Situated on the eastern facing slopes of the High Eden ridge Old Ben has an altitude of 430m above sea level and is planted to Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon.
The soils are grey-brown loamy sand over mottled yellow-brown clay with quartz gravel and rock fragments. The quartz and rock fragments are a result of decomposing schist. These soils are typical Eden Valley and regularly become saturated in winter leading to water run off into the numerous winter creeks. They also store water for the vines use during the Spring and Summer months. In a normal year they become very dry by mid Summer which effectively leads to a degree of vine stress and subsequently low yields and berry size result.
This is particularly useful for the development of small berried, high coloured and full flavoured Shiraz. The long ripening season and cooler nights relative to the Barossa Valley leads more lifted perfume aromas and tightly structured wines.
One special feature of Old Ben is its old vine stocks of Shiraz planted in the early 20th century, the remnants of the Barossa’s forgotten fortified wine industry. These grandfathers produce low crops of small berried grapes capable of intense flavours.
