Food and wine can go together like the best of friends. But there are some tips and tricks to making sure that they both shine when you have them together.

Pruning is the most important activity of the year. What we do over winter will impact not only the 2022 crop but the 2023 crop as well. Pruning impacts yield potential, quality and ultimately longevity of the vine itself. A job never to be underestimated or underappreciated.

Hayes Family Wines is once again very excited to announce our fantastic results in the 2022 James Halliday Wine Companion. Things have been a bit different this year but we are proud of what we have produced.

For as long as wine has been available in glass bottles it has been available in various sizes from the very small sample bottles through to 28L and even bigger. But does it matter? Does the wine taste different now or in the future when consumed from a different sized bottle?

Barossa Brandy is one of the great styles of Australian spirit. It is made from grapes, double distilled and aged in barrel for an extended period of time. An Australian style to savour.

We were very excited to hear that the 2019 Primrose Vineyard Shiraz won a gold medal at the 2021 Decanter World Wine Awards in London

Barossa Grenache is a truly wonderful drink. After a period in the wilderness, the wine is back, the grapes are in demand and for the first time in perhaps 50 years we are planting grenache on mass. The resurgence is here

We were very excited to hear that Hayes Family Wines is one of The Real Review Top Wineries of Australia for 2021. The Real Review team tasted wines from over 1,600 wineries in Australia and New Zealand to compile their Top Wineries list this year.

With Vintage 2021 behind us, it is time to revisit all of the wines in the cellar, starting with the Rose, and then the reds from 2021 and 2020. Each will be assessed. Pruning is on the agenda for Mandy. And I will spend some time on the road visiting all our friends across the country. Busy times ahead

With our last wines going from the Fermenters into the Press and finally into Barrel, Vintage 2021 is officially done. And what a year, we are all excited and ready for a break. Andrew and Vanessa will take a week off, but for me, I will look after cellar door and help our Semillon’s from 2021 find their way into bottle. What a Vintage!

This week we picked our last grapes, Mataro from the Primrose and Hill Block Vineyards in Ebenezer and a little Shiraz from the Schulz’s and Hoffman’s for Fortified Shiraz. All looked wonderful, the year is drawing to a close

Vintage continues full steam, with our biggest ever grape delivery day on Monday, a mass of picking bins and indicator of the work ahead. Pump Overs, Pressing, and ultimately wines to barrel. Easter Approaches

The beautiful colours and flavours of vintage 2021

Vintage tends to eb and flow, after a few big weeks, it was time to consolidate, check progress and prepare for the intake ahead

Vintage tends to eb and flow, this pass week it has been more flow. We have seen a wall of grapes, with over half our crop landing in the winery on Thursday and Friday alone. Just the perfect start to our Annual Members Weekend!

We sustainably farm our small plot in Stone Well, in the Western Barossa. And the insects, animals and birds are very happy that we do!

Vintage 2021 continues at a leisurely pace in the Barossa Valley. But that will change next week. Time to get the shiraz off the vine and into the winery. More than 10 blocks are due this coming week

Vintage 2021 is going slow, but suspect we will ramp up this coming week. First reds look wonderful!

2019 Barossa Valley Vintage will be remembered as a great vintage producing wines that will go the distance

Vintage 2021 red grapes have arrived. Vintage is underway