The wait is nearly over for your case of 1888 from “one of the best vintages in a long time” (Alex T). So, here’s a short update on what’s been going on at the winery – lots – and a round-up of the wine in your case.

As you’ll most likely have seen in the October VP magazine, Alex declared 2021 “a cracker”. In fact, there was a whole chorus of approval. The renowned Brian Croser (of Petaluma fame) wrote, “perfection in a sea of uncertainty … one of the very best vintages of my 51-vintage career”. It was just what was needed after two difficult years with rampant wildfires and, at the other extreme, severe flooding, albeit not in the Barossa.

The 1888 is, as you know, pure Shiraz. Alex explained, “Shiraz is a tough vine, it does well in Australia in the heat, but also in the cooler regions.” Winemakers in Oz are also tremendously lucky to have some of the oldest plantings of Shiraz in the world, dating back to 1850. In the 1980s, the government tried to persuade growers to grub these up, but those worth their salt realised these venerable plantings were to be treasured.

For the 2021 vintage, Alex used nearly all Shiraz from the 1888 vineyard, outside the Studio door – lying close to the Eden Valley, it benefits from cooling night-time winds, which helps to promote freshness. He also took advantage this vintage of having access to the Poole family’s tremendous 90-year-old vineyard, also in the Barossa. He’s pretty stoked to see how much that’s added extra power and depth to the already gorgeous flavours of this red. Let us know what you think.

The making of 1888 – the techy stuff:

After picking, the different batches were destemmed and each fermented separately in the winery’s small, premium fermenters. To gain depth of colour, flavour and a certain amount of tannin, the vats were plunged down twice daily – that is pushing the grape skins that float to the top back down into the liquid. Once fermented, each cuvée is transferred into a mix of new and seasoned American and French oak barrels for around a year. Alex thinks medium-toasted barrels is enough to lend flavour and tannins without overwhelming the fruit … and we know that’s pretty punchy!

What’s it taste like, Alex?

Blackish-purple-crimson, with a gorgeously potent mix of cherry, plum, raspberry on the aroma, plus hints of black olive, liquorice and spice … heady stuff, with a nice crunch of tannic freshness that’s just asking to be sipped! It’s got great structure – you know it’ll go the distance.

As for food partners, Alex says, “I’m a typical Aussie. You can’t beat a steak on the barbecue with some veggies … and, of course, 1888.”

And the rest of the story …

The team like to experiment – that’s why they’re always searching out new grapes from their grower-mates. They’re also keen to try them in the winery vineyard, so with the 2 hectares not reserved for your 1888 wine they’ve planted Durif, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Their destination wine will be decided each vintage.

The new winery

All’s going well with the new build luckily, as that deadline of the 2023 vintage is coming up fast. The outer shell is now complete, with a corner reserved for the winery’s two-storey lab (don’t think big, it just maximises space), the walls of which have just been screwed on. New stainless steel tanks for small-batching winemaking have arrived. The place should be ready to receive fruit any day now, in time for vintage 2023. The team are also upgrading the batteries, so the winery can store more power. Currently the whole winery and Studio Bar runs off 97% solar power, with 3% from sustainable sources.

A third roof means RedHeads has increased its roof surface area for water collection that is used around the winery. The other aspect of water management is the water collected in their reservoir. That is used for irrigation … sparingly. They have soil probes in the vineyard to measure the moisture levels and to ensure a minimum is applied. The final aspect in the new build is the addition of a cool room to make more premium whites … watch this space!

All these special measures help to explain why they have received three top awards for the environment – 2019 Global Drinks Business Award for water management, 2020 Special Mention for power management from Drinks Business as well and 2021 Environmental Excellence Award from the South Australia Industry Awards.

It doesn’t stop there of course – they are promoting biodiversity in the vineyards by planting insect-friendly crops, in particular so they encourage bees. The neighbour even has a beehive, so the bees only have to make a short trip over the fence. Plus, the winery received its official NASAA certification in March 2022.