OMENSETTER VINEYARD

OMENSETTER VNYD and the BRASH HIGGINS WINERY

Brash Higgins 1302 - 056- Low Res

Omensetter Vineyard is Brash Higgin's Estate vineyard.  The site sits on 7 hectares of red-brown clay over limestone on the southwestern lip of McLaren Vale. With an eastern-sloping aspect, and situated between the Willunga Escarpment and the Gulf of St. Vincent, Omensetter is a place of stunning views and cool breezes off the water. Our first plantings were in 1997, with 3.6 hectares given over to Shiraz (planted to own rootstock) and 2 hectares of Cabernet Sauvignon (Reynella clone). 

Since Brad's arrival in 2007, we’ve added 1.2 hectares of Nero d’Avola (clone Matura 1 grafted to own rootstock shiraz). This 2009 planting was the first in McLaren Vale, and one of the first commercial plantings of Nero d’Avola on the entire continent, kick-starting the fervour the grape has enjoyed across the warmer wine regions of Australia. The release of the Brash Higgins "NDV" Nero d'Avola Amphora Project in 2011 shocked and delighted the wine world, paving the way for a decade of groundbreaking wines that have variously been grown, developed, fermented, aged, and bottled here at the Brash Higgins Winery.

Our most recent planting is half an acre of the Greek/Chinese varietal Crystal. The original material for our plantings was brought to Australia in the 1950s by Greek immigrant Chris Pappas, in his suitcase. Chris became a renowned McLaren Vale grower in his own right, and was an early friend and supporter of Brad’s in Australia. This first and only commercial planting of the varietal in Australia is our tribute to Chris and his legacy. And it tastes bloody delicious as the key component of our sparkling wild pet-nat called, you guessed it, "CRYSTAL".

Omensetter Vineyard and Brash Higgins' winery are proudly ACO Certified Organic. We are dedicated to working with the land and the climate to grow grapes using environmentally sound techniques, inside the winery and in the vines, and produce wines that are pure expressions of the fruit, the soil, and the vintage. The Brash Higgins winery sits adjacent to our Omensetter Vineyard so we can keep a close eye on the vagaries of the season and walk the rows daily.

THE AMPHORA PROJECT

IMG_9885

"For years now I've been drinking Italian wines from Sicily and Friuli fermented and aged in clay amphora vessels, and I've found them diabolical, challenging, sometimes ethereal/scary, yet always thought-provoking wines. A method borrowed from COS in Sicily, Josko Gravner in Northern Italy, and he from the Georgians and they from the Romans centuries ago. My curiosity got the best of me: how can I get my hands on these amphora? If we handle this new grape variety on our vineyard, nero d'Avola, in a unique and gentle way, eschewing oak and steel, then perhaps we can get something totally pure and distinct, and a wine-style very uncommon in Australia. Amphora seemed like a good way to not only introduce Nero d’Avola, a high acid and transparent varietal, but to make a statement, as well. We were just as ready to step deep into the past to make a leap forward." - Brad Hickey

With the 2011 NDV, Brash Higgins was the first winery in Australia to adopt amphoras as a core component of their winemaking process. Our 32 vessels have a 200 litre capacity, and are all made by Adelaide potter John Bennett using local clay, and lined with McLaren Vale beeswax. In addition to the Nero d’Avola, we also use them to produce our Merlot and Zibibbo. 

OMENSETTER VNYD and the BRASH HIGGINS WINERY

Brash Higgins 1302 - 056- Low Res

Omensetter Vineyard and the BH Winery sit on 7 hectares of red-brown clay over limestone on the southwestern lip of McLaren Vale. With an eastern-sloping aspect, and situated between the Willunga Escarpment and the Gulf of St. Vincent, Omensetter is a place of stunning views and cool breezes off the water. Our first plantings were in 1997, with 3.6 hectares given over to Shiraz (planted to own rootstock) and 2 hectares of Cabernet Sauvignon (Reynella clone). 

Since Brad's arrival to the estate, we’ve added 1.2 hectares of Nero d’Avola (clone Matura 1 grafted to own rootstock shiraz). This 2009 planting was the first in McLaren Vale, and one of the first commercial plantings of Nero d’Avola on the entire continent, kick-starting the fervour the grape has enjoyed across the warmer wine regions of Australia. The release of the Brash Higgins NDV in 2011 shocked and delighted the wine world, paving the way for a decade of groundbreaking wines that have variously been grown, developed, fermented, aged, and bottled here at the Brash Higgins Winery.

Our most recent planting is half an acre of the Greek/Chinese varietal Crystal. The original material for our plantings was brought to Australia in the 1950s by Greek immigrant Chris Pappas, in his suitcase. Chris became a renowned McLaren Vale grower in his own right, and was an early friend and supporter of Brad’s in Australia. This first and only commercial planting of the varietal in Australia is our tribute to Chris and his legacy. And it tastes bloody delicious as the key grape in our sparkling pet nat called, you guessed it, "CRYSTAL".

Omensetter Vineyard and the Brash Higgins Winery are both proudly ACO Certified Organic. We are dedicated to working with the land and the climate to grow grapes using environmentally sound techniques, inside the winemaking facility and in the vines, and produce wines that are pure expressions of the fruit, the soil, and the vintage. The Brash Winery sits adjacent to the Omensetter Vineyard so we can keep a close eye on the vagaries of the season and walk the rows daily.

THE AMPHORA PROJECT

IMG_9885

"For years now I've been drinking Italian wines from Sicily and Friuli fermented and aged in clay amphora vessels, and I've found them diabolical, challenging, sometimes ethereal/scary, yet always thought-provoking wines. A method borrowed from COS in Sicily, Josko Gravner in Northern Italy, and he from the Georgians and they from the Romans centuries ago. My curiosity got the best of me: how can I get my hands on these amphora? If we handle this new grape variety on our vineyard, nero d'Avola, in a unique and gentle way, eschewing oak and steel, then perhaps we can get something totally pure and distinct, and a wine-style very uncommon in Australia. Amphora seemed like a good way to not only introduce Nero d’Avola, a high acid and transparent varietal, but to make a statement, as well. We were just as ready to step deep into the past to make a leap forward." - Brad Hickey

With the 2011 NDV, Brash Higgins was the first winery in Australia to adopt amphoras as a core component of their winemaking process. Our 32 vessels have a 200 litre capacity, and are all made by Adelaide potter John Bennett using local clay, and lined with McLaren Vale beeswax. In addition to the Nero d’Avola, we also use them to produce our Merlot and Zibibbo.