Protero Winery
Early days with Frank making the first Protero Wines for China
KPMG executive wine tasting at Melbourne headquarters.
Recently we presented a wine tasting to the KPMG executive at their Melbourne headquarters.
A very sucessful update on the outstanding wines that we our offering for sale.
‘Savour Australia’ Wine Australia Grand Tasting Roadshow
Highbank just back from China touring with the ‘Savour Australia’ Wine Australia Grand Tasting Roadshow to the cities of Xi’an, Dalian, Nanjing, and Guangzhou. Only 8 of 22 wineries from Coonawarra participated in presenting a special regional showing of our unique quality of Cabernet Sauvignon to the Chinese enthusiast. Highbank was definitely a STAR.
Gourmet Traveller – A South Australian Favourite
Highbank is a home away from home. Relax in front of a log fire and sip stunning Highbank wines from the organically farmed vines growing just a stone’s throw away. American wine guru Robert M. Parker Jr named Highbank’s Bordeaux-inspired blend ‘the Leoville Las Cases of Australia’ and believes Highbank crafts ‘outstanding wines of exceptional complexity and character’. Max Allen, one of Australia’s most influential wine writers, says ‘Highbank produces some of the region’s most refined, elegant and age-worthy wines’.
Vintage Cellars Top Flight Cabernets and Blends Tasting 2013
2008 Highbank Single Vineyard Cabernet Blend showcased at the 2013 Vintage Cellars Top Flight Cabernets and Blends Tasting
Vintage Cellars and Otto Ristorante’s Sommelier, Patrick White invite you to join them for a special evening on Woolloomooloo Wharf where you can decide for yourself. Sophisticated and sharp suited, Cabernet Sauvignon clearly articulates its place of origin while never compromising its essential character. Patrick has chosen a dozen top flight Cabernets and blends from across Australia to explore the range of expression of this noble variety. Matched to a shared feasting menu with whole braised lamb shoulder sharing centre stage, it promises to be a delicious, convivial and memorable evening, with the Sydney city skyline providing the scenic backdrop.
SA Life Food&Wine – Tasting the regions of South Australia
Coonawarra equals cabernet in the minds of many drinkers, yet a visit to winery cellar doors through the region reveals so much more. Shiraz of stature stands equal to revered cabernet sauvignons as red wine benchmarks of the modern Coonawarra era – take a look at both styles achieving peaks of excellence at Zema Estate, Bowen Estate and Majella for proof. Diversity stretches further than most consumers would expect, with outstanding merlot at Parker Estate and Leconfield, and a scattering of superb white wines at different wineries that embrace their own specialties – sauvignon blanc at Katnook Estate and Rymill, fine riesling at Wynns Coonawarra, rich chardonnay at Hollick, elegant sparkling pinot noir from DiGiorgio.
Put simply, such a sweeping output shows that excellence can be obtained from whatever vines have been planted and carefully tended throughout Coonawarra’s famous 12km strip of terra rossa soil over limestone. It has been this way for more than 100 years, with the icons of Coonawarra’s winemaking history remaining the stuff of legend: some of Australia’s greatest red wines have emanated from Wynns Coonawarra Estate, Penfolds vineyards and Lindeman’s St George, Limestone Ridge and Pyrus vineyards, while the resolute work of the district’s pioneer winemaker, Owen Redman, is continued by his grandsons Bruce and Malcolm at Redman Winery.
Recent champions who have refined the Coonawarra cabernet style include Doug Bowen at Bowen Estate and Pete Bissell, who makes wines at Balnaves of Coonawarra and at Parker Coonawarra Estate with Darren Rathbone . Dennis Vice at Highbank achieves superior blends of cabernet sauvignon with merlot and cabernet franc for wines of great elegance.
Highbank featured in Grape Growers & Vignerons, December 2010
Unique Biodynamic approach delivers Coonawarra quality
With a long-held determination to nurture their vines to increase fruit quality rather than yield, Coonawarra vignerons Dennis and Bonnie Vice have taken an unusual path with their viticultural practices…
Download full article here (719kb pdf)
Wines help celebrate Penola’s saint
WHEN Australia’s first Catholic saint Mary MacKillop was canonised at the Vatican in Rome in October, Australian pilgrims were not the only visitors from Down Under.
The Coonawarra Vignerons Association organised for a donated shipment of 100 cases of local wine to be sent to Rome to coincide with the canonisation – with four cases of Highbank 2005 Merlot included in the shipment
The Highbank Vineyard lies halfway between Coonawarra and Penola, the town where Mary MacKillop founded the Order of the Sisters of St Joseph.
“We’ve been tracking Mary MacKillop’s process to canonisation for years – this has gone on for seven or eight years now since she was initially put forth,” Highbank Wines owner Dennis Vice(pictured) said.
The Coonawarra wines were used to toast Mary MacKillop at a range of key functions, including the opening of the new Chancery of the Australian Embassy to the Holy See by Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd.
Wines included In the Roman shipment were predominantly cabemet blends, making the Highbank mer1ot an unusual choice.
Dennis said the selection of the merlot was not only aimed at creating a point of difference for Highbank Wines, but was also a heartfelt reference to a family tragedy.
“We lost our son here about five years ago, and the wine that he always had a preference for, and that he shared with his friends, was the merlot,” Dennis said.
He said the chance to have his son’s favourite wine Included in the celebrations of such a historic moment was ‘amazing’.
He praised both the CVA and Australia’s Ambassador to the Holy See – otherwise known as the Vatican -Tim Fisher for their efforts in promoting Coonawarra wine in the Italian capital.
“He’s been unbelievable in the support he’s given to our region and I think his position at the Holy See was very helpful,” he said.
For small producers like Dennis and Bonnie Vice, the ability to join associations like CVA helps boost their marketing power.
“We’ve been members of the Coonawarra Vignerons – which is the marketing arm of Coonawarra, and handles cellar door sales and International marketing and things like that – for probably 20 years now.” he said .
“We’re able to go on the coat tail of a large region that does promotion- we’re surrounded by big multi-national companies – and with their resources it just helps the little guy out”