The Ancient Way Vineyard is no ordinary vineyard. Rising to the top of a hill overlooking Greenock Creek Winery, it presides over some of the finest Shiraz vineyards in all of Australia. It is in the core of what locals call the Golden Mile. The land itself is one of the oldest vineyard sites in the country. Yet, this is not what takes it out of the ordinary - it is the soil. Ancient Way is a rare combination of mineral-rich red soil over fractured limestone that nourishes the vines but makes them struggle to find the water to survive.

Then along come the "crazy" Hundred Acre farmers and their devotion to detail who only work by hand. Each vine receives attention, indeed, each cane, each shoot and every bunch of grapes is treated individually. Ghastly expensive in terms of labor and time. Yields are miniscule. Most Cabernet vineyards yield as much as 4 tons per acre. (Kayli-Morgan is farmed to yield a mere 2.5 tons.) Ancient Way's Shiraz production was only 0.8 tons to the acre in the 2004 vintage, but the results are worth the price - small berries in tiny clusters making incredibly intense wines. The noted Napa Valley viticulturist Jim Barbour opined, "one of the most incredible vineyard sites I have seen in the world."

We were delighted to taste the 2004 Shiraz recently. It is nearly opaque, but with wonderful fruit aromas and a lush palate leading to a finish that won't stop. We were stunned! Indeed, famed winemaker Phillipe Melka calls the wine, " . . . simply incredible!" (You have to imagine the French accent.)

We sold out of our first offering of Hundred Acre 2004 Shiraz, Ancient Way. So, the Duke convinced Jayson to make a special release of a few more cases of this fabulous wine from his library. The price of this monumental wine is $250.00 per bottle. It is available in custom wooden 3-pack cases for $750.00 each. Magnums are available! - $750.00 each.