A VINEYARD WITH ATTITUDE!
At 477 to 500 metres above sea level, our home vineyard, barr-Eden is a vineyard with attitude! One of the highest properties in the Eden Valley,it has been planted with dry grown Shiraz, Grenache, Mataro and Riesling, mostly on their own roots.  The vines are spaced 3 metres x 3 metres, maximizing natural uptake of moisture from these virgin soils. 

To determine where to plant our four varieties, we looked first to the soils and then to the position and aspect.

6144 vines, planted as a garden, in a north south direction eastern side facing away from the afternoon sun. These plantings twist around the rocky granite outcrops and 500 year old ancient gum trees, then track around the peak on an east facing slope, finding protection in the lee of the north and westerly winds of summer.

603 Grenache vines are planted on the east facing slope, a protected area of the hill in slightly sandy soils.

2513 Shiraz vines are planted in hard earth with shallow top soil, over the knoll where they struggle and work hard to achieve optimum expression.

1946 Mataro vines have been given the richest slope with good top soil and ample natural moisture due to this variety’s natural vigour.

1082 Riesling vines are planted in two different soil types; rock and ironstone on the high side and more fertile loam on the lower end.   It endures the most difficult growing/weather conditions which, quite candidly, is what Riesling loves.

Apart from the twenty or so winemakers who continually drop in during vintage to give advice and chew the fat, the act of making grapes into wine is carried out by the McLeans, as cellar rats, aided and abetted by Colin Forbes as lab tart /winemaker.