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Balnaves

Coonawarra

Most critics in Australia would agree that the two top producers of Cabernet Sauvignon in the country are Cullen in Margaret River and Balnaves in Coonawarra. Balnaves' position was recognised this year when James Halliday named them 'Winery of the Year' in his 2008 Guide.

The Balnaves family has been growing grapes since 1970, when there were more sheep than vines in the Coonawarra. Today, Doug, together with his son Pete and daughter Kirsty run the 50 hectare Balnaves vineyard and manage another 300 hectares for other growers in the heart of Coonawarra. All of their vineyards are situated on the famous 'terra rossa' soil.

Balnaves started bottling and selling their own wine in 1990. The quality of their fruit was always excellent, but they began their move to the top of the Coonawarra ladder in 1995 when they hired Pete Bissell as their winemaker and started work on their own winery. Bissell had made a great name for himself within the Australian wine industry by producing a range of trophy winning wines across the road at Wynn's, and his move to Balnaves enabled him to replicate this quality on a smaller scale.

The winery, which opened in time for the 1996 vintage, won two architectural awards for its stylish simplicity, but is more impressive for the way it has been planned from a winemaking point of view. The fermenters are all small, enabling Pete Bissell to select and ferment a number of small lots separately. This in turn gives him numerous blending components, which results in more layered and complex wines.

Balnaves is rare in Coonawarra, not only for the length of time the family has been there, but also for the fact that it is a 10,000 case winery in a region dominated by the 'corporates'. They stand out most of all however, for the stellar quality of their wines.

If you wish to find out more about the Balnaves family and their philosophy to winemaking in the Coonawarra why not visit their website: Balnaves Wines

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