About this winery

Grape growing has been part of the Pfeiffer family way of life for four generations beginning with Albert Heinrich Pfeiffer, who owned a vineyard in the Riverland region of South Australia. Whistler was founded in Barossa Valley region by Martin Pfeiffer, Albert’s grandson and former Head Vineyard Manager at Penfolds and 3rd generation grape-grower. In 1997, the first Whistler Shiraz off the Heysen Estate vineyard goes to bottle and the Whistler Wines dream begins. Therefore, at the core of...

See the Whistler Wines detail page for more information on this brand

Product notes

100% of the fruit is sourced from our vineyards surrounding our Cellar Door, grown using organic and biodynamic practices. Hand picked by our loyal mailing list customers, the Purple Hands crew, the majority of this wine comes from our grafted Shiraz blocks, with the balance coming from the older plantings of Shiraz on our vineyard.

Production notes

Our Purple Hands crew hand pick the fruit into half-tonne picking bins, then foot stomped the fruit to burst the berries and encourage the natural fermentation to commence. 20% of this wine was fermented as whole bunch in this way, with the balance fermented on skins for 12 days in open top fermenters. Basket pressed to French oak foudre & seasoned puncheons for 12 months, before bottling with no fining.

Tasting notes

Bursting with blackcurrant and blueberries, this wine shows the typical characters found in the Western side of the Barossa- chocolate/mocha and black pepper, but with a surprising freshness to the wine. Frankincense and blackberries jump out of the glass, along with a slight leafiness, which comes from the whole bunch component in the wine. Soft and juicy on the palate, but with a backbone of tannin from the whole bunches that draws the wine across the palate giving it length and precision.