Vineyard
The 75-acre Balthazar of the Barossa vineyard is located on Stonewell Rd, Marananga, in South Australia’s celebrated Barossa Valley region.
Re-planted in 1999 on what was an original 19th century vineyard, Balthazar of the Barossa vines – including shiraz, cabernet sauvignon, grenache, merlot, chardonnay and viognier – are embedded in terra rossa soil on the vineyard's pinnacle sun-drenched slope.
The vines are nurtured with hand-pruning and an array of sustainable practices, including recycled and organic mulching and minimal irrigation from the vineyard’s custom-designed “eco-dam” to achieve premium quality wine grapes.
The result is small parcels of grapes bearing rich intensity of flavour, brilliant colour, inherent balance and optimal ripeness.
Caring for the environment
The vineyard rows are mulched with straw to not only improve soil structure, but to minimise the need and maximise the effect of irrigation. Straw mulching also reduces vine row weeds and the need for chemical spraying.
The vineyard has a number of soil moisture probes that enable the winemaker to assess the need to irrigate – on a minimalist basis – to prevent wasting precious water.
Significantly, the winery is seeing major environmental benefits from installing an “E-Vap Cap” on its dam. The E-Vap Cap is a floating cover made from environmentally friendly, light-resistant polyethylene sheeting, which helps to prevent evaporation – and reduce algal growth and salt build-up – while maximising rainfall retention.
Balthazar of the Barossa has and will continue to experiment with organic mulch applications aimed at enhancing soil structure and vine nutrient uptake.
“I believe we have a responsibility to hand on to the next generation a sustainable vineyard that will produce premium wine grapes and great wines for many generations to come.”
- Anita Bowen, Balthazar of the Barossa winemaker (who completed a Biological Farming Certificate in 2005).
The Vigneron
Anita Bowen created Balthazar of the Barossa in 1998 having studied and worked across Australia and New Zealand. Her first vintage was in Mudgee, NSW, in 1986, before subsequent vintage moves to McLaren Vale and then the Barossa Valley in South Australia where she undertook wine studies at Roseworthy Agricultural College.
Stints in New Zealand and Sydney followed before Anita returned to the Barossa and began to develop her Balthazar vineyard, producing super premium wine grapes for local wineries. However in 2001, with the vineyard producing exceptional fruit, Anita decided to retain the best grapes for herself, which she is now using for her award-winning Balthazar and Ishtar range of wines.
Vintage reports
2007 Vintage Report
The 2007 vintage saw Balthazar shiraz grapes picked in late February – some four weeks earlier than normal.
We attribute this early ripening to the prolonged drought conditions that also significantly reduced the crop by more than 50%.
In the winery, extraction rates were also down significantly compared to previous years.
While it has been a challenging vintage because of the prevailing climate, seasonal growing conditions have been similar to the 2003 vintage, which produced an extremely high quality shiraz.
Believing the glass is always half-full, we anticipate the benefits of an earlier than normal vintage will mean that the ferments will be finished and the wine safely ensconced in oak before Easter and the 2007 Barossa Vintage Festival. And that means we'll be able to relax and enjoy the festivities as much as our visitors!