{"title":"Hoddles Creek - Wickhams Road","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"hoddles-creek-estate-pinot-noir-2024","title":"Hoddles Creek Estate Pinot Noir 2024","description":"\u003ch4\u003eThe Wine\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cheader class=\"critic-meta flex-row gap-20\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex-column review-header\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"critic-name\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e95 Pts Philip Rich, \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"critic-publication\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHalliday Wine Companion\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003e'\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eA very light, bright crimson red. Pure fruited, with aromas of freshly crushed raspberries, summer flowers and a touch of spice. Just as good on the light- to medium-bodied, brightly fruited and silkily structured palate. A wine, as always, to buy by the case and enjoy over the next three to four years!'\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/header\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex-column review-header\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"critic-name\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e94 Pts Ryan Montgomery, jamesuckling.com\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003e 'Bright and fruit-driven, with aromas of black cherries, red apple skins, rose hips, pomegranate, lead pencil and spices. The palate is mid-weighted and textural, framed by firmly integrated tannins and a long line of mineral tension, giving notes of cranberries, raspberry fruit and leaves, blood oranges and hibiscus. Good length, with impressive texture and weight. Drink or hold. Screw cap.'\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Details\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eVariety\u003c\/strong\u003e - Pinot Noir\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCountry\u003c\/strong\u003e - Australia\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eRegion\u003c\/strong\u003e - Victoria\u003cbr\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eSun Region \u003c\/strong\u003e- Yarra Valley\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eExtra\u003c\/strong\u003e - Screwcap\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYear\u003c\/strong\u003e - 2024\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eVolume\u003c\/strong\u003e - \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e750ml\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003ca href=\"#pro_more_desc\" id=\"more_desc_btn\"\u003eAbout the Wine Maker \u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0616\/4211\/3208\/files\/right-arrow_480x480.jpg?v=1647847041\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"pro_more_desc\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHoddles Creek Estate was established in 1997 when the D’Anna family decided to establish a vineyard on the property that has been in the family since 1960. The vineyard sits astride Gembrook Road and adjacent to Hoddles Creek. Its steeply sloping blocks prohibit mechanical harvesting, so all pruning and harvesting are done by hand. All the wines are made in their 300-tonne winery, constructed for the 2003 vintage. The split-level facility has a barrel store located three meters underground. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith 130 acres of vines to manage in the northern reaches of the Yarra Valley (and just four full-time staff), no one could accuse Franco d’Anna of taking the easy route. D’Anna is a winemaker at the top of his game, but if you ask him, he will tell you he is a farmer first—he and his team spend 90% of their time in the vineyard, and no one member is specifically assigned to the winery. This approach not only provides a depth of understanding of the vineyards to each member of the tight-knit team, but it also allows them to set the vineyard up according to the vagaries of each season. This site-first approach, along with a supreme work ethic and crazy attention to detail is something that sets this estate—and its wines—apart.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Hoddles Creek have been perhaps as well known for their premium bottlings as they have been for their dazzlingly economical Wickhams Road range, perennially the best-value chardonnay and pinot noir in the market.” Young Gun of Wine\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn expansion in vineyard holdings, from 20 acres in 1997 to 130 in 2022—with more to come—forms the cornerstone of Hoddles Creek’s future. With the threat of phylloxera looming large (it has been identified just over the hill from the estate) the team has acted pre-emptively to ensure continuity of supply. They have planted Chardonnay and Pinot Noir on a variety of different rootstocks, so when the time comes, they will have new vines already established, as well as in-depth knowledge of the correct rootstocks to use. In addition to this, the uptick in estate fruit production will insulate the team from the need to purchase increasingly expensive Yarra Valley fruit. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHoddles Creek Estate is in the Upper Yarra, which is higher, cooler and more marginal than the Lower Yarra, a set of conditions that suits Franco’s obsession with freshness down to the ground. In terms of viticultural and winemaking priorities, the health of the soil throughout the estate is maximised using organic fertilizers and frequent soil aeration. All fruit is hand-picked in the cool of the morning, there are no enzyme or acid additions, sulphur use is kept to the bare minimum, there is no fining, and filtering is avoided wherever possible. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn his own words, “running your own vineyards results in a far better end product. If you have good ingredients, all they should need is a bit of seasoning.” One need only look at the consistently brilliant reviews in the press to gain an insight into the quality on offer at this address.