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| Galli Estate produce a variety of quality wines from fruit grown on their vineyards at Sunbury and Heathcote. Galli Estate have been very well received by reviewers, and have been recognised for quality at competitions, already receiving Gold for their Pinot Grigio, a varietal that the winemaking team find very exciting. Galli Estate» |
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| Yealands Seaview Vineyard is exposed to some of the toughest growing conditions in Marlborough, high sunshine and billowing winds wind, cool nights and low rainfalls for a smaller, thicker skinned Pinot Gris of exciting intensity. Fruit from the relatively flat, coastal L6M block, provides a pure mineral elegance to the structural backbone. Yealands Estate» |
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| So popular are the wines of Pepperjack, that the label hosts its own society of dedicated enthusiasts. This devout cohort of zealots, converges at bespoke venues to discuss matters Pepperjack, they dine on prime beef and imbibe in their cherished libation. Pepperjack» |
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| Coriole is one of McLaren Vale's most eminent, artisanal estates. Consecutive vintages of Coriole Shiraz have claimed a remarkable back to back San Francisco Double Gold. Coriole» |
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| Serafino Maglieri came to McLaren Vale in 1968 and devoted his life to wine. From picking to pruning to cellarhand, he worked his way up to plant his own vines and build his first winery. Serafino» |
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| There are two superb high altitude sites in Carey Gully and Piccadilly Valley, which yield an extraordinary quality of Sauvignon Blanc. Knappstein take the top cut of each harvest, crushing the fruit for a long cool vinification, treating a batch to the added richness of oak barrel ferments for texture, complexity and weight. Riposte» |
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| Characterized by its controlled power, elegance and finesse, a very special Pyrenees wine which redefines the great Cabernet virtues of stature, structure and length. The inaugural release claimed Gold and Best Wine ahead of two timeless Bordeaux icons, Chateau Mouton Rothschild and Cos d'Estournel. Taltarni» |
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| The seemingly countless, memorable vintages of Delatite have claimed a litany of trophies, accolades and rave reviews throughout the world of wine. Her first vines were planted in 1968 on a picturesque rise overlooking the vistas of Mt Buller. Delatite» |
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| Campbell's Topaque is the most wickedly intense, lusciously rich elixir, laden with candied peel flavours, honeycombed fruit and amber complexities. Painstakingly crafted to the old world Solera system, a bespoke tradition of fractional blending and elevage, achieving the most indulgent concentration of flavour through a laborious racking of barrels as the angels take their share. Campbells» |
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| The marvelous S1 block is a sheltered, relatively warm site within the splendid vistas of Seaview Vineyard, on a north facing plateau at 160m above sea level, refreshed by maritime winds that blow in from the Cludy Bay coast. Fruit is crushed and destemmed, chilled and gently pressed, the clearest juices are racked off for a long, cool ferment to capture the full opulence of S1 vineyard grapes on the vine. Yealands Estate» |
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| Scotsdale was acquired by Howard Park as a pastoral property, specifically chosen and planted to make a single vineyard wine. Shiraz is harvested according to flavour with little regard for analytical data. Howard Park» |
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| The inaugural release of Hanging Rock Shiraz was vintage 1987 and what an event it was, immediately claiming gold and inspiring comparisons to Grange by the industry press. From from fruit grown to the estate Athols Paddock, a complex Heathcote style, more Syrah than Shiraz, boasting several trophies and over fifty gold to its distinguished history, big, powerful and rich, yet exhibiting an elegance and finesse that's rare in Australian wine. Hanging Rock» |
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About Alex Head - the Winery
Alex Head
Each release of Head not only represents Alex Head's strong views on what makes balanced, drinkable wines but a guarantee of absolute quality, value and consistency
Head Wines is an open journey of learning. Know from whence you came. If you know whence you came, there are absolutely no limitations to where you can go. Graduating from Sydney University in 1997 with a degree in Biochemistry, Alex entered the Wine Industry. After a trip through the major wine-growing vineyards of Europe, he immediately started working in fine-wine management, wholesale importing and an auction house to gain a broad understanding of the world of fine wine. He then worked vintages with the wineries he held in the highest regard. Tyrrells in the Hunter, Torbreck, Laughing Jack and Cirillo Estate in the Barossa Valley followed and in December of 2008 he gained a Producers Licence and released his first wines to the public.
Alex has long been interested in Old-World wines and their symbiosis with all things culinary; particularly Shiraz from an appellation in Frances Northern Rhone Valley called Cote Rotie (roasted slope). Shiraz has been the only red grape grown there for thousands of years, initially thought to have been cultivated by the Roman Empire. When Alex started out in the wine industry, he quickly fell in love with shiraz from the Barossa. However, it was the discovery of shiraz from Côte Rotie in Frances Rhone Valley that would ultimately give him the inspiration to work as a winemaker.
A great legend states that in the Middle Ages, a Seigneur of Ampuis called Count Maugiron owned the steeply terraced hills of Cote Rotie. He was also blessed with two beautiful daughters, one a blonde and the other a brunette. When Count Maugiron finally retired he passed on the two Cotes to his daughters and to this day, they are still referred to as the Cote Blonde and Cote Brune.
The Southern slope of the Cote (also suited to viognier) which contains more granite, mica and limestone made a softer, rounded more elegant wine which delighted its drinkers with perfume and femininity. Here, the soil and wines showed colour and character of his blonde daughter.
The Northern slope contained heavy soils of schist and iron, producing an intense wine with dark fruits and tannin that required age to show its true potential. Here, the soil and wine showed colour and character of Count Maugiron's brunette daughter.
These soil structures and colours are of utmost importance to the properties of the fruit which grow in these vineyards. For Alex's unique Barossa Valley wines, he selected two vineyard sites where, similar to Côte Rotie, the soils produce contrasting styles of Shiraz. The Blonde comes from a vineyard in Stonewell, which consists of sandy loam mixed with quartz on a limestone base that gives the wine accentuated perfume and complexity. The Brunette comes from a high elevation vineyard in Moppa, which consists of heavy soils of deep red clay and ironstone that give structure, longevity and reward from cellaring.
It’s hard to generalise about vintages when the grapes that you are using come from 6 different growers and 5 different varieties (early and late ripening) to make 5 unique wines. When you read a vintage report about a mass producer it has absolutely no relevance to a small producer like Head Wines. The fruit is micro managed every stage from vineyard to winemaking to bottling to ensure that the highest quality level is maintained.
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