Eden Valley

Situated in the rugged and undulating high country of Australia’s Barossa wine region, the Eden Valley ranges from 380 to 629 metres in altitude, at its highest points, some 400 metres above the Barossa Valley floor. This elevation results in much cooler temperatures, particularly at night, and a much longer ripening period – wonderful for producing high quality white wines with fine natural acidity. The soils are lean and bony and low in fertility. This means vine vigour, and therefore yields, are low and flavours are concentrated and vibrant. Vineyard sites are usually small and nestled among the many rocky outcrops. The diversity of sites throughout the Eden Valley is due to these differences in altitude, aspect and soil profile.

Optimising the diversity of sites, the Hill-Smith Estate Chardonnay is blended from a number of parcels of fruit from different locations throughout the Eden Valley. As well as the site differences imparted by landscape, there are also a number of different Chardonnay clones in these vineyards. Each clone has a subtle influence on the final wine style produced in respect to flavour, aroma and structure, thereby adding another layer to the final blend.

The Sauvignon Blanc is an individual vineyard wine, crafted from grapes grown on the eight hectare Hill-Smith Family vineyard. Situated high in the Eden Valley at approximately 540 metres in altitude, this special site produces fruit with distinctive varietal character and a high natural acidity.