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hoddles Creek","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52900008034488,"sku":"SKU-030326004546","price":33.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0616\/4211\/3208\/files\/FFE005D0-3A10-4B09-B885-270E0AE9CC80.jpg?v=1772503479"},{"product_id":"hoddles-creek-estate-chardonnay-2024","title":"Hoddles Creek Estate Chardonnay 2024","description":"\u003ch4\u003eThe Wine\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e95 Pts Gary Walsh, The Wine Front \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003e'On the sample labels attached to the bottles of Pinot and Chardonnay, Franco talks about the ‘envelope’ of the wine. I’m not really sure what that means. Maybe he’s getting a lot of fan mail? Franco thinks this is the best Chardonnay since the 2021. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJuicy white fruit, grapefruit, aniseed, a little struck match, almond paste, cinnamon and clove spice. It’s packed with flavour, white nectarine and nutty spicy characters, a flinty grip to texture, quite some intensity and power here, and in some respects it seems more Beechworth than Yarra, or so I think. Pear and citrus, lime rind, with excellent length of flavour. It’s elemental as at now, and a little raw, though I reckon it will deliver with a couple of years in bottle. It’s a cracking release. Drink 2026-2035+'\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Details\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eVariety\u003c\/strong\u003e - Chardonnay\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCountry\u003c\/strong\u003e - Australia\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eRegion\u003c\/strong\u003e - Victoria\u003cbr\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eSun Region \u003c\/strong\u003e- Yarra Valley\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eExtra\u003c\/strong\u003e - Screwcap\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYear\u003c\/strong\u003e - 2024\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eVolume\u003c\/strong\u003e - \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e750ml\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003ca id=\"more_desc_btn\" href=\"#pro_more_desc\"\u003eAbout the Wine Maker \u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0616\/4211\/3208\/files\/right-arrow_480x480.jpg?v=1647847041\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"pro_more_desc\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHoddles Creek Estate was established in 1997 when the D’Anna family decided to establish a vineyard on the property that has been in the family since 1960. The vineyard sits astride Gembrook Road and adjacent to Hoddles Creek. Its steeply sloping blocks prohibit mechanical harvesting, so all pruning and harvesting are done by hand. All the wines are made in their 300-tonne winery, constructed for the 2003 vintage. The split-level facility has a barrel store located three meters underground. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith 130 acres of vines to manage in the northern reaches of the Yarra Valley (and just four full-time staff), no one could accuse Franco d’Anna of taking the easy route. D’Anna is a winemaker at the top of his game, but if you ask him, he will tell you he is a farmer first—he and his team spend 90% of their time in the vineyard, and no one member is specifically assigned to the winery. This approach not only provides a depth of understanding of the vineyards to each member of the tight-knit team, but it also allows them to set the vineyard up according to the vagaries of each season. This site-first approach, along with a supreme work ethic and crazy attention to detail is something that sets this estate—and its wines—apart.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Hoddles Creek have been perhaps as well known for their premium bottlings as they have been for their dazzlingly economical Wickhams Road range, perennially the best-value chardonnay and pinot noir in the market.” Young Gun of Wine\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn expansion in vineyard holdings, from 20 acres in 1997 to 130 in 2022—with more to come—forms the cornerstone of Hoddles Creek’s future. With the threat of phylloxera looming large (it has been identified just over the hill from the estate) the team has acted pre-emptively to ensure continuity of supply. They have planted Chardonnay and Pinot Noir on a variety of different rootstocks, so when the time comes, they will have new vines already established, as well as in-depth knowledge of the correct rootstocks to use. In addition to this, the uptick in estate fruit production will insulate the team from the need to purchase increasingly expensive Yarra Valley fruit. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHoddles Creek Estate is in the Upper Yarra, which is higher, cooler and more marginal than the Lower Yarra, a set of conditions that suits Franco’s obsession with freshness down to the ground. In terms of viticultural and winemaking priorities, the health of the soil throughout the estate is maximised using organic fertilizers and frequent soil aeration. All fruit is hand-picked in the cool of the morning, there are no enzyme or acid additions, sulphur use is kept to the bare minimum, there is no fining, and filtering is avoided wherever possible. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn his own words, “running your own vineyards results in a far better end product. If you have good ingredients, all they should need is a bit of seasoning.” One need only look at the consistently brilliant reviews in the press to gain an insight into the quality on offer at this address.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hoddles Creek","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52900008067256,"sku":"SKU-030326004740","price":33.