History

The history of the Barossa is steeped with fortified winemaking going back many decades. Unfortunately this style became unpopular and gradually they disappeared from the landscape of the Barossa. As our love for this type of wine has increased over the last couple of years, it was our decision to make a very small batch paying homage to this great, undervalued style (which probably the family, friends and staff will consume most of!!). It was an easy decision to name it the Duke of Wellington, as it was formerly the name of our tawny port made through the 1980’s and also the nickname (duke) and name of Lorraine’s late father (Wellington) – who originally found and bought the property in the late 1970’s .

Winemaking

Crushed into a two tonne fermenter, a cold and slow fermentation period allowed adequate extraction of colour & tannins. Hand selected fine-grade brandy spirit serves as the fortifying medium, which was added once the desired Baume and residual sugar level had been reached.

Viticulture

Grown from selected Shiraz grapes on the Elderton Estate vineyard, from vines planted in the early 1900’s. Grown on rich river silt soils and red brown earth over limestone, in a Mediterranean climate, with cropping levels less than 4 tonnes per hectare. Grapes were sourced from one of our favourite old vine Shiraz blocks on the property “Block 18” which in the past has been used for special parcels of blending material. A small percentage of Tinta Cao, (a Portuguese variety indigenous to the Douro Valley region) was also blended in for the 2006 vintage.

Awards

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