The Vineyard
The Barnadown Run Vineyard was established in 1994.
The Vineyard is situated at 930 feet above sea level on the western side of the Mt Camel range, 4 kilometres east of Toolleen. It has a micro climate all of its own with cool nights and is being continually fanned during the days of the growing season by the prevailing south-westerly and westerly winds.
The climate is ideal for wine grapes and every vintage reaches physiological ripeness. We always ripen one week later than than those vineyards on the eastern slope and two weeks later than those vineyards 20 kilometres to the north, therefore the Barnadown Run vineyard has a longer growing season than its neighbours.
The soils are the oldest in Australia and the rich red earth of Cambrian clay loam runs on a narrow range which incorporates Mt Camel and Mt Pleasant. Owner Andrew Millis carries out the viticultural practises at the 5-hectare vineyard which is dedicated mainly to Shiraz with other varieties planted being Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Viognier.
The vineyard is above the frost line, is set up with a 6ft verticle trellis and the vines are dry grown.
Flavours are specific to our location where we produce robust fruity and complex wines of finesse from our low yielding dry-land vineyard.
All our wines bear the name Heathcote on our label and our wines are highly sort after for their cellaring potential.