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0616\/4211\/3208\/files\/D73DD8FF-994A-458F-BF26-07DA03B61DA4.jpg?v=1772503596"},{"product_id":"wickhams-road-yarra-valley-chardonnay-2025","title":"Wickhams Road Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2025","description":"\u003ch4\u003eThe Wine\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e94 Pts Philip Rich, Halliday Wine Companion\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003e 'Last year I had a slight preference for the Wickhams Road Yea Chardonnay, this year it's the Yarra's turn. Stone fruits and a little matchstick lead onto the light- to medium-bodied and very nicely balanced palate. I'll taste wines from the Yarra twice this price this year and that aren't as good!'\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e92 Pts Gary Walsh, The Wine Front\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003e 'This is a new site for Wickhams, Bulong Estate in Yarra Junction. Planted 1995. ‘Quality site and vineyard’, says Franco D’Anna. It looks at this early stage, that the Yarra Valley wines from 2025 are going to be very good. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIt has a juiciness to flavour and I’m thinking yellow peach, grapefruit, and a lick of spice and cedar oak. It’s clean and fresh, quite direct in terms of style, a fine chalkiness to texture, with a lively finish of good length, a little lemon zest to close. Not trying too hard to be anything other than a great drink, is the import.'\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Details\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eVariety\u003c\/strong\u003e - Chardonnay\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCountry\u003c\/strong\u003e - Australia\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eRegion\u003c\/strong\u003e - Victoria\u003cbr\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eSun Region \u003c\/strong\u003e- Yarra Valley\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eExtra\u003c\/strong\u003e - Screwcap\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYear\u003c\/strong\u003e - 2025\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eVolume\u003c\/strong\u003e - \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e750ml\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003ca id=\"more_desc_btn\" href=\"#pro_more_desc\"\u003eAbout the Wine Maker \u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0616\/4211\/3208\/files\/right-arrow_480x480.jpg?v=1647847041\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"pro_more_desc\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHoddles Creek Estate was established in 1997 when the D’Anna family decided to establish a vineyard on the property that has been in the family since 1960. The vineyard sits astride Gembrook Road and adjacent to Hoddles Creek. Its steeply sloping blocks prohibit mechanical harvesting, so all pruning and harvesting are done by hand. All the wines are made in their 300-tonne winery, constructed for the 2003 vintage. The split-level facility has a barrel store located three meters underground. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith 130 acres of vines to manage in the northern reaches of the Yarra Valley (and just four full-time staff), no one could accuse Franco d’Anna of taking the easy route. D’Anna is a winemaker at the top of his game, but if you ask him, he will tell you he is a farmer first—he and his team spend 90% of their time in the vineyard, and no one member is specifically assigned to the winery. This approach not only provides a depth of understanding of the vineyards to each member of the tight-knit team, but it also allows them to set the vineyard up according to the vagaries of each season. This site-first approach, along with a supreme work ethic and crazy attention to detail is something that sets this estate—and its wines—apart.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Hoddles Creek have been perhaps as well known for their premium bottlings as they have been for their dazzlingly economical Wickhams Road range, perennially the best-value chardonnay and pinot noir in the market.” Young Gun of Wine\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn expansion in vineyard holdings, from 20 acres in 1997 to 130 in 2022—with more to come—forms the cornerstone of Hoddles Creek’s future. With the threat of phylloxera looming large (it has been identified just over the hill from the estate) the team has acted pre-emptively to ensure continuity of supply. They have planted Chardonnay and Pinot Noir on a variety of different rootstocks, so when the time comes, they will have new vines already established, as well as in-depth knowledge of the correct rootstocks to use. In addition to this, the uptick in estate fruit production will insulate the team from the need to purchase increasingly expensive Yarra Valley fruit. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHoddles Creek Estate is in the Upper Yarra, which is higher, cooler and more marginal than the Lower Yarra, a set of conditions that suits Franco’s obsession with freshness down to the ground. In terms of viticultural and winemaking priorities, the health of the soil throughout the estate is maximised using organic fertilizers and frequent soil aeration. All fruit is hand-picked in the cool of the morning, there are no enzyme or acid additions, sulphur use is kept to the bare minimum, there is no fining, and filtering is avoided wherever possible. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn his own words, “running your own vineyards results in a far better end product. If you have good ingredients, all they should need is a bit of seasoning.” One need only look at the consistently brilliant reviews in the press to gain an insight into the quality on offer at this address.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Wickhams Road","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52900009640120,"sku":"SKU-030326004851","price":22.