Overview
An intense and structured single-vineyard Shiraz from Heathcote Estate, characterised by dark fruit, spice, remarkable balance and a long, seamless finish. The wine is produced from the estate’s organically certified vineyard in Heathcote, Victoria.
Vintage
A long, cold winter was followed by a mild, suitably wet spring and moderate summer. Harvest began on 2 March, approximately one month later than the estate’s earliest vintage. The 2023 season marked the second vintage produced from the estate after achieving 100% organic certification.
Vineyard
Heathcote Estate was planted in 1999 on the ancient Cambrian soils at the heart of the Heathcote region. Approximately 500 million years old, these soils contribute to the vineyard’s distinctive character. The estate is managed as a 100% organically certified vineyard under NASAA certification NCO3056ML1.
Winemaking
Fruit from five individual vineyard blocks and their various sections was handled separately, creating 20 individual batches. The grapes were gently destemmed and fermented in traditional open fermenters with 20% whole bunches. The wines were pressed into 500-litre French oak puncheons for malolactic fermentation, racked twice during maturation and bottled in February 2024.
Producer Tasting Notes
“The 2023 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.” — Heathcote Estate
Awards
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Trophy – Best Shiraz — 2025 National Wine Show
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Wine of Show — 2025 Heathcote Wine Show
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Best Single Vineyard Wine — 2025 Heathcote Wine Show
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Best Shiraz — 2025 Heathcote Wine Show
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Best Young Shiraz — 2025 Heathcote Wine Show
Critic Reviews
97 Points — Ray Jordan, Wine Pilot
“Gosh, this is such a good wine. It was a super vintage in Heathcote, and you can see it immediately on the nose with further highlights on the palate. This is not a massively opulent style of wine, but it has tremendous concentration of fruit delivered with such poise and elegance, spicy, savoury dark fruits, a little chocolate, plenty of those plummy riches… An exceptional wine.”
96 Points — Jeni Port, Halliday Wine Companion
“Delves deeply into the heart of Heathcote shiraz and it's there that lovers of the grape will find total enjoyment. Gotta love the combination of black and red fruits, the energy they emit, and the elegant addition of spices, briar, earth, smart vanillin oak and a mineral-like vigour that flows through the wine. It's swept along in grainy, ripe tannins, lingering long on the finish.”
Producer
Heathcote Estate is Yabby Lake Vineyard’s sister property in Central Victoria. Led by winemaker Tom Carson, the estate focuses on producing wines that express the distinctive characteristics of its individual Heathcote site.
Specifications
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Vintage: 2023
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Grape Variety: Shiraz
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Region: Heathcote, Victoria, Australia
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Vineyard: Heathcote Estate
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Viticulture: 100% organically certified and managed vineyard
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Fermentation: Traditional open fermenters; 20% whole bunches; malolactic fermentation in oak
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Maturation: 500-litre French oak puncheons; racked twice
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Bottled: February 2024
