About Watervale Gardeners

I had always been drawn to this site, having driven past it hundreds of times. I was captivated by the old, rusty windmill standing beside a magnificent gum tree, long before I knew the property's name or the rich winemaking history it held. When the vineyard came on the market in 2019, it was a rare opportunity to acquire old vines—most notably Grenache planted in 1938 and 1954—and integrate them into our winemaking.

From the outset, we chose to vinify each block separately to gain a deeper understanding of the vineyard. We were immediately struck by the elegant framework and ferrous tannins of the Grenache, and the firm, almost “old-school” blue-fruited character of the Shiraz. The Riesling, meanwhile, showed a spicy, phenolic drive that offered a distinct contrast to our other Riesling sites in the area.

The unique qualities of this vineyard, combined with the deep farming history of the Watervale gardeners who have worked this land before us, it felt right to give this vineyard and wines their own identity, separate from Jim Barry Wines.

Our Grenache wines are hand-picked, 100% destemmed, and fermented in small 1-tonne flowerpot fermenters. Some parcels receive up to 30 days of skin maceration before maturing for nine months in seasoned 500L French oak puncheons. For the Shiraz, we include around 10% whole bunch, with extended skin contact for up to 25 days, followed by 12 months in used 500L French oak.

The Riesling is hand-picked and sorted in the vineyard, then crushed, destemmed, and pressed to about 550L/tonne to retain a gentle phenolic edge. It’s fermented primarily in stainless steel, with a 1-tonne basket-pressed portion handled oxidatively and wild-fermented in an old French oak puncheon. This component is aged on gross lees for four months before blending back into the stainless steel portion.

My brother Tom and I are proud to be the current Watervale Gardeners, continuing to care for and improve this historic Clare Valley property.

Sam Barry

Watervale Gardener