In 1853 Friedrich Koch planted this Mourvèdre vineyard in the heart of the Barossa Valley in the area now known as Rowland Flat. Nurtured in deep sand over a bed of limestone the vines flourished. By the 1880s the local vignerons had already acknowledged the vineyard as the Old Garden. To the end of the 19th Century, throughout the 20th Century and now into the 21st Century subsequent generations of Koch's family have tended these vines in the traditions of the Barossa: no irrigation, hand pruned and hand harvested. Today nothing has changed. Old Garden is likely to be the oldest Mourvèdre vineyard in the world. Where a vine has died there is a gap. There are no replants. Every vine is from the original 1853 planting.
2008 was one of the hottest years on record with a heatwave of over 40C for twelve consecutive days in early March. Nevertheless, the Old Garden vineyard is so old and its roots go down so deep that this vineyard was relatively unscathed by such extreme weather conditions. Traditionally one of the very last vineyards to be picked in the Barossa Valley, the fruit from the Old Garden was left on the vines until late March ensuring full development of their flavour profile while also softening the grape tannins. After fermentation for two weeks the wine was matured in 100% new French barriques for twelve months. The 2008 Old Garden is the essence of Mourvèdre. From 157 year old vines and from the hottest vintage on record, if ever there is going to be expression of fully ripe Mourvèdre flavour then surely this is it.
Once you get in to this glass of wine a whole new world opens up and you won't want to leave. Roasted chestnuts, sarsaparilla, cinnamon, Victoria plums, flowers, meatiness, melting tannins, velvet and the trademark glace orange rind of Old Garden go for an eternity after you swallow. This wine is absolute and classic Old Garden. This is what great wine is about: expression of single vineyard and vintage.
A delicious result from these seasoned campaigners - the vines were planted in 1853. This has brambly, wild red and dark fruits on the nose, some toasty oak and dark toasted spices. The palate's packed with juicy, fleshy red and blue fruits and some fine, dark mineral threads. It's really elegant and even, superbly balanced and toasty through the hauntingly long finish. Brilliant wine - a national treasure. Rating : 96 points; Nick Stock, The Good Wine Guide 2011
Supple and finely balanced, with a lingering confiture-like presence of figs and berries, it reveals a briary, very spicy and meaty bouquet whose fresh notes of blackberries, raisins and currants are underscored by a note of preserved cherry. Very concentrated and juicy, with a lingering core of meaty, raisined but vibrant fruit underpinned by silky, loose-knit tannins, it finishes with lingering notes of dark plums, cherries and blueberries. Rating: 93 points; Jeremy Oliver, The Australian Wine Annual