6-pack: Discover Alkina

The Alkina property itself dates back to the 1850s. However the modern story of Alkina began in 2015 when Argentinian vintner, Alejandro Bulgheroni, purchased the former ‘Greenock Farm’ property. Blessed with a suite of old vines dating back to the 1950s, along with the original stone buildings of the 1850s, the team undertook the task of looking to elevate the truly unique terroirs on which the 43 hectares of vines sit. 

The team assembled for this project are true leaders in their respective elements of the wine world. Alberto Antonini, consulting oenologist to the likes of Biondi-Santi, Antinori, Au Bon Climat and many others, was brought in for his ‘terroir-focussed’ winemaking approach. Locally the team is led by Amelia Nolan, winemaker and managing director, with over 30 years of industry experience spanning Europe, North & South America as well her home state of South Australia. Alkina’s focus upon micro-terroir exploration is brought together by Chilean-born Dr. Pedro Parra – one of the first doctoral students to research terroir at the Paris Center of Agriculture more than twenty years ago. His approach isn’t one of pure academia & theory alone: he has dug more than 100 soil pits across the parcels of the vineyard to see the various soil & rock types. Combining Electro Conductivity Mapping technology, Pedro’s analysis identified 9 individual micro-terroirs – termed Polygons: each with specific geological makeups which result in the differentiated expressions across the respective wines.  

Grenache is certainly the hero variety at Alkina. Whilst Shiraz is by far the most planted variety of the Barossa, and can be found in the ground at Alkina, Grenache has truly put itself forward as a serious contender as the region’s flagbearer stepping into the future. Grenache thrives in the hot & dry conditions which commonly characterise the Barossa, where its late-ripening & drought tolerant nature make it perfectly suited. Its love of free-draining, poor soils – such as schist and limestone – limit vigour and instead direct energy into flavour development. Thin skins and lower anthocyanins result in lower levels of tannins and opacity: instead delivering elegance, aromatics and texture. 

The approach in the cellar flies in the face of common convention from the Barossa. Here you won’t find a barrel hall filled with new oak, nor non-descript bags of tartaric acid hiding corners required to restore some life to overly alcoholic wines. Instead you’ll see tulip-shaped concrete fermenters, clay amphorae from Italy, French concrete eggs and even a qvevri imported from Georgia. The small amount of oak within the cellar are older barrels, with a preference of large format over traditional barriques. Fermentations – both alcoholic and malolactic – are via indigenous yeasts, and without the aid of enzymes. The work done in the vineyard means acid levels don’t need to be adjusted in the cellar. Whole-bunch is used judiciously for fermentation, adding layers of complexity and savoury intrigue across varieties. 

“Winemaking is pared back so that the imprint of the winemaker is barely perceptible and we avoid what we think are the six enemies of terroir wine: over-ripening, over-extraction, invasive oak, synthetic chemicals, the winemaker’s ego and market-led winemaking. “  – Amelia Nolan

The entire property is certified organic and biodynamic, by Southern Cross Certified, as of 2018. With a belief that “ You won’t make anything that tastes interesting out of dead soils. Dead soils make dead wine… You have to pay attention, nurture and embrace it if you want to make beautiful wine.”, it is the nuance of the parcels which Amelia, Pedro and the team wish to let speak through a gentle hand in the winery. 

Alkina derives its name from an Indigenous Australian girl’s name meaning ‘Moon’ or ‘Moonlight’. This name embodies the respect for the land, and the many forces of nature which wine-growers work with to bring life, energy and authenticity to the wines. Blessed with ancient and truly unique soils, with a singular focus upon quality-driven examples of micro-terroir wines, the team from Alkina are set upon changing the paradigm which is the commonly held belief of wines from the Barossa.   

It is incredibly easy to dismiss the Barossa as a one-trick pony: a region of high octane, oak-dominated Parkerised wines which favour a ‘bigger is better’ philosophy. However, the tide is changing – and chief amongst them is Alkina. These are wines which speak clearly of the future potential of Australian wine.