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0616\/4211\/3208\/files\/8BA6C854-157B-4A47-B585-EC40BD5DF9AA.jpg?v=1772503566"},{"product_id":"wickhams-road-yarra-valley-pinot-noir-2025","title":"Wickhams Road Yarra Valley Pinot Noir 2025","description":"\u003ch4\u003eThe Wine\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e93 Pts Gary Walsh, The Wine Front \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003e'Franco says ‘100% Estate grown. Combination of some eight year old plantings and existing 2001 plantings that stylistically don’t fit in Hoddles Estate blend’ This is better than the Tasmanian wine by a margin! More composed and fine, more concentrated.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eRaspberry, cherry, some spice, mint and floral perfume. It’s medium-bodied, a juicy cherry and raspberry pip flavour, sooty tannin and subtle earthiness, and gee, it’s a convincing wine from front to back, It has an unusual level of gravitas for a $20 wine, and pretty much, I’d say, it would be hard to do better than this at this price point. Also has a ‘mineral’ thing about it. Yes.'\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e92 Pts Phillip Rich, Halliday Wine Companion \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003e'\u003cspan\u003eYou gotta love just how different the three Wickhams Road pinots are. And while my pick of the '25s (at this early stage) is the new Tasmanian, the other two still deliver superb value for money. This is the darkest in colour and the ripest of the three. Rich, plummy and full of flavour, with enough tannin to suggest it will soften and improve over the next 12–24 months.'\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Details\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eVariety\u003c\/strong\u003e - Pinot Noir\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCountry\u003c\/strong\u003e - Australia\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eRegion\u003c\/strong\u003e - Victoria\u003cbr\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eSun Region \u003c\/strong\u003e- Yarra Valley\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eExtra\u003c\/strong\u003e - Screwcap\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYear\u003c\/strong\u003e - 2025\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eVolume\u003c\/strong\u003e - \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e750ml\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003ca href=\"#pro_more_desc\" id=\"more_desc_btn\"\u003eAbout the Wine Maker \u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0616\/4211\/3208\/files\/right-arrow_480x480.jpg?v=1647847041\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"pro_more_desc\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHoddles Creek Estate was established in 1997 when the D’Anna family decided to establish a vineyard on the property that has been in the family since 1960. The vineyard sits astride Gembrook Road and adjacent to Hoddles Creek. Its steeply sloping blocks prohibit mechanical harvesting, so all pruning and harvesting are done by hand. All the wines are made in their 300-tonne winery, constructed for the 2003 vintage. The split-level facility has a barrel store located three meters underground. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith 130 acres of vines to manage in the northern reaches of the Yarra Valley (and just four full-time staff), no one could accuse Franco d’Anna of taking the easy route. D’Anna is a winemaker at the top of his game, but if you ask him, he will tell you he is a farmer first—he and his team spend 90% of their time in the vineyard, and no one member is specifically assigned to the winery. This approach not only provides a depth of understanding of the vineyards to each member of the tight-knit team, but it also allows them to set the vineyard up according to the vagaries of each season. This site-first approach, along with a supreme work ethic and crazy attention to detail is something that sets this estate—and its wines—apart.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Hoddles Creek have been perhaps as well known for their premium bottlings as they have been for their dazzlingly economical Wickhams Road range, perennially the best-value chardonnay and pinot noir in the market.” Young Gun of Wine\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn expansion in vineyard holdings, from 20 acres in 1997 to 130 in 2022—with more to come—forms the cornerstone of Hoddles Creek’s future. With the threat of phylloxera looming large (it has been identified just over the hill from the estate) the team has acted pre-emptively to ensure continuity of supply. They have planted Chardonnay and Pinot Noir on a variety of different rootstocks, so when the time comes, they will have new vines already established, as well as in-depth knowledge of the correct rootstocks to use. In addition to this, the uptick in estate fruit production will insulate the team from the need to purchase increasingly expensive Yarra Valley fruit. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHoddles Creek Estate is in the Upper Yarra, which is higher, cooler and more marginal than the Lower Yarra, a set of conditions that suits Franco’s obsession with freshness down to the ground. In terms of viticultural and winemaking priorities, the health of the soil throughout the estate is maximised using organic fertilizers and frequent soil aeration. All fruit is hand-picked in the cool of the morning, there are no enzyme or acid additions, sulphur use is kept to the bare minimum, there is no fining, and filtering is avoided wherever possible. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn his own words, “running your own vineyards results in a far better end product. If you have good ingredients, all they should need is a bit of seasoning.” One need only look at the consistently brilliant reviews in the press to gain an insight into the quality on offer at this address.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Wickhams Road","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52900010229944,"sku":"SKU-030326005033","price":26.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0616\/4211\/3208\/files\/278E340E-8B11-4F83-8D77-BFE1E53B0E60.jpg?v=1772503431"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.vauclusecellars.com.au\/collections\/hoddles-creek-wickhams-road.oembed","provider":"Vaucluse Cellars","version":"1.0","type":"link"}