Eight rows of this rare and unique planting remain to this day at Rowland Flat and produce winemaker Dean Hewitson’s much-lauded single-vineyard table wine bearing the Old Garden name. The vineyard has been hand-tended and dry-farmed by Friedrich Koch and his direct descendants across three centuries. 

Sensory features: Another superb but cryptic rendition of this 1853-planted, single-site mourvèdre that shows a monolithic character with immense depth and ripe blue and red fruits on the nose plus floral notes and a dash of slinky, vanillin-scented oak. The palate has layered, sheet-like tannins and a toasty oak thread woven through a complex, deep, ripe core of concentrated cassis and blue-fruit flavours.

Technical notes

Grape variety: 100% Mourvèdre

Soil: Sand, Limestone

Vinification: 20% whole bunch; cold soak one week; on skins three weeks after cold soak/remontage

Aging: 18 months new French oak barriques (Remond: Alliers, Troancais and Betranges forests). 

Planting system: Old low trellis system

Vine density: 2,500 per Ha

Farming: Dry-land, unirrigated, rye grass between rows, hand pruned

Alcohol cotent: 14%

Bottle size: 750ml