The Alkina property itself dates back to the 1850s. However the modern story of Alkina began in 2015 when Argentinian vintner, Alejandro Bulgheroni, purchased the former ‘Greenock Farm’ property. Blessed with a suite of old vines dating back to the 1950s, along with the original stone buildings of the 1850s, the team undertook the task of looking to elevate the truly unique terroirs on which the 43 hectares of vines sit. 

The team assembled for this project are true leaders in their respective elements of the wine world. Alberto Antonini, consulting oenologist to the likes of Biondi-Santi, Antinori, Au Bon Climat and many others, was brought in for his ‘terroir-focussed’ winemaking approach. Locally the team is led by Amelia Nolan, winemaker and managing director, with over 30 years of industry experience spanning Europe, North & South America as well her home state of South Australia. Alkina’s focus upon micro-terroir exploration is brought together by Chilean-born Dr. Pedro Parra – one of the first doctoral students to research terroir at the Paris Center of Agriculture more than twenty years ago. His approach isn’t one of pure academia & theory alone: he has dug more than 100 soil pits across the parcels of the vineyard to see the various soil & rock types. Combining Electro Conductivity Mapping technology, Pedro’s analysis identified 9 individual micro-terroirs – termed Polygons: each with specific geological makeups which result in the differentiated expressions across the respective wines.  

Grenache is certainly the hero variety at Alkina. Whilst Shiraz is by far the most planted variety of the Barossa, and can be found in the ground at Alkina, Grenache has truly put itself forward as a serious contender as the region’s flagbearer stepping into the future. Grenache thrives in the hot & dry conditions which commonly characterise the Barossa, where its late-ripening & drought tolerant nature make it perfectly suited. Its love of free-draining, poor soils – such as schist and limestone – limit vigour and instead direct energy into flavour development. Thin skins and lower anthocyanins result in lower levels of tannins and opacity: instead delivering elegance, aromatics and texture. 

The approach in the cellar flies in the face of common convention from the Barossa. Here you won’t find a barrel hall filled with new oak, nor non-descript bags of tartaric acid hiding corners required to restore some life to overly alcoholic wines. Instead you’ll see tulip-shaped concrete fermenters, clay amphorae from Italy, French concrete eggs and even a qvevri imported from Georgia. The small amount of oak within the cellar are older barrels, with a preference of large format over traditional barriques. Fermentations – both alcoholic and malolactic – are via indigenous yeasts, and without the aid of enzymes. The work done in the vineyard means acid levels don’t need to be adjusted in the cellar. Whole-bunch is used judiciously for fermentation, adding layers of complexity and savoury intrigue across varieties. 

“Winemaking is pared back so that the imprint of the winemaker is barely perceptible and we avoid what we think are the six enemies of terroir wine: over-ripening, over-extraction, invasive oak, synthetic chemicals, the winemaker’s ego and market-led winemaking. “  – Amelia Nolan

The entire property is certified organic and biodynamic, by Southern Cross Certified, as of 2018. With a belief that “ You won’t make anything that tastes interesting out of dead soils. Dead soils make dead wine… You have to pay attention, nurture and embrace it if you want to make beautiful wine.”, it is the nuance of the parcels which Amelia, Pedro and the team wish to let speak through a gentle hand in the winery. 

Alkina derives its name from an Indigenous Australian girl’s name meaning ‘Moon’ or ‘Moonlight’. This name embodies the respect for the land, and the many forces of nature which wine-growers work with to bring life, energy and authenticity to the wines. Blessed with ancient and truly unique soils, with a singular focus upon quality-driven examples of micro-terroir wines, the team from Alkina are set upon changing the paradigm which is the commonly held belief of wines from the Barossa.   

It is incredibly easy to dismiss the Barossa as a one-trick pony: a region of high octane, oak-dominated Parkerised wines which favour a ‘bigger is better’ philosophy. However, the tide is changing – and chief amongst them is Alkina. These are wines which speak clearly of the future potential of Australian wine.

