Gibson Australian Old Vine Collection Eden Valley Shiraz 2018

"The Australian Old Vine Collection Eden Valley Shiraz celebrates the Barossa’s magnificent old vine resources. The region is home to what is believed to be the world’s oldest Shiraz, Mataro and Grenache vines growing on their own roots. Some of these vines remarkably date back to the 1840s. This is in part due to South Australia having strong biosecurity measures which has prevented the movement of Phylloxera - a potentially devasting vine aphid, which killed off much of Europe’s grapevines in the 1800s.

The Barossa has done much work to protect these ancient treasures, including forming its own Old Vine Charter. In 2009, the Barossa Old Vine Charter was instituted to register vineyards by age, so that older vines could be preserved, retained and promoted.

The Australian Old Vine Collection Eden Valley Shiraz was largely sourced from our Burkes Hill Vineyard, with the Shiraz being 62 years of age. The wine was vinified in small lot (0.5 - 1 tonne) open fermenters, with daily plunging or rack and return. It was matured for 20 months in 70% new French oak barrels.