PODCAST
S2- E08 | For the Love of the Vines with Nigel Blieschke and Tom Bartholomaeus
BarossaNigel Blieschke and Tom Bartholomaeus are the viticulturalists behind Torbreck’s towering presence in the Australian wine industry, responsible for making the most of some of the oldest grape vines in the world. The responsibility of custodianship over such special vineyards isn’t lost on Nige, who’s knowledge and respect for nature was passed down from his grandfather, growing up in the Flinders Ranges. Tom is a sixth generation Barossa grower known for his soft pruning methods that he learned in Italy. Having developed his craft over decades, starting in the booming 90’s, today Nigel and Tom work from the ground up to ensure things are looked after for the future ahead, while producing fruit in the here and now that’s better than ever.
Here's Tom and Nigel…
The Barossa Valley is home to the oldest grapevines in the world – and some of these are in the hands of viticulturist Nigel Blieschke, who deftly balances tradition with innovation.
Since joining the acclaimed Torbreck Vintners in 2015, Nigel has become an integral part of the company’s mission to be one of the world’s great wine estates. Nigel looks after 10 vineyards (five owned by Torbreck, three leased and two managed) across the Barossa Valley, producing fruit for some of the region’s best wines. It’s his job to protect history by tending to precious old vines, while helping to drive the evolution of the Australian wine community as an industry leader. “We’re custodians of some of the oldest vines in the world. So it’s about maintaining these old vineyards and developing vineyards that are going to be here for another 100 years.” – Nigel Blieschke Growing & Making
At Torbreck we work in partnership with the people of the Barossa who grow our fruit, always aiming to get the very best out of their vineyard sites. "We do this by constantly seeking to understand the difference between all of these special places in the Barossa – how they react to the seasons and how this combination of soil and climate and farming experience is reflected in unique grape flavours". This requires patience, allowing these vineyards to achieve physiological ripeness and only harvesting at a point when the fruit is at its most expressive. It also means a gentle, restrained hand in the physical winemaking process, minimising human intervention and wine movement, so that we capture the integrity of every single block. In keeping with this respect for the vineyard and the wine, there is no fining or filtration and barrel maturation takes as long as it takes. We are simply custodians, enhancing the innate expressiveness of the wines and enabling them to reveal over time, their individual origins and personality. |
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