THE '1860 VINES' STORY ...
As original as the Estate itself, these un-grafted, pre-phylloxera Shiraz plantings are amongst the oldest in the world. The vines have survived Phylloxera – the vine louse that decimated Europe’s vineyards and arrived at Tahbilk in the late 1800s – as well as Mother Nature’s droughts, floods and killer frosts.
Our ‘1860 Vines’ planting was nominated by renowned USA Wine & Spirits magazine as one of the 25 Great Vineyards of the World. The vineyards selected were those where the terroir – the total environment of a place, including soil, climate, aspect, vine and even history “is most clearly perceptible in the wine.”
Wine auctioneers Langton’s recently released Classification of Australian Wine VII lists Tahbilk’s ‘1860 Vines’ Shiraz releases as ‘Outstanding’, defined as “the best of Australian Wine making practices, vineyard provenance and regional voice”. “The exquisite and increasingly rare 1860 Vines Shiraz … typically possesses violet, herb garden, blackberry and chocolate aromas, loose-knit gravelly tannin structures, and underlying roasted walnut and chestnut notes.”
Since the 1979 vintage inaugural release under Alister’s tutelage, these wines have become one of the world’s most sought after wine collectables and, more importantly, sublime drinks.
