Planted in 1891, the last remaining 2.54ha block of ancestor vines stand proudly at the Upper Tintara Vineyard and still produce exceptionally high-quality fruit. Referred to by the family as
‘Bob’s selection’ after Ox’s father, cuttings from these grandfather vines have been borrowed by neighbours over time, to plant some of the most celebrated vineyards in the district. Unlike other
vinesof similar longevity, theystill appearyouthful andbarelyhalf their age tothe nakedeye. They alsoproduceyieldsof a uchyounger andhealthiervine.
2013 VINTAGE & WINEMAKING
The 2013 vintage in Blewitt Springs was preceded by a reasonably wet winter and then very dry spring and early summer. Happily, we had no heatwaves, but lack of water and warm temperatures meant an early vintage in the region – we handpicked the 1891 vine Shiraz on the 19th of February, the earliest on record. Hand-picked from the top section of the 1891 Ancestor Vine block, the fruit was fermented in a two-tonne open fermenter and the skins were hand plunged three times a day. At sugar dryness the wine was drained off and the skins pressed. The resultant wine was transferred straight to barrel and matured for nearly two years in one new and two older French oak barriques. The wine was bottled without filtration in January 2017 and released in April 2025.
Aroma: Dark red berry fruits, dried herbs and
mocha spice
Palate:Elegant, restrained and poised. A wine of integrity
and finesse. Red fruits following on the palate, fine
French oak char and fine grain tannins.