Vineyard of the Year – Eden Hall, Eden Valley (SA), managed by viticulturist Dan Falkenberg.
Eden Hall takes sustainability very seriously. The property is totally off grid, with power from a solar array, battery storage and no external water source. In fact, they even ensure that water flows from their dam into the local catchment to maintain local habitat. Some 20 species of native grasses thrive in the midrows, while waterways have been restored and bushland has been re-established through a native planting program.
Extensive soil cores have been taken across the site, with viticulturist Dan Falkenberg working closely with winemaker Phil Lehmann to curate parcels with tailored pruning and nutrition programs to make the most expressive wines possible, which has seen the already lauded wines reaching even greater heights.
Eden Hall is an incredibly thoughtful and meticulously run operation, with an ongoing quest to better care for their land and for the broader environment, while always striving to make site-reflective wines of the highest order.
About the Award..
The second instalment of the annual Vineyard of the Year Awards has been decided, with the trophy winners announced in a virtual trophy presentation on Monday night.
A rigorous process of analysing all applications, including thorough site visits to shortlisted finalists, was undertaken over the last six months, with the judging panel reaching a consensus on the winner of the four trophies: New Vineyard of the Year; Old Vineyard of the Year; Innovative Vineyard of the Year, dubbed ‘The Groundbreaker’; and Vineyard of the Year.
The Vineyard of the Year Awards were founded to bring vineyards and their stewards into the limelight, to celebrate the tireless work amongst the vines, the special sites, and the commitment to sustainability on all levels. The judging panel consisted of Max Allen, Lee Haselgrove, Dr Catherine Kidman, Dr Mary Retallack and Mark Walpole. They were supported by our vineyard inspectors: Rhys Fitzgerald, Kellie Graham, Liz Riley, Nigel Squire, John Whiting and Michael Zerk.
“Once again, judging the Vineyard of the Year Awards was a frustrating joy: there were so many worthy, exciting, inspiring entries it was very hard to limit ourselves to just four,” said Max Allen. “At a time when the wine community is facing so many immediate challenges, from the pressures of vintage to the pandemic fallout to the shifting sands of global export markets, it’s great to be reminded of the long view – all the hard work being done in vineyards across Australia to build resilience, amplify terroir and foster diversity.”
