Overview
A beautifully balanced, powerful and structured single-vineyard Shiraz from Heathcote, Victoria. The 2022 vintage marks a significant milestone for Heathcote Estate as its first certified 100% organic release, following four years of transition. Crafted by winemaker Tom Carson, this exceptional vintage delivers concentrated dark fruit, spice, supple tannins and a long, seamless finish, with outstanding cellaring potential.
Vintage
The 2022 growing season began with a long, exceptionally cold winter, followed by a mild, suitably wet spring that replenished soil moisture. Mild conditions continued throughout summer, allowing the fruit to ripen gradually. Harvest commenced on 19 February and concluded on 4 March, producing fruit of exceptional quality and balance.
Vineyard & Viticulture
Sourced from Heathcote Estate's vineyard on Drummonds Lane in Victoria's renowned Heathcote region. The vineyard features deep red clay soils over ancient Cambrian bedrock, with quartz and stone visible throughout. Six individual vineyard blocks contribute to the wine, incorporating several Shiraz clones. The 2022 vintage represents the estate's first certified 100% organic harvest after four years of conversion.
Winemaking
The six vineyard blocks and their individual sections were vinified separately, producing 20 distinct batches. Following gentle destemming, the grapes were fermented in traditional oak fermenters with 20% whole bunches included. The wines were subsequently pressed into 500-litre French oak puncheons for malolactic fermentation.
Maturation took place over 11 months in 100% French oak, including 20% new barrels. The wine was racked twice during maturation and bottled in February 2023.
Producer Tasting Notes
The 2022 vintage was exceptional, producing a classic Heathcote Estate Shiraz. Characterised by its remarkable balance, this intense and structured wine has layers of flavour, dark fruits, spice and a long, seamless, persistent finish. Cellar for optimum reward.
Critic Reviews
96/100 — Huon Hooke, The Real Review
“Full-bodied, concentrated, powerful and muscular: an iron fist in a velvet glove. Outstanding and super-ageworthy shiraz.”
Published 21 August 2025
93/100 — Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front
“There’s pure plum flavour, and peppercorns, and juicy cherries, and slips of licorice, both red and black.”
Published 15 August 2025
Producer
Heathcote Estate is part of the Yabby Lake wine family, established by Robert and Mem Kirby in Victoria. Alongside its renowned Mornington Peninsula vineyards, Yabby Lake developed its Heathcote vineyard in 1999, taking advantage of the region's ancient Cambrian soils and outstanding suitability for Shiraz.
The Heathcote vineyard spans approximately 29 hectares, predominantly planted to Shiraz. Individual blocks are managed and vinified separately, allowing the estate to capture the distinctive characteristics of its vineyard sites. Under the direction of winemaker Tom Carson, Heathcote Estate produces structured, expressive wines that reflect the region's distinctive terroir.
Specifications
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Vintage: 2022
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Producer: Heathcote Estate
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Winemaker: Tom Carson
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Country: Australia
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Region: Heathcote, Victoria
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Vineyard: Drummonds Lane, Heathcote
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Grape Variety: Shiraz
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Wine Style: Still Red Wine
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Sweetness: Dry
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Alcohol: 13.5%
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Viticulture: Certified Organic
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Soil: Deep red clay over ancient Cambrian bedrock with quartz
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Harvest: 19 February – 4 March 2022
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Fermentation: Traditional oak fermenters, 20% whole bunch
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Malolactic Fermentation: In 500L French oak puncheons
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Maturation: 11 months
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Oak: 100% French oak, 20% new
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Bottling: February 2023
