottle Hall Gap's fruit behind the exhalted label of Mt Langi Ghiran. Halls Gap joined the tally of Circe estate vineyards in 2013, whence it yields a wine that's earmarked for icon status by the most discerning industry pundits, now branded under the cryptic moniker of Fallen Giants... Land of the fallen giants»

Willows G7 Mataro CONFIRM VINTAGE

Mourvedre Barossa South Australia
G7 for seven generations of Barossa viticulture by the Scholz family. Establishing a mixed farm of livestock and orchards in 1845, Johann Scholz planted one of the first Barossa vineyards along the alluvial banks of Para River. Established 1970, the Mataro block grows on a gentle, east facing slope, away from North Para River. An ideal site, invigorated by gully winds for a slow ripening of intense berry spice flavours in the grapes. Mourverdre of merit, magnificence and mark, a big bucolic nose, earthyness, savouryness, currants and strawberry, olives, marketgarden and mint.
Available by the dozen
Case of 12
$395.00
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The Scholz's Australian story began in 1845 when 40 year-old Johann Gottfried joined his neighbours to flee the religious persecution of his Silesian homeland, and emigrate to a fertile valley on the other side of the world

Like the other settlers, Johann established a mixed farm of sheep, cows, crops and fruit trees as well as a few grape vines along the alluvial banks of the Para River. This northern Barossa location is distinguished by its cooling gully breezes during vintage, providing slow ripening and a clearer expression of berry and spice flavours in red wines and lifted varietal fruit characters in whites.

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Johann had also spent most of his early career as a bone-setter in the Prussian Army and it was his healing hands which were in demand, as the early settlers had to contend with the daily bumps, breaks and bruises of their harsh environment.

In 1914, when World War I broke out against Germany, fourth generation Herbert Bernard left for the United States rather than be interned. Here he learned the new science of physiotherapy at famous spas such as the Chicago Steam Baths. Herbert's fame grew during the 1940s, particularly during the post-War polio epidemic, when he gave many locals a new life by rejecting the traditional medical prescription of bed rest and advocating exercise instead.

Bert graduated in 1954 and practised in Victoria and at Loxton in the Riverland before returning to Angaston in the mid 1970s. He wisely maintained the Shiraz and Semillon vines, now the backbone of some of The Willows most popular wines, but replaced the old Pedro and Doradillo grapes, which had been used for brandy production.

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In their place went more Shiraz, plus Cabernet, Grenache, Mataro, Riesling and Muscadelle. He even showed a progressive streak by planting Pinot Noir, which still remains today.

Unfortunately Bert's enthusiasm about grapegrowing coincided with the industry's worst downturn. In the late 1970s the red wine boom became the red wine glut and Bert sought a better price for his grapes by transferring his contract from the Kaiser Stuhl Cooperative to Saltram, where an old family friend, Peter Lehmann was chief winemaker.

Although winery owner, Dalgety refused to take the grapes in the vintage of 1977, Peter honoured his contracts and started his own winery, with Bert Scholz one of his loyal growers. Not surprisingly, Bert's son Peter took his first winemaking job with Peter Lehmann at Saltram in 1979. Here he entered a dynamic environment, working with Andrew Wigan and Charlie Melton and the Baron himself to produce signature styles of Barossa Shiraz and Cabernet, Riesling and Semillon.

In 1987 Peter barrelled his first vintage of Willows Vineyard Shiraz, following it up in 1988 with a Shiraz, a Cabernet, a Semillon and Riesling.

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