Block 6 was never planted with the intention of becoming one of our most distinctive wines.
It sits towards the back of the vineyard and, at first glance, there isn't much to suggest it should behave particularly differently to the Shiraz growing beside.
The difference is underneath them.
Most of our vineyard is planted on the granite soils you expect to find around Harcourt. Block 6 sits on sandstone gravel.
We noticed fairly early on that the vines there behaved differently. The site drained more freely, the vines responded differently through the growing season and when the fruit came into the winery, it wasn't giving us quite the same Shiraz as the blocks next to it.
Same variety different wine
Soil gets talked about a lot in wine and it can sometimes sound more complicated than it needs to be.
In Block 6, the difference is fairly straightforward.
The sandstone drains more readily than the granite soils across much of the rest of the property. With less water held around the shiraz vines roots this results in a different flavour profile in the fruit they produce.
Over time, we started to see a very particular character coming through.
It reminded us more of the northern Rhône than the traditional Australian Shiraz style. Here was a parcel of Victorian Shiraz, grown only a short distance from the rest of our vines, producing a wine that seemed to belong to a completely different conversation.
Following the vineyard rather than the plan
At the start, there wasn't a grand strategy behind separating Block 6.
We simply thought the fruit was different enough to deserve it.
You can make plans, but at the end of the day, the vines and fruit will indicate a direction if you listen closely.
With Block 6, our job was really to notice what was happening and avoid getting in the way of it.
People have noticed it too
The wine has gone on to prove that our hunch wasn't entirely misguided - from it being a favourite of many, it has also picked up major Royal Melbourne Wine Show recognition over the years, including the Premier's Gold Trophy for Best Victorian Wine.
A different side of Bendigo Shiraz
Block 6 is still Shiraz from our vineyard, and it still reflects the terroir of Bendigo.
It shares some of the character you might recognise in other wines from the region, but it expresses it in its own way — a little different in shape, texture and expression.
For us, that's what makes it special. It feels familiar, but distinctly its own.
