Hayes Family Shiraz Ancestor Vine 2018

Hayes Family Wines is a small, family-owned producer based in Stone Well, on the Western Ridge of the Barossa Valley. Founded by Brett Hayes and helmed by winemaker Andrew Seppelt — a Barossa veteran with over 25 years' experience, including a stint as GM and winemaker at Torbreck — the label is built on old, dry-grown vineyards farmed with minimal intervention, letting each site and vintage speak for itself. The Estate Vineyard is Certified Organic and Certified Sustainable, and Hayes has carried a five-star rating in the James Halliday Wine Companion every year since launching.

Sourced from vines older than 125 years on the historic Becker block in Koonunga, Barossa Valley — land farmed by the Becker family from 1893 until 2020, with vines known for their remarkable age and deep root systems.

This particular vintage stands out as one of the winery's most prestigious releases, earning 97 points from James Halliday in the 2024 Wine Companion, alongside 95 points from Huon Hooke in earlier reviews.

The wine shows a deep, dense red-purple colour, with a bouquet of chocolate and concentrated richness, blackberry, star anise and liquorice. The palate is powerful, mouth-filling and rich, backed by formidable structure. Built for long-term ageing, Hayes Family Wines recommend a drinking window stretching 15 to 20 years from bottling, with plenty of runway still ahead of it.