Gibson sees an Italian accent as the way forward for the Barossa

Experienced Barossa viticulturist and wine producer Rob Gibson knows the industry needs to change.

For Gibson that means incorporating grapes more suited to increasingly warm regions to the usual varietals in Australia.

Gibson Wines has just released The Prospect, a shiraz montepulciano blend from the 2023 vintage.

It is a deliberate response to a rapidly warming Barossa - and contemporary tastes.

“The future comes every new vintage… challenging our skills and adaptability,” says Gibson.

"Warmer seasons and compressed harvests are no longer outliers. They are the working conditions."

For Gibson, blending has become a practical tool for resilience.

“As a viticulturist we try and predict the unpredictable," he said. "There is no crystal ball for the future. Gut instinct and experience lead the way.

"Montepulciano plays a central role. It holds structure and freshness through heat, bringing lift and savoury tension to shiraz’s depth and familiarity.

"Together, the varieties deliver clarity and balance without excess weight. The blend of shiraz and montepulciano reflects the cooler style of Barossa.

“The Prospect was born from a restless curiosity, seeking continued improvement in what we do and what we produce. 

”This is not experimentation for novelty’s sake. It is refinement. A wine built with the realities of climate in mind and with confidence in where the region is heading."

The wine has an impressive balance between power and elegance; bold fruit and savoury notes. 

The Prospect Shiraz Montepulciano 2023 is available now for $40 through Gibson Wines at https://gibsonwines.com.au/

Gibson unveils a new wine and a new look

Barossa Valley vigneron Rob Gibson is today launching a new wine, and a new branding. 

A new premium shiraz - the 2021 Gibson Burkes Hill Single Site Eden Valley Shiraz ($85) - is the first single vineyard offering that Gibson Wines has released in its 28-yeer history. 

Winemaker Gibson, a Baron of the Barossa, has a long history with the grape variety, but has always blended fruit from difference sources. 

The Burkes Hill vineyard in the Eden Valley is one of the region’s most picturesque sites and has established a reputation for producing exceptional fruit. 

To date, however, the vineyard has been known for standout rieslings, which have been crafted for Gibson by star former Peter Lehmann winemaker Andrew Wigan. 

Gibson describes the 2021 vintage as “one of the best of my 50 years’ experience so far”. 

“2021 has proven to be a really compelling year and the best wines will have great age-ability," said Gibson (below).

“This is a counterpoint to how we’ve normally expressed the Barossa’s regional hero variety. 

"It’s extending the conversation about the diversity of sites. The Burkes Hill site has sub-block diversity. It’s a microcosm of our more common approach with shiraz across the Barossa.”

The first 100 six-packs of 2021 Burkes Hill Single Site Shiraz have been released in limited-edition timber cellar cases for $700, including a a museum quality, fine art paper panorama of the Burkes Hill vineyard by renowned photographer, Dragan Radocaj. 

Each is individually numbered and signed by both Rob Gibson and Radocaj. See gibsonwines.com.au

The release also marks "a purposeful polish" to the Gibson brand with a new brand marque, Dirtborn Barossa, reflecting Gibson's geology background (The Dirtman) and his down-to-earth character. 

This will feature on all labelling going forward and the cellar door has also undergone a refurbishment.

What about the wine? 

My notes describe it as an undeniable an Alpha red. A macho prop forward with a deft offload or two in its skills set.

Despite coming from a cooler site, it has plenty of sass and style. I wish I had not opened my bottle as I suspect it will be glorious in a decade or so.

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