The Alkina property itself dates back to the 1850s. However the modern story of Alkina began in 2015 when Argentinian vintner, Alejandro Bulgheroni, purchased the former ‘Greenock Farm’ property. Blessed with a suite of old vines dating back to the 1950s, along with the original stone buildings of the 1850s, the team undertook the task of looking to elevate the truly unique terroirs on which the 43 hectares of vines sit. 

The team assembled for this project are true leaders in their respective elements of the wine world. Alberto Antonini, consulting oenologist to the likes of Biondi-Santi, Antinori, Au Bon Climat and many others, was brought in for his ‘terroir-focussed’ winemaking approach. Locally the team is led by Amelia Nolan, winemaker and managing director, with over 30 years of industry experience spanning Europe, North & South America as well her home state of South Australia. Alkina’s focus upon micro-terroir exploration is brought together by Chilean-born Dr. Pedro Parra – one of the first doctoral students to research terroir at the Paris Center of Agriculture more than twenty years ago. His approach isn’t one of pure academia & theory alone: he has dug more than 100 soil pits across the parcels of the vineyard to see the various soil & rock types. Combining Electro Conductivity Mapping technology, Pedro’s analysis identified 9 individual micro-terroirs – termed Polygons: each with specific geological makeups which result in the differentiated expressions across the respective wines.  

Grenache is certainly the hero variety at Alkina. Whilst Shiraz is by far the most planted variety of the Barossa, and can be found in the ground at Alkina, Grenache has truly put itself forward as a serious contender as the region’s flagbearer stepping into the future. Grenache thrives in the hot & dry conditions which commonly characterise the Barossa, where its late-ripening & drought tolerant nature make it perfectly suited. Its love of free-draining, poor soils – such as schist and limestone – limit vigour and instead direct energy into flavour development. Thin skins and lower anthocyanins result in lower levels of tannins and opacity: instead delivering elegance, aromatics and texture. 

The approach in the cellar flies in the face of common convention from the Barossa. Here you won’t find a barrel hall filled with new oak, nor non-descript bags of tartaric acid hiding corners required to restore some life to overly alcoholic wines. Instead you’ll see tulip-shaped concrete fermenters, clay amphorae from Italy, French concrete eggs and even a qvevri imported from Georgia. The small amount of oak within the cellar are older barrels, with a preference of large format over traditional barriques. Fermentations – both alcoholic and malolactic – are via indigenous yeasts, and without the aid of enzymes. The work done in the vineyard means acid levels don’t need to be adjusted in the cellar. Whole-bunch is used judiciously for fermentation, adding layers of complexity and savoury intrigue across varieties. 

“Winemaking is pared back so that the imprint of the winemaker is barely perceptible and we avoid what we think are the six enemies of terroir wine: over-ripening, over-extraction, invasive oak, synthetic chemicals, the winemaker’s ego and market-led winemaking. “  – Amelia Nolan

The entire property is certified organic and biodynamic, by Southern Cross Certified, as of 2018. With a belief that “ You won’t make anything that tastes interesting out of dead soils. Dead soils make dead wine… You have to pay attention, nurture and embrace it if you want to make beautiful wine.”, it is the nuance of the parcels which Amelia, Pedro and the team wish to let speak through a gentle hand in the winery. 

Alkina derives its name from an Indigenous Australian girl’s name meaning ‘Moon’ or ‘Moonlight’. This name embodies the respect for the land, and the many forces of nature which wine-growers work with to bring life, energy and authenticity to the wines. Blessed with ancient and truly unique soils, with a singular focus upon quality-driven examples of micro-terroir wines, the team from Alkina are set upon changing the paradigm which is the commonly held belief of wines from the Barossa.   

It is incredibly easy to dismiss the Barossa as a one-trick pony: a region of high octane, oak-dominated Parkerised wines which favour a ‘bigger is better’ philosophy. However, the tide is changing – and chief amongst them is Alkina. These are wines which speak clearly of the future potential of Australian wine.

