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A small vineyard in the Clare Valley known for producing one of Australia’s most sought-after rieslings, is back in the spotlight, after being named Vineyard of the Year.
Young Gun of Wine recognised the Springvale Vineyard at their sixth annual Vineyard of the Year awards. Owner Jeffery Grosset says the win feels like a full-circle moment, decades in the making.
Long before Springvale was winning national awards, Jeffrey was a teenager taking his first sip of wine, when something clicked.
“I thought, ‘wow this is what I want to do,’” says Jeffrey.
That moment sparked a philosophy that still guides Grosset Wines today: that the real magic happens long before the wine reaches the bottle, and even before the grapes are picked.
“If you want to make great wine … memorable, exciting and pure expressions, you have to start with where you plant the vineyard.”
For Springvale, that place was an untouched, barren hillside in Watervale, with fewer than a dozen trees scattered across the land. But it was what lay beneath the surface that convinced him to begin planting in 2000. Under the region’s familiar red soil and limestone lies ancient slate bedrock that created the foundations for something special.
Twenty-five years later, that same land has transformed into a lovingly hand-tended Riesling site, where rows of twisted, sunlit vines stretch across 5.3 hectares of land. Alongside vineyard manager, Matthew O’Rourke, the dedicated team of 20-25 pickers make sure only the finest fruit makes the cut. The result? Pristine grapes that would look at home on a fruit platter, and wine defined by freshness, purity and bright citrus notes.
“How you manage the vineyard is the part of producing a wine that’s memorable and exciting.”
Although it’s intense work, Jeffery says it’s worth every extra step, as machine harvesting can damage fruit and ultimately compromise the quality, fullness and longevity of the wine.
“In this case … there’s no place for that compromise, even if it might be very small.”
Through being Certified Organic and Biodynamic, the team have learned to work with the landscape rather than against it. They have planted pockets of surrounding land with scruffy trees and flora that complement the ever-flourishing ecosystem. The site’s limestone-rich soil also plays an important role, helping to retain moisture during dry seasons, keeping its “oasis intact in an otherwise parched environment.”
Through sunlight, patience and care, what began as a raw hillside in the Clare Valley has matured into a nationally acclaimed vineyard.
And that’s well worth raising a glass.
For more information about the other finalists, click here.
