Vineyard: 100% Hazel's Vineyard. As McHenry Hohnen's southernmost and certified biodynamic vineyard, Hazel’s Vineyard is located near Witchcliffe in the headwaters of Chapman Brook. The site features free-draining ironstone gravel loam soils over a strong clay base, providing excellent drainage and promoting healthy vine growth. The vineyard's northerly aspect and exposure to cooling Southern Ocean influences contribute to the cultivation of a diverse range of varieties, including Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Merlot, Grenache, Petit Verdot, and Mataro.
We were blessed with near perfect growing conditions in Margaret River in 2020. A warmer than usual Spring, a dry, sunny Summer and cool
nights. Significant diurnal temperature variations meant perfect ripening conditions across all of our dry grown vineyards. No disease and virtually no bird pressure (particularly at the start of harvest) meant we were able to pick beautifully clean fruit at ideal ripeness and flavour levels... a real treat for our winemaking team. The only downside was exceptionally low yields across all varieties. Our dry farmed vineyard responded to the drier seasonal conditions by producing tiny and light bunches with small berries. Consequently, the fruit has incredible concentration and has retained a lovely natural acidity.
