2022

An extraordinary hailstorm late October 2021 destroyed the Crop for 2022. A few repruned vines in the Shiraz produced enough for a fermentation. The resulting Wine is lovely – just not enough of it!

2021

What will prove to be one of the best vintages for many years, 2021 saw good Spring rains and a long cool, ripening period with no rain. Colour and flavour definition across all varieties was outstanding.

2020

Second year of drought proved challenging with low yields, but ripening was slow and even with good development. Shiraz was picked in 5 small clonal batches, all showing individual characters. Quality of the wine is looking fantastic. Cabernet was left to the birds as the fruit set was very low. Hoping for rain to replenish the subsoil and no Corona Virus next year!

2019

The quickest vintage on record. All varieties were picked & processed within a month. It is normally two. Yields were half of normal but the quality is outstanding. Conditions at flowering and the very dry year responsible for the low yields.

2018

An extension to the winery virtually doubling of its size happened just before vintage – a little rushed at the end!! Frustrated that the birds still managed to eat a lot of our Tempranillo grapes even under single row nets. Changing the canopy management to limit damage and ensure a better crop.

2017

Reworked the Cabernet for Eutypa control, carting out 7000 arms for the bonfire. A fairly wet year but still maintained quality with just a slightly bigger than normal crop.

2016

The new Estate Range of single varietal Shiraz and Cabernet trialled with 100 cases of each. Daughter Sally designed the new label. The Estate range positioned to complement the popular ‘Angry Rabbit’ bistro style.

2015

A dry spring in the Barossa, but good January rains are perfectly timed – quality and colour excellent. Reworking of the Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard to Rod & Spur commenced.

2014

House extensions full on and another good vintage. Major rework of all the Shiraz Vineyards to Rod & Spur completed – great result in quality and improved yield. Five Stars from the Halliday Review of the 2012 Reds @ 95 points.

2013

Another good vintage. Commenced adding extensions to the house. Water from the bore pipelined to back vineyard to drought proof the Riesling. Trial work in the Shiraz to manage Eutypa commenced.

2012

Good rains in summer and a dry vintage – an excellent result after 2011. The volume of wines produced is set at 150 – 200 cases for each premium wine and grapes sold. New labels and investment in quality French Oak is paying off. The new clones of Shiraz are picked off their Chardonnay rootstock – great complexity now in the vineyard.

2011

A near disaster year with 130 mm during vintage – Riesling excellent being picked pre the rain. Sagrantino came through unscathed but most of the vintage diluted – A great year for ‘The Angry Rabbit’. New label designs are commissioned & Chris Taylor signs on as consulting wine maker.

2010

All wines now produced at Heathvale. We have come full circle back to 1865 when the Heath’s commenced winemaking here.
43 tonnes of our own grapes processed over a busy vintage of 10 weeks.
The first Sagrantino is made. 1300 Chardonnay vines are grafted over to Sagrantino in November.

2009

More concrete and new equipment. A larger refrigeration unit allows Riesling to be made on site. Great result.

2008

The Winery is built with the help of my fishing/builder mate in record time ready for the first on site vintage.
Major expenditure on some new processing equipment and the forklift.

2007

The Heathvale annual crush is now approximately 50 tonnes across all varieties. The move to establish production on-site continues. Packaging and label design have been reviewed. Our wine styles continue to be well received.

2003

To coincide with James’ return home from overseas to develop Sales and Marketing, the Website is launched!

2002

The best vintage yet! Quality is superb and Heathvale enlists the talents of Jim Irvine and Ben Radford as consultant winemakers.
Production of Heathvale Wines shifts to Kellermeister Wines at Lyndoch. Heathvale production expands to 5 tonnes of Chardonnay and 7 tonnes of Shiraz.
The new trellis systems have proven to be well worth the effort.

2001

Conversion of some of the more vigorous Shiraz to Scott-Henry trellis system to make the vines behave themselves. Young Chardonnay trained to a modified ‘arched cane’ system to improve budburst along the cane. Eden Valley Chardonnay is notorious for growing in the crown of the vine and on the ends of the canes.

2000

Production reaches approximately 20 tonnes per annum with 7 tonnes used for the ‘Heathvale’ label

1998

A busy year of expansion with 2 hectares of Riesling and 3 hectares of Cabernet Sauvignon planted at another site on the property.

1997

The first commercial release of the ‘Heathvale’ label with approximately 250 cases of each wine being made under their own label.

1994

3 hectares of Shiraz planted to expand the Heathvale range to include red wine.

1990

Heathvale Chardonnay’s inaugural vintage. A relationship with Bethany Wines is established as contract makers of the wine.

1987

Having arrived just one year previously as the second-generation owners of the property, Trevor and Faye March commence replanting the vineyards with 2 hectares of Chardonnay.

1920s

Wine production was phased out to concentrate on the production and export of dried apple rings and apricots.

1884

The Heathvale homestead during the 1884 vintage.

1880

Within 15 years the estate had 8ha of land which were under vine producing 10,000 litres of wine annually. ‘Constantia, Frontignac, Port and Sherry’ were all produced and sold under the ‘Heathvale’ label.

1859

William Heath and his wife Fanny with son John move from Adelaide the their new home called ‘ Heathvale’ situated on 10 Hectares in the Eden Valley area. They had emigrated from Nottingham UK to South Australia in 1854. William was a carpenter/ builder.