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When it comes to red wine, we believe Heathcote is the best wine region in Victoria. And if we’re talking specifically about Shiraz, it is frankly our favourite wine region in all of Australia. At its best, Heathcote Shiraz is both extraordinarily powerful and beautifully elegant – a miraculous union seldom seen in wine.
With its wineries scattered from 90 minutes to 2 hours outside of Melbourne, it is a little more work to get to Heathcote, but if you love red wine, it’s the best Victoria has to offer. When you do visit Heathcote, here are our favourite stops (in alphabetical order).
Burke & Wills Winery – Run by winemaker & wine historian Andrew Pattison and his lovely partner, Heather McCormack, Burke & Wills boasts Heathcote’s most diverse range of wines. Yes, their Vat 1 Shiraz took home the medal for Victoria’s best Shiraz, but on the other end of the spectrum, their Bordeaux blend, The Aritocrat, is a more faithful capture of French blending that any import you’ll find on Dan Murphy’s shelves!
Next up, the rapidly expanding Condie Estate very much represents the evolution and future of Heathcote. As we mentioned, Heathcote Shiraz is all about the marriage of power and finesse, and Richie Condie has reached new heights in Heathcote Shiraz by really focusing on the finesse side of that equation. These are extraordinary wines. And be sure to check out Condie’s Sangiovese – it’s finally showing Sangiovese’s true potential in Australian soils.
#3, Heathcote is all about Shiraz, but Ellis Wines has really shown the light on what the region can achieve with other varietals, like Cabernet Sauvignon, Viognier, and Merlot. This 2012 Cab Sav is literally the best Australian Cab Sav we have ever tasted. (Thank God we have 4 bottles left!) And while we love what Ellis is doing with other varieties, it’s worth mentioning that James Halliday awarded their current Shiraz 97 point …
#4, If we had to choose just one winery that has set the benchmark for Heatchote Shiraz in the last decade, it must be Sanguine Estate. Shiraz, Shiraz, Shiraz, Sanguine Estate defines Heathcote Shiraz. Year in and year out, they masterfully achieve restrained power in these wines, and they’re simply extraordinary. We have never such consistency, you literally cannot go wrong.
And finally, our beloved She Oak Hill Vineyard. She Oak Hill was one of the founding vineyards of modern Heathcote, and those old vines are producing the most glorious wines today. She Oak does not have a cellar door as such, but if you organize in advance, proprietor Jane Leckie will treat you to a tasting at her vineyard. Where else can you taste through five vintages of Shiraz from one of Australia’s most legendary vineyards?
And if you find yourself looking for a few more stops in Heathcote, we can also recommend Tellurian Wines , Idavue Estate & Peregrine Ridge. Tellurian has picked up all kinds of medals for their awesome range of Shirazes – well worth a visit. Run by the very hospitable duo, Andy & Sandy, Idavue makes reliably bold Heathcote Shiraz – hits the spot every time. And as for Peregrine Ridge, it may be Australia’s best sparkling shiraz producer. We’ve been saying for a long time that sparkling Shiraz doesn’t get enough respect – if you try Peregrine Ridge, you’ll see why ….
Heathcote is #WhyWeLoveWine
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