Alisa & Michael Hart
PUSHING BOUNDARIES IN THE BAROSSA
In the Barossa Valley’s oldest organic-certified vineyard, Michael and Alisa Hart are champions of sustainable farming and a lighter, brighter style of Barossa red.
Michael and Alisa are part of a growing community that’s thinking outside the square and putting a fresh spin on Barossa Valley wine. They run their own vineyard and winery, doing pretty much everything themselves, from hand-pruning the vines to crafting the wine and pouring glasses in their rustic cellar door that was once a barn. These are home-grown, handcrafted wines that reflect a unique patch of dirt.
Wines in the wild
The world-famous Barossa Valley wine region was shaped by the European immigrants who arrived in the 1800s, many seeking safety from religious persecution. Michael’s family history in the Barossa traces back to the 1840s, when his ancestors immigrated from Prussia.
Michael’s wife Alisa also comes from a farming background, so the pair have an affinity for the land. Around a decade ago, after a few years of searching, they bought their own vineyard in the Barossa Valley. And it was worth the wait. It’s the region’s oldest organic-certified vineyard and includes a patch of Shiraz vines planted more than 100 years ago.
Their small batches of premium wines are made in a slightly lighter style than the powerful reds the region is famous for. Most wines come from the one organic vineyard and they’re not fined or filtered.
Passionate about organic farming, Michael and Alisa have helped lead a shift towards this approach.
“As is often said, good wine is made in the vineyard,” says Michael. “What we focus on here is growing the best possible grapes. To me, that’s about what we don’t do, rather than what we do.”
The result is exceptional wine – think velvety Shiraz and complex Cabernet Sauvignon – that reflects the land and the seasons.
“Because we’re not using all those artificial means, we’re getting, I think, better-quality fruit that comes through in the wine,” says Michael. “We think that it’s a bit like having a strawberry from your own strawberry patch in your backyard, versus the big pumped-up fruit you get in the supermarket.
“I wouldn’t say we’re a pioneer in organic viticulture, but we’ve certainly been one of the early adopters here in the Barossa, and it’s good to see that community growing.”
“What we focus on here is growing the best possible grapes. To me, that’s about what we don’t do, rather than what we do.”
– Michael Hart
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