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Hillside Vineyard Shiraz Roussanne

Hillside Vineyard Shiraz Roussanne

The Hillside Vineyard is one of the principal vineyard estates fundamental to the Torbreck collection of Barossa Valley vineyards and wines.

The Hillside vineyard was established near the town of Lyndoch in the south western corner of the Barossa Valley in 1849 by the Springbett family. The first vines were planted in 1850 to Shiraz and Grenache and by 1860 two generations of the Springbett family had built a small winery, the second to be established in the region. Within a decade the property was a fully operation winery and cellar producing single estate wines, one of the first of its type in the Barossa Valley.

Torbreck acquired the property in 2002 and set about resurrecting the old vines, planting new vineyards and restoring the charming historic ironstone buildings. Along with old vine Shiraz and Grenache there are blocks planted to other Rhone varieties such as, Counoise, Carignan, Mataro, Grenache Blanc, Roussanne and Marsanne.

Due to our success in co-fermenting Shiraz and Viognier, we thought it would be interesting to co-ferment the skins from Roussanne with Shiraz. We selected a Shiraz vineyard in Lyndoch that gave us the perfect structure and purity of fruit to balance the aromatics of the Roussanne. Once the juice was gently whole bunch pressed from the Roussanne grapes, the skins were added to the Shiraz and co-fermented. The resulting wine is as unique as it is intense; beautifully lifted and balanced and surprisingly distinctive.

Current Vintage 2023
The 2023 growing season brought above-average rainfall in winter and spring and a cooler summer. The majority of the harvest took place in the colder months, and most vineyards were not harvested until April, approximately one month later than usual. Cooler seasons can pose several challenges, but through our dedicated commitment to viticulture practices, such as hand pruning and harvesting with careful soil management, the vintage resulted in low-yielding and resilient fruit. The upside, however, to a cool season is far greater, and producers and wine enthusiasts alike hold these seasons in high regard. The vintage has resulted in very strong wines from the Eden and Barossa Valleys, with bright colours and freshness from higher natural acidities, auguring them towards greater longevity and detail across the palate.
Current Vintage 2022
The 2022 vintage was characterised by above average winter rains making up for a dry autumn, leading to full canopies and healthy vines for the harvest. A severe hail storm across some parts of the Valley in late October resulted in lower average yields. The summer was remarkably mild with very few days above 30 degrees. Slow ripening in the cooler conditions made for a gentle and drawn out vintage season, resulting in wines with higher natural acidity, rich colours and fine tannins. The wines from 2022 will reward those patient enough to cellar them away
Current Vintage 2021
The 2021 summer growing season was mild, with even and cool daily temperatures throughout. Enhanced by good rains provided during the winter and spring of 2020, our vineyards grew wonderful canopies and developed well-formed grape bunches. As a result of this long flavour development cycle in the vineyard, 2021’s signature is wines of high aromatic lift with densely coloured tints and exceptional balance
Current Vintage 2020
Strong winds at flowering at the beginning of the growing season reduced berry and bunch count in many vineyards.  The difficult seasonal conditions continued up to harvest- a dry winter and spring were followed by very hot and dry December and January.  2020 was a difficult season to manage for both grower and winemaker with yields much lower than anticipated. Older vineyards with deeper roots remained steadfast under these conditions and produced small volumes of deeply concentrated wines from the lower yields. Semillon and Viognier were the starring whites, with delicate flavours and aromas. While the yields have been small, the overall quality has created deeply coloured and textured wines that resonate their place of origin.
Current Vintage 2019
The growing season was defined by a continuously warm to hot summer with no effective rainfall, wind and hail at flowering, and followed with three major frosts - resulting in an earlier and much smaller harvest than average. These tough conditions produced smaller clusters of intensely dark berries with thick fleshy skins contrasted against brown mature stalks. Whilst yields were down, once these vineyards were fermenting in our cellar the concentration of colour, tannin and aroma of the 2019 vintage was revealed..
Current Vintage 2018
An above average winter rainfall led into a below average spring and summer rainfall, producing small bunches and small berries, leading to a reduced yield. Quality was certainly high, particular amongst our red varieties of Shiraz, Grenache and Mataro. 2018 wines will be remembered for their impressive colour, structure and longevity.
Current Vintage 2017
After a cold and rainy winter in 2016, the Barossa had one of its wettest springs on record, replenishing sub-soil moisture and setting the vineyards up for a healthy summer. Mild conditions during veraison and light rains in January and February, 2017, were followed by an extended warm, dry Indian summer, creating perfect ripening conditions through to April, 2017. An outstanding vintage producing bright, aromatic whites and intense, well-structured reds.

$32.00


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Hillside Vineyard Shiraz Roussanne Vintages

2023 - tasting notes and reviews

Get a detailed breakdown of the Hillside Vineyard Shiraz and Roussanne 2023 vintage

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2022 - tasting notes and reviews

Get a detailed breakdown of the Hillside Vineyard Shiraz and Roussanne 2022 vintage

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2021 - tasting notes and reviews

Get a detailed breakdown of the Hillside Vineyard Shiraz and Roussanne 2021 vintage

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2020 - tasting notes and reviews

Get a detailed breakdown of the Hillside Vineyard Shiraz and Roussanne 2020 vintage

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2019 - tasting notes and reviews

Get a detailed breakdown of the Hillside Vineyard Shiraz and Roussanne 2019 vintage

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2018 - tasting notes and reviews

Get a detailed breakdown of the Hillside Vineyard Shiraz and Roussanne 2018 vintage

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2017 - tasting notes and reviews

Get a detailed breakdown of the Hillside Vineyard Shiraz and Roussanne 2017 vintage

Download the winemaker's notes