Schild Estate

Schild Estate

Schild Estate's reputation has been built on its commitment to translating the unique tapestry of its vineyards into wines that speak of honesty and drinkability. Founded in 1952 by the late Ben Schild, the estate has gone from strength to strength under the second and third generations of the Schild family. The estate is comprised of some of the oldest vineyards in Australia, including the famous Moorooroo vineyard near Jacob's Creek whose vines are over 160 years old. The vineyard site selection has favoured the cooler, southern end of the Barossa, near Lyndoch, which enjoys a slower and longer ripening period - perfect for optimum grape flavour development. Meticulous viticultural and winemaking practices ensure all the wines reflect their sub-region - pure Barossa.

The style of each wine is driven according to the vineyards. Individual parcels of fruit are carefully selected by the Schild family and winemaker Scott Hazeldine to produce wines of exceptional quality and finesse. Most of the white wines are unwooded, so the fruit is harvested at the last possible moment before being transported to the winery to preserve the quality of the juice. Stainless steel vats are used to maintain the aromatics and flavour depth of the wines. The reds are treated with just as much care, with each variety undergoing an individual fermentation, depending on the quality of the fruit and the vineyard site. The reds are aged in a combination of new and old barrels from a selection of French, American and Hungarian oak.

The wines made here are unmistakably Australian, rich and fruit driven, but without any over-ripeness, flabbiness or excess of alcohol. The estate range is very approachable with true varietal character while the reserve wines have an extra layer of richness and complexity from the older, low yield vines and judicious oak ageing. New to our list this year is the Semillon Sauvignon blend from the cooler Adelaide Hills region, packed with tropical fruits, lemongrass and citrus, with crisp balancing acidity.