Hochkirch Wines
Hochkirch Wines is a highly respected family-run winery in the Henty region of Western Victoria, Australia. Founded by John and Jennifer Nagorcka, the estate is renowned for its steadfast commitment to biodynamic farming and minimal intervention winemaking, creating authentic wines that vividly express their cool-climate terroir.
Winemaking Philosophy & Methods
Hochkirch's winemaking philosophy is centered on the belief that great wine is made in the vineyard. The goal is to produce wines that are a pure reflection of their site, with a minimum of human interference.
Biodynamic Farming: The vineyards are Demeter-certified biodynamic since 2003, with a focus on creating a balanced, self-sustaining ecosystem. This involves a deep respect for natural processes and rhythms, including lunar and planetary cycles, and the use of natural preparations to build healthy, structured soil.
Viticulture: The vineyards are densely planted with up to 6,000 vines per hectare, a technique used to take advantage of soil warmth in the cool climate. The vines are dry-grown (not irrigated), forcing the roots to dig deep into the red-brown basalt loam over stony gravel and clay soils. Yields are strictly controlled to produce high-quality, concentrated fruit.
Fermentation: All wines are fermented with indigenous (wild) yeasts and no other additions. The winemaking process is designed to be gentle and low-tech.
Additives & Filtration: The wines are bottled without fining or filtration, relying on gravity and time for clarification. Minimal to no sulfur dioxide is added, with some selections bottled entirely without it.
Aging: White wines see extended skin contact and are aged in large-format oak barrels or stainless steel. Red wines are fermented in open vats and aged in small, mainly old French oak barrels.
Grapes & Wines
Hochkirch's focus is on cool-climate varieties that thