wine of the month — 2022 Shiraz/Pinot Noir $45.00
wine of the month — 2022 Shiraz/Pinot Noir $45.00
wine of the month — 2022 Shiraz/Pinot Noir $45.00
wine of the month — 2022 Shiraz/Pinot Noir $45.00
Growing grapes on the 32nd latitude
Why do the world’s best wines flourish on the 32nd Latitude? It’s a question that fuels our relentless pursuit of capturing the true essence of our home in the Hunter Valley. Renowned for its rich traditions and heritage, boasting some of the oldest vineyards globally, the Hunter Valley is our muse.
How do we craft a new expression from Hunter Valley grapes, resonating with both us and discerning wine lovers worldwide? Our journey begins with meticulous control at every stage, embedding our philosophy into every facet of winemaking. It all begins in our vineyards – we oversee five across the Hunter Valley, either owned outright or under long-term leases. Each vineyard parcel is meticulously classified by flavour and quality, laying the foundation for our wines.
With these classifications as our guide, our winemaking team works closely with each vineyard year after year, ensuring every bottle reflects the nuances of the vintage and the true character of the variety.
Sustainable grape-growing for wine’s sake
As we explored the world in search of great wine stories, we noticed a common thread—our most memorable wines, the ones that lingered long after the last sip, came from vineyards committed to sustainability and regenerative farming. Beyond just caring for the land for future generations, these practices simply make better wine. And that’s what we’re all about.
As members of Sustainable Winegrowing Australia, we’re well on our way to full accreditation for both our winery and vineyards. But for us, sustainability is more than just a certification—it’s a philosophy. Our approach to regenerative farming is all about strengthening soil health, boosting biodiversity, improving water cycles, enhancing ecosystems, supporting carbon sequestration, and building resilience to climate change.
So what does that actually look like in our vineyards?
DISCOVER MORE ABOUT EACH
OF OUR FIVE VINEYARDS
Originally planted in 1980 by Tyrrell’s, Duck Hollow Vineyard has a rich history, with its Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vines thriving on their own rootstock for over four decades. These vines, now deeply rooted in the Hunter Valley’s alluvial clay soils, have been dry-grown from the start—relying solely on nature for their water supply. This traditional approach, much like the vineyards of Europe, results in low yields of intensely flavoured, pure fruit.
Latitude 32 purchased the vineyard in 2018, embracing its heritage while shaping an exciting future. In November 2022, they planted a small new block of Shiraz—affectionately named Ronnie’s Block after Emma and David’s nephew, born in Queenstown, NZ, on the very same day. Looking ahead, an additional 10 acres are being prepared for planting with Mencía and Fiano, two exceptional varieties that thrive in warmer climates. Inspired by their travels through Europe, Emma and David believe these grapes will bring a fresh, exciting dimension to the Hunter Valley’s winemaking landscape.
Location: Deasys Road, Pokolbin
Soil type: Alluvial Clay on Limestone
Altitude: 50-75m
Aspect: East-West elevation, allowing optimal drainage and long shadows in the afternoon sun
Row direction: North South row orientation
Varietals: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Shiraz
Vines: 45 years, own rootstock
Climate: Mediterranean with coastal influences
Latitude: 32°42’58”S
Longitude: 151°15’26”E
Grower: Latitude 32 Wines
Once known as the Mistletoe Vineyard, TOM (The Old Mistletoe Vineyard) has long been recognised as one of the Hunter Valley’s finest sites. Now under the stewardship of Latitude 32, we are honoured to craft wines from such outstanding fruit, bringing our own vision while respecting its legacy.
A key feature of TOM is the afternoon breezes that naturally cool the vines, preserving freshness and balance. With our winery located in the heart of the vineyard, we can harvest and process fruit immediately, ensuring purity and vibrancy in every bottle.
The vineyard has historically been maintained using largely sustainable viticulture practices. We have continued these practices under the services of Will Capper, operations manager at Hunter Valley Vineyard Management, ensuring TOM thrives for generations to come.
Location: Hermitage Road, Pokolbin
Soil type: Alluvial Clay on Limestone
Altitude: 100m to 110m
Aspect: Gently undulating with a tree line running parallel to Hermitage Road
Row direction: North South row orientation
Varietals: Semillon, Chardonnay, Shiraz, Muscat
Vines: 35 years, own rootstock
Climate: Mediterranean with coastal influences
Latitude: 32°71’81”S
Longitude: 151°25’76”E
Grower: Latitude 32 Wines
The Melaleuca vineyard is a celebrated 5-acre premium shiraz block that has a wonderful history. Planted by the McGuigan Family in the 1970s, these old shiraz vines have produced many gold-medal winning wines over the years. Now under the control of Latitude 32 Wines, this tradition continues. The block is immediately adjacent to the TOM vineyard, but the different clones of shiraz vines result in different ripening periods and flavour profiles. Literally a stone’s throw apart but on different slopes, these two vineyards showcase how clone and micro-climates can produce different wine characteristics which our wine maker Adam Holmberg highlights in the glass.
Location: Hermitage Road, Pokolbin
Soil type: Alluvial Clay on Limestone
Altitude: 100m to 120m
Aspect: Steep sloping, South to North. The higher aspect in the Valley provides cooler growing conditions and therefore later ripening.
Row direction: East West row orientation
Varietals: Shiraz
Vines: 50 years, own rootstock
Climate: Mediterranean with coastal influences
Latitude: 32°72’12”S
Longitude: 151°25’63”E
Grower: Latitude 32 Wines
Formerly known as Black Cluster, Mount Hill Vineyard was renamed in 2023 by David & Amy McWilliam. First planted in 1969 with vines aged over 50 years, this vineyard produces renowned Hunter Valley examples of Shiraz that have been internationally recognised over the years.
Nestled at the foothills of the Brokenback Ranges, the vineyard is thriving under its new custodians. With deep industry roots and a passion for producing premium Hunter Valley fruit, David and Amy achieved Sustainable Winegrowing Australia (“SWA”) Certification for the vineyard in 2025, reinforcing their commitment to sustainable viticulture practices.
Latitude 32 holds a long-term lease over Emma’s Block which consists of four acres
of the Northern Rhône Syrah clone. This aromatic Shiraz flourishes in the site’s
unique terroir, producing wines of exceptional character and elegance.
Location: Misteltoe Lane, Pokolbin
Soil type: Rich black light clay soils at the surface grading to medium clay subsoil to a depth of over 1 metre overlying ancient weathered Permian bedrock.
Altitude: 100m
Aspect: Tucked just below a steeply undulating hill, this South-East aspect provides good protection from the hot summer winds and storms that roll in from the North-West
Row direction: North-South row orientation
Varietals: Shiraz
Vines: “Emma’s Block” (Block ID: S6a & S6b)
4 acres
Planted 2003
Clone R6WV28
Rootstock 101-14
Climate: Mediterranean with coastal influences
Latitude: 32°44’02”S
Longitude: 151°14’38”E
Grower: David & Amy McWilliam
The Bin688 Vineyard is located in the Broke Fordwich sub region, close to the base of the Brokenback range. The majority of the vineyard is planted out to the acclaimed ‘P58’ Chardonnay clone which was first introduced to Australia in 1958. Sheltered from growing season rainfall and with well-draining alluvial soils, the quality of the chardonnay grown on this site is exceptional, producing crisp, evenly ripening fruit. Grower Stewart Ewen’s fastidious approach to viticulture means that every small detail has been thought of, even down to the use of new laser technologies to help minimise bird damage. The results are possibly the prettiest fruit produced in the region which we endeavour to reflect in every glass we produce.
Location: Milbrodale Road, Broke Fordwich
Soil type: Hunter Alluvial
Altitude: 75m
Aspect: Vineyard slopes gently, East-facing
Row direction: North-South
Varietals: Chardonnay
Vines: 40 years, own rootstock
Climate: Mediterranean with coastal influences
Latitude: 32°43’41.12” S
Longitude: 151°3’17.78” E
Grower: Stewart Ewen OAM