The Alkina property itself dates back to the 1850s. However the modern story of Alkina began in 2015 when Argentinian vintner, Alejandro Bulgheroni, purchased the former ‘Greenock Farm’ property. Blessed with a suite of old vines dating back to the 1950s, along with the original stone buildings of the 1850s, the team undertook the task of looking to elevate the truly unique terroirs on which the 43 hectares of vines sit. 

The team assembled for this project are true leaders in their respective elements of the wine world. Alberto Antonini, consulting oenologist to the likes of Biondi-Santi, Antinori, Au Bon Climat and many others, was brought in for his ‘terroir-focussed’ winemaking approach. Locally the team is led by Amelia Nolan, winemaker and managing director, with over 30 years of industry experience spanning Europe, North & South America as well her home state of South Australia. Alkina’s focus upon micro-terroir exploration is brought together by Chilean-born Dr. Pedro Parra – one of the first doctoral students to research terroir at the Paris Center of Agriculture more than twenty years ago. His approach isn’t one of pure academia & theory alone: he has dug more than 100 soil pits across the parcels of the vineyard to see the various soil & rock types. Combining Electro Conductivity Mapping technology, Pedro’s analysis identified 9 individual micro-terroirs – termed Polygons: each with specific geological makeups which result in the differentiated expressions across the respective wines.  

Grenache is certainly the hero variety at Alkina. Whilst Shiraz is by far the most planted variety of the Barossa, and can be found in the ground at Alkina, Grenache has truly put itself forward as a serious contender as the region’s flagbearer stepping into the future. Grenache thrives in the hot & dry conditions which commonly characterise the Barossa, where its late-ripening & drought tolerant nature make it perfectly suited. Its love of free-draining, poor soils – such as schist and limestone – limit vigour and instead direct energy into flavour development. Thin skins and lower anthocyanins result in lower levels of tannins and opacity: instead delivering elegance, aromatics and texture. 

The approach in the cellar flies in the face of common convention from the Barossa. Here you won’t find a barrel hall filled with new oak, nor non-descript bags of tartaric acid hiding corners required to restore some life to overly alcoholic wines. Instead you’ll see tulip-shaped concrete fermenters, clay amphorae from Italy, French concrete eggs and even a qvevri imported from Georgia. The small amount of oak within the cellar are older barrels, with a preference of large format over traditional barriques. Fermentations – both alcoholic and malolactic – are via indigenous yeasts, and without the aid of enzymes. The work done in the vineyard means acid levels don’t need to be adjusted in the cellar. Whole-bunch is used judiciously for fermentation, adding layers of complexity and savoury intrigue across varieties. 

“Winemaking is pared back so that the imprint of the winemaker is barely perceptible and we avoid what we think are the six enemies of terroir wine: over-ripening, over-extraction, invasive oak, synthetic chemicals, the winemaker’s ego and market-led winemaking. “  – Amelia Nolan

The entire property is certified organic and biodynamic, by Southern Cross Certified, as of 2018. With a belief that “ You won’t make anything that tastes interesting out of dead soils. Dead soils make dead wine… You have to pay attention, nurture and embrace it if you want to make beautiful wine.”, it is the nuance of the parcels which Amelia, Pedro and the team wish to let speak through a gentle hand in the winery. 

Alkina derives its name from an Indigenous Australian girl’s name meaning ‘Moon’ or ‘Moonlight’. This name embodies the respect for the land, and the many forces of nature which wine-growers work with to bring life, energy and authenticity to the wines. Blessed with ancient and truly unique soils, with a singular focus upon quality-driven examples of micro-terroir wines, the team from Alkina are set upon changing the paradigm which is the commonly held belief of wines from the Barossa.   

It is incredibly easy to dismiss the Barossa as a one-trick pony: a region of high octane, oak-dominated Parkerised wines which favour a ‘bigger is better’ philosophy. However, the tide is changing – and chief amongst them is Alkina. These are wines which speak clearly of the future potential of Australian wine.

