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McLAREN VALE

RICH CLAY LOAM, MARITIME CLIMATE

Each of the Richard Hamilton Wines McLaren Vale vineyards has a different soil structure that is reflected in the quality of the wine in the bottle. The majority of our vineyards are sandy with low fertility resulting in rich red wines of great depth.

• HUT BLOCK: Sand over clay and limestone, black bracking sandy clay loam
• FARM BLOCK: Black cracking over calcareous clay – Red Loam over clay and limestone
• LITTLE ROAD: Red brown loam with river pebbles over clay

THE CENTURION VINEYARD

“Centurion” the wine, takes its name from one of Australia’s and indeed the World’s oldest surviving vineyards, planted in 1892 by brothers Walter and Clement Philipson. Changing hands to Thomas Wigley in 1893, acquired by Burton Wyndham Hamilton in 1947 and passed to Dr Richard Hamilton in 1972. Sited alongside a creek, as the case with many vineyards preceding modern irrigation techniques, 1100 knotted up, gnarly Shiraz vines stretch out east-west across 19 rows. The orientation, together with shoot thinning and a combination of traditional vine management techniques (vertical shoot positioning lifting the top cordon and sprawling the bottom to a lazy ballerina skirt), opens the canopy, increasing fruit exposure to sunlight and providing greater canopy ventilation, to ultimately deliver even ripening across the vine. The combination of site and old vines, together with dry growing (in most vintages), produces lovely, elegant, yet concentrated fruit, showing signs of maturation straight from the vine.

HUT BLOCK VINEYARD

The Hut Block Vineyard is named after the old pickers hut
situated on the property. Located along McMurtrie Road in
McLaren Vale the vineyard contains our oldest vines, the
Centurion Shiraz, dry grown and planted in 1892. The Ghost Hill Vineyard Shiraz, Lot 148 Merlot as well as our bhut Block and Hut Eleven Cabernet Sauvignons are produced from this superb vineyard site.

The soil structure in Hut Block Vineyard is sand over clay and
limestone – black cracking – sandy clay loam. The total vineyard
area is 20.1 Hectares/48.6 Acres

FARM BLOCK VINEYARD

Farm Block Vineyard surrounds the McLaren Vale Cellar Door, Head Office and McLaren Vale Vineyard Office, between the corners of Main and Johnston Roads. The site produces the majority of our award-winning Shiraz. The soil structure of Farm Block vineyard is black cracking over calcareous clay and red loam over clay and limestone.

LITTLE ROAD VINEYARDS

Little Road Vineyard is located between Main and Little Roads, in the township of Willunga just south of the McLaren Vale Cellar Door and Farm Block Vineyards. It contains clones of Chapoutier Shiraz from France. The soil composition in Little Road Vineyard is red brown loam with river pebbles over clay.

The total vineyard area is 7.7 hectares/18.9 acres.

LEE HARDING, VITICULTURALIST

A passion for horticulture and mechanics sparked Lee’s interest in viticulture. With over 20 years’ experience in both the Adelaide Hills and McLaren Vale regions, Lee has been with the company since 2001. He is responsible for management of all operations of the McLaren Vale vineyards and works closely with winemaker Paul Gordon to ensure the vines maintain good health and produce optimum fruit quality.

Lee has an encyclopedic knowledge of viticulture, soil structures and micro-climates of the individual vineyards, as well as the seasonal weather patterns of the region – imperative to providing the right duty of care in differing conditions.

Enjoy carefully curated wines or choose total flexibility, with your own selection – delivered to your door, free of charge.

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Enjoy carefully curated wines or choose total flexibility, with your own selection – delivered to your door, free of charge.

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