BarossaVintages.com

Barossa Old Vine Charter

Despite the mid-wifery style intervention that winemakers contribute to the birth of every wine, it is in the vineyard where every aroma, colour, flavour and texture has its gestation. Part of the Barossa’s uniqueness is its widely varying micro-climates and soil types. From the northern districts of Ebenezer, bordering on arid farming land with low rainfall and hot summer temperatures, to the southern tip of the region near Mt Pleasant with its distinctive cool climate characteristics; from the red schist soils of Jacob’s Creek to the deep yellow sands of Vine Vale, from the rocky outcrops of Eden Valley to the loams of Gomersal, the Barossa provides a colourful genetic pallete. Cross-match this with widely varying vineyard ages – from vigorous youngsters in their first decade contributing fresh, nubile flavours to ancient gnarled great grandfathers, well past their century, producing fruit of rare concentration and intensity – and overlay that with a fruit salad of varieties – Shiraz, Cabernet, Grenache and Mourvédre, Semillon, Riesling and Chardonnay – and clones dating back to the original Busby Collection the Barossa is Australia’s most exciting viticultural nursery.

Barossa Old Vine

• Equal or greater than 35 years of age
• These Old Vines have grown beyond adolescence and are now fully mature. They have a root structure and trunk thickness that encourages diversity of flavour and character.
• Their worthiness has now been proven over many vintages, consistently producing the highest quality fruit for Barossa wines of distinction and longevity.

Barossa Survivor Vine

• Equal or greater than 70 years of age
• These Very Old Vines are a living symbol of traditional values in a modern environment and signal a renewed respect for the Barossa’s Old Vine material. They have weathered the worst of many storms, both man-made and naturally occurring, including the infamous 1980s Vine Pull scheme.
• A Barossa Survivor Vine has reached a significant milestone in Barossa and Australian viticulture history and pays homage to the resolute commitment of those growers and winemakers who value the quality and diverse flavour structures of old vines.

Barossa Centenarian Vine

• Equal or greater than 100 years of age
• These Exceptionally Old Vines serve as a witness to the Barossa’s resilience in the face of adversity. The Barossa, unlike many of the world’s great wine regions, is phylloxera free, which allowed these vines to mature into their thick, gnarly trunks and naturally sculpted forms without interference. Noted for their low yields, they produce fruit with intensity of flavour.
• Planted generations ago, when dry farming techniques demanded careful site selection, Centenarian Vines have truly withstood the test of time

Barossa Ancestor Vine

• Equal or greater than 125+ years of age
• An Ancestor Vine has stood strong and proud for at least one hundred and twenty five years. It is a living tribute to the early European settlers of the Barossa, pioneers of our modern wine industry. These Very Exceptionally Old Vines and their genetic material have helped to populate this region with irreplaceable, remarkable old stocks and are the underpinnings of our premium viticultural tradition.
• These low yielding vineyards, with fruit full of intensity and flavour, are most often dry grown.
• They are believed to be among the oldest producing vineyards in the world.

Total under vine and total and average yield (25.19 kB)

Total under vine - white and red (32.28 kB)