The Alkina property itself dates back to the 1850s. However the modern story of Alkina began in 2015 when Argentinian vintner, Alejandro Bulgheroni, purchased the former ‘Greenock Farm’ property. Blessed with a suite of old vines dating back to the 1950s, along with the original stone buildings of the 1850s, the team undertook the task of looking to elevate the truly unique terroirs on which the 43 hectares of vines sit. 

The team assembled for this project are true leaders in their respective elements of the wine world. Alberto Antonini, consulting oenologist to the likes of Biondi-Santi, Antinori, Au Bon Climat and many others, was brought in for his ‘terroir-focussed’ winemaking approach. Locally the team is led by Amelia Nolan, winemaker and managing director, with over 30 years of industry experience spanning Europe, North & South America as well her home state of South Australia. Alkina’s focus upon micro-terroir exploration is brought together by Chilean-born Dr. Pedro Parra – one of the first doctoral students to research terroir at the Paris Center of Agriculture more than twenty years ago. His approach isn’t one of pure academia & theory alone: he has dug more than 100 soil pits across the parcels of the vineyard to see the various soil & rock types. Combining Electro Conductivity Mapping technology, Pedro’s analysis identified 9 individual micro-terroirs – termed Polygons: each with specific geological makeups which result in the differentiated expressions across the respective wines.  

Grenache is certainly the hero variety at Alkina. Whilst Shiraz is by far the most planted variety of the Barossa, and can be found in the ground at Alkina, Grenache has truly put itself forward as a serious contender as the region’s flagbearer stepping into the future. Grenache thrives in the hot & dry conditions which commonly characterise the Barossa, where its late-ripening & drought tolerant nature make it perfectly suited. Its love of free-draining, poor soils – such as schist and limestone – limit vigour and instead direct energy into flavour development. Thin skins and lower anthocyanins result in lower levels of tannins and opacity: instead delivering elegance, aromatics and texture. 

The approach in the cellar flies in the face of common convention from the Barossa. Here you won’t find a barrel hall filled with new oak, nor non-descript bags of tartaric acid hiding corners required to restore some life to overly alcoholic wines. Instead you’ll see tulip-shaped concrete fermenters, clay amphorae from Italy, French concrete eggs and even a qvevri imported from Georgia. The small amount of oak within the cellar are older barrels, with a preference of large format over traditional barriques. Fermentations – both alcoholic and malolactic – are via indigenous yeasts, and without the aid of enzymes. The work done in the vineyard means acid levels don’t need to be adjusted in the cellar. Whole-bunch is used judiciously for fermentation, adding layers of complexity and savoury intrigue across varieties. 

“Winemaking is pared back so that the imprint of the winemaker is barely perceptible and we avoid what we think are the six enemies of terroir wine: over-ripening, over-extraction, invasive oak, synthetic chemicals, the winemaker’s ego and market-led winemaking. “  – Amelia Nolan

The entire property is certified organic and biodynamic, by Southern Cross Certified, as of 2018. With a belief that “ You won’t make anything that tastes interesting out of dead soils. Dead soils make dead wine… You have to pay attention, nurture and embrace it if you want to make beautiful wine.”, it is the nuance of the parcels which Amelia, Pedro and the team wish to let speak through a gentle hand in the winery. 

Alkina derives its name from an Indigenous Australian girl’s name meaning ‘Moon’ or ‘Moonlight’. This name embodies the respect for the land, and the many forces of nature which wine-growers work with to bring life, energy and authenticity to the wines. Blessed with ancient and truly unique soils, with a singular focus upon quality-driven examples of micro-terroir wines, the team from Alkina are set upon changing the paradigm which is the commonly held belief of wines from the Barossa.   

It is incredibly easy to dismiss the Barossa as a one-trick pony: a region of high octane, oak-dominated Parkerised wines which favour a ‘bigger is better’ philosophy. However, the tide is changing – and chief amongst them is Alkina. These are wines which speak clearly of the future potential of Australian wine.

