The Shiraz Republic in Heathcote is awesome.  The place has developed itself into a sort of wine wonderland!  The Shiraz Republic’s is a great story.  Like most wine stories begin, it started with a family purchasing land in wine country (in this instance, on the North side of Heathcote in 1996).  A few years later, and the first 10 acres were planted, and after that, a cellar door was built.

 

That is where most wine stories end, but not this one.  The Spencer / Page family had grander ambitions to really bring the heart and soul of wine to the people.  (When they say: “Wine of the people, by the people, for the people” – they really mean it!)   A few years ago, they began their clever “Rent-a-Row” program whereby regular Joes like you and I could literally rent their own patch of grapes from the family vineyard to eventually pick, crush ferment, oak, and bottle their own personally made wine.  How cool is that?!?  How many people get to make their own Heathcote Shiraz in whatever style they would like?!?  The program has been a big success and continues to grow each year, having now graduated hundreds of new winemakers 🙂

 

As if the above weren’t enough, Shiraz Republic opened a brewery on site in  2016 to make sure guests were fully entertained in every way possible (and after you have had a certain amount of wine, beer really is an awesome palate-refresher).  With great wine and beer readily available, guests are also treated to live entertainment a couple times each month, with bands performing in the cool delivery truck-turned-amphiteatre!  And inside the cellar door, the Shiraz Republic has created such a cosy and inviting space, complete with warm oak finishes, a pool table, deep cushioned chairs and a fire burning in the hearth.

 

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