BARNADOWN RUN

Heathcote,  Australia

Owner and founder of Barnadown Run, Andrew Millis was trained under the famous David “Duck” Anderson of Wild Duck Creek. He had only one goal in mind when he started – to make small batches of red wine that would gain recognition as some of the best wine coming out of the Heathcote region of Victoria. Today he accomplishes this in his small, hands-on business while dealing with all duties in both the winery and vineyard.

His winemaking techniques include fermentation made in open stainless steel fermenters, hand-plunged every four hours and pressed in a basket press, with maturation in either American or French oak, depending on the variety.

The winery itself, a 40-hectare property, was named after the original pastoral lease which encompassed it. It has a rural setting, on the western slopes of the Mt. Camel Range. Located 20 km north of Heathcote (approximately 100 miles north of Melbourne in the greater Bendigo district), the first grapes in region were planted back in 1856. Gold, discovered in the Bendigo region in 1851, and grapes were the foremost economic forces in the area until the arrival of phylloxera in 1893. Vines didn't reappear after that until 1969.

The soil in this area is the Cambrian Clay Loam (Terra Rossa). It is a rich soil that is also rich red in color. The hillside location, which is above the frost line, offers a breeze which helps prevent mildew and allows coolness for a long ripening season. The climate itself is ideal for grapes, with sunlight hours similar to Bordeaux. The rich soil counteracts the low rainfall (between 14-17 inches annually) by offering good drainage and excellent moisture retention. This combination of soil, climate, and location generates intense flavors and produces wines which are full of rich fruit and berry characters.

Barnadown Run offers these fine wines: Barnadown Run Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Merlot and a red blend called 'Henry Bennett's Voluptuary". The Shiraz is perhaps the icon of the Bendigo/Heathcote area. Halliday: "...Shiraz is the great red wine of the region..."

See Barnadown Run wines we sell

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