The Alkina property itself dates back to the 1850s. However the modern story of Alkina began in 2015 when Argentinian vintner, Alejandro Bulgheroni, purchased the former ‘Greenock Farm’ property. Blessed with a suite of old vines dating back to the 1950s, along with the original stone buildings of the 1850s, the team undertook the task of looking to elevate the truly unique terroirs on which the 43 hectares of vines sit. 

The team assembled for this project are true leaders in their respective elements of the wine world. Alberto Antonini, consulting oenologist to the likes of Biondi-Santi, Antinori, Au Bon Climat and many others, was brought in for his ‘terroir-focussed’ winemaking approach. Locally the team is led by Amelia Nolan, winemaker and managing director, with over 30 years of industry experience spanning Europe, North & South America as well her home state of South Australia. Alkina’s focus upon micro-terroir exploration is brought together by Chilean-born Dr. Pedro Parra – one of the first doctoral students to research terroir at the Paris Center of Agriculture more than twenty years ago. His approach isn’t one of pure academia & theory alone: he has dug more than 100 soil pits across the parcels of the vineyard to see the various soil & rock types. Combining Electro Conductivity Mapping technology, Pedro’s analysis identified 9 individual micro-terroirs – termed Polygons: each with specific geological makeups which result in the differentiated expressions across the respective wines.  

Grenache is certainly the hero variety at Alkina. Whilst Shiraz is by far the most planted variety of the Barossa, and can be found in the ground at Alkina, Grenache has truly put itself forward as a serious contender as the region’s flagbearer stepping into the future. Grenache thrives in the hot & dry conditions which commonly characterise the Barossa, where its late-ripening & drought tolerant nature make it perfectly suited. Its love of free-draining, poor soils – such as schist and limestone – limit vigour and instead direct energy into flavour development. Thin skins and lower anthocyanins result in lower levels of tannins and opacity: instead delivering elegance, aromatics and texture. 

The approach in the cellar flies in the face of common convention from the Barossa. Here you won’t find a barrel hall filled with new oak, nor non-descript bags of tartaric acid hiding corners required to restore some life to overly alcoholic wines. Instead you’ll see tulip-shaped concrete fermenters, clay amphorae from Italy, French concrete eggs and even a qvevri imported from Georgia. The small amount of oak within the cellar are older barrels, with a preference of large format over traditional barriques. Fermentations – both alcoholic and malolactic – are via indigenous yeasts, and without the aid of enzymes. The work done in the vineyard means acid levels don’t need to be adjusted in the cellar. Whole-bunch is used judiciously for fermentation, adding layers of complexity and savoury intrigue across varieties. 

“Winemaking is pared back so that the imprint of the winemaker is barely perceptible and we avoid what we think are the six enemies of terroir wine: over-ripening, over-extraction, invasive oak, synthetic chemicals, the winemaker’s ego and market-led winemaking. “  – Amelia Nolan

The entire property is certified organic and biodynamic, by Southern Cross Certified, as of 2018. With a belief that “ You won’t make anything that tastes interesting out of dead soils. Dead soils make dead wine… You have to pay attention, nurture and embrace it if you want to make beautiful wine.”, it is the nuance of the parcels which Amelia, Pedro and the team wish to let speak through a gentle hand in the winery. 

Alkina derives its name from an Indigenous Australian girl’s name meaning ‘Moon’ or ‘Moonlight’. This name embodies the respect for the land, and the many forces of nature which wine-growers work with to bring life, energy and authenticity to the wines. Blessed with ancient and truly unique soils, with a singular focus upon quality-driven examples of micro-terroir wines, the team from Alkina are set upon changing the paradigm which is the commonly held belief of wines from the Barossa.   

It is incredibly easy to dismiss the Barossa as a one-trick pony: a region of high octane, oak-dominated Parkerised wines which favour a ‘bigger is better’ philosophy. However, the tide is changing – and chief amongst them is Alkina. These are wines which speak clearly of the future potential of Australian wine.