Top Wines
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Red
The Willows Vineyard Shiraz
1,003 bottles
CT88.5 average score
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Red
The Willows Vineyard Shiraz Bonesetter
838 bottles
CT91.2 average score
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Red
The Willows Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
566 bottles
CT89.3 average score
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Top Tasters
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1. bjl2911
9 Tasting Notes
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2. Ards and Beans
7 Tasting Notes
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3. Ianjaig
5 Tasting Notes
Producer website
Our Story
Single Vineyard Barossa Wines, Barossa Valley
The Scholz's Australian story began in 1845 when 40 year-old Johann Gottfried joined his neighbours to flee the religious persecution of his Silesian homeland, and emigrate to a fertile valley on the other side of the world - the Barossa.
He settled at Light Pass, a village which enshrined the work of SA's first Surveyor - Colonel William Light. As well as founding Adelaide, Light had discovered this vital passage through the Mount Lofty Ranges to the River Murray and the Eastern States.
Like the other settlers, Johann established a mixed farm of sheep, cows, crops and fruit trees as well as a few grape vines along the alluvial banks of the North Para River. Johann had also spent most of his early career as a bone-setter in the Prussian Army and it was his healing hands which were in demand, as the early settlers had to contend with the daily bumps, breaks and bruises of their harsh environment.
His original wattle and daub cottage became the site of the Barossa's first private hospital, when one of the founding Angas fathers bestowed £500 for a perfectly mended femur in 1883. Son Wilhelm Heinrich and grandson Julius Heinrich maintained the tradition, learning the ancient crafts of bone setting and massage from their father and expanding the hospital to 30 beds.
In 1914, when World War I broke out against Germany, fourth generation Herbert Bernard left for the United States rather than be interned. Here he learnt the new science of physiotherapy at famous spas such as the Chicago Steam Baths. On his return in 1918, Herbert expanded the hospital even further and also sold a range of Scholz remedies patented by his brother Albert.
Herbert's fame grew during the 1940s, particularly during the post-War polio epidemic, when he gave many locals a new life by rejecting the traditional medical prescription of bed rest and advocating exercise instead.
However, his natural form of healing was becoming obsolete and Herbert's son William Herbert, known as "Bert" was forced to study medicine to continue the family tradition. Bert graduated in 1954 and practised in Victoria and at Loxton in the Riverland before returning to Angaston in the mid 1970s.
Since the late 1960s Bert had been visiting "home" on weekends, turning his attentions from the old hospital which had closed, to the family's commercial vineyard which was planted in 1936.
Unfortunately Bert's enthusiasm about grapegrowing coincided with the industry's worst downturn. In the late 1970s the "red wine boom" became the "red wine glut" and Bert sought a better price for his grapes by transferring his contract from the Kaiser Stuhl Cooperative to Saltram, where an old family friend, Peter Lehmann was chief winemaker.
Not surprisingly, Bert's son Peter took his first winemaking job with Peter Lehmann at Saltram in 1979. Here he entered a dynamic environment, working with Andrew Wigan and Charlie Melton and the Baron himself to produce signature styles of Barossa Shiraz and Cabernet, Riesling and Semillon.
In 1989 the Scholz family opened a cellar door adjacent to the century old hospital and started selling the first wines under The Willows Vineyard label.
The Scholz family have come full circle - from healing with their hands to offering the 21st centuries latest natural remedy, red wine, all the time maintaining their closeness to the soil and the traditions of the Barossa.
Our Vineyard
First planted in 1936 The Willows Vineyard is located on the banks of the North Para River near the village of Light Pass.
This northern Barossa location is distinguished by its cooling gully breezes during vintage, providing slow ripening and a clearer expression of berry and spice flavours in red wines and lifted varietal fruit characters in whites.
The 100 acre Willows Vineyard ranges from deep alluvial soils, ideal for root development and the vigour of Cabernet and Semillon, to red brown loam over clay and tough sandy soils where old Shiraz vines produce premium quality fruit.
The vines range in age - from the Semillon which is more than 70 years old to the Shiraz, Cabernet and Riesling which were planted in the 1960s and 1970s.
The vines are hand pruned in July and August, establishing a foundation for the controlled yields and quality expected in the following year.
Supplementary watering is used to maintain vine health and ensure ripeness and maturity.
"Some of our older vines on heavier soils can survive without a drink all season," Peter said.
"But there is little point in dry growing vines if it affects vine health and the composition of the fruit.
"We restrict watering but we don't like stressing the vine too much, as it can be counter-productive to quality."
Our Story
Single Vineyard Barossa Wines, Barossa Valley
The Scholz's Australian story began in 1845 when 40 year-old Johann Gottfried joined his neighbours to flee the religious persecution of his Silesian homeland, and emigrate to a fertile valley on the other side of the world - the Barossa.
He settled at Light Pass, a village which enshrined the work of SA's first Surveyor - Colonel William Light. As well as founding Adelaide, Light had discovered this vital passage through the Mount Lofty Ranges to the River Murray and the Eastern States.
Like the other settlers, Johann established a mixed farm of sheep, cows, crops and fruit trees as well as a few grape vines along the alluvial banks of the North Para River. Johann had also spent most of his early career as a bone-setter in the Prussian Army and it was his healing hands which were in demand, as the early settlers had to contend with the daily bumps, breaks and bruises of their harsh environment.
His original wattle and daub cottage became the site of the Barossa's first private hospital, when one of the founding Angas fathers bestowed £500 for a perfectly mended femur in 1883. Son Wilhelm Heinrich and grandson Julius Heinrich maintained the tradition, learning the ancient crafts of bone setting and massage from their father and expanding the hospital to 30 beds.
In 1914, when World War I broke out against Germany, fourth generation Herbert Bernard left for the United States rather than be interned. Here he learnt the new science of physiotherapy at famous spas such as the Chicago Steam Baths. On his return in 1918, Herbert expanded the hospital even further and also sold a range of Scholz remedies patented by his brother Albert.
Herbert's fame grew during the 1940s, particularly during the post-War polio epidemic, when he gave many locals a new life by rejecting the traditional medical prescription of bed rest and advocating exercise instead.
However, his natural form of healing was becoming obsolete and Herbert's son William Herbert, known as "Bert" was forced to study medicine to continue the family tradition. Bert graduated in 1954 and practised in Victoria and at Loxton in the Riverland before returning to Angaston in the mid 1970s.
Since the late 1960s Bert had been visiting "home" on weekends, turning his attentions from the old hospital which had closed, to the family's commercial vineyard which was planted in 1936.
Unfortunately Bert's enthusiasm about grapegrowing coincided with the industry's worst downturn. In the late 1970s the "red wine boom" became the "red wine glut" and Bert sought a better price for his grapes by transferring his contract from the Kaiser Stuhl Cooperative to Saltram, where an old family friend, Peter Lehmann was chief winemaker.
Not surprisingly, Bert's son Peter took his first winemaking job with Peter Lehmann at Saltram in 1979. Here he entered a dynamic environment, working with Andrew Wigan and Charlie Melton and the Baron himself to produce signature styles of Barossa Shiraz and Cabernet, Riesling and Semillon.
In 1989 the Scholz family opened a cellar door adjacent to the century old hospital and started selling the first wines under The Willows Vineyard label.
The Scholz family have come full circle - from healing with their hands to offering the 21st centuries latest natural remedy, red wine, all the time maintaining their closeness to the soil and the traditions of the Barossa.
Our Vineyard
First planted in 1936 The Willows Vineyard is located on the banks of the North Para River near the village of Light Pass.
This northern Barossa location is distinguished by its cooling gully breezes during vintage, providing slow ripening and a clearer expression of berry and spice flavours in red wines and lifted varietal fruit characters in whites.
The 100 acre Willows Vineyard ranges from deep alluvial soils, ideal for root development and the vigour of Cabernet and Semillon, to red brown loam over clay and tough sandy soils where old Shiraz vines produce premium quality fruit.
The vines range in age - from the Semillon which is more than 70 years old to the Shiraz, Cabernet and Riesling which were planted in the 1960s and 1970s.
The vines are hand pruned in July and August, establishing a foundation for the controlled yields and quality expected in the following year.
Supplementary watering is used to maintain vine health and ensure ripeness and maturity.
"Some of our older vines on heavier soils can survive without a drink all season," Peter said.
"But there is little point in dry growing vines if it affects vine health and the composition of the fruit.
"We restrict watering but we don't like stressing the vine too much, as it can be counter-productive to quality."
Edit producer information
Group wines by:
| wine type | Name, Type, Locale | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Red - Sparkling |
The Willows Vineyard The Doctor(View Label Image)Red - Sparkling, Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley |
|
| White |
The Willows Vineyard Riesling(View Label Image)White, Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley |
|
| White |
The Willows Vineyard Riesling Rhine RieslingWhite, Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley |
|
| White |
The Willows Vineyard Sémillon(View Label Image)White, Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley |
|
| White |
The Willows Vineyard Sémillon Old VineWhite, Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley |
|
| White |
The Willows Vineyard Sémillon Single Vineyard(View Label Image)White, Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley |
|
| Red |
The Willows Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon(View Label Image)Red, Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley |
|
| Red |
The Willows Vineyard G7(View Label Image)Red, Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley |
|
| Red |
The Willows Vineyard Grenache G SevenRed, Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley |
|
| Red |
The Willows Vineyard Mataro(View Label Image)Red, Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley |
|
| Red |
The Willows Vineyard Mataro G Seven(View Label Image)Red, Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley |
|
| Red |
The Willows Vineyard Seven G Grenache Shiraz(View Label Image)Red, Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley |
|
| Red |
The Willows Vineyard Shiraz(View Label Image)Red, Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley |
|
| Red |
The Willows Vineyard Shiraz Bonesetter(View Label Image)Red, Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley |
|
| Red |
The Willows Vineyard Shiraz G SevenRed, Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley |
|
| Red |
The Willows Vineyard Shiraz G7(View Label Image)Red, Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley |
|
| Red |
The Willows Vineyard Shiraz Seven(View Label Image)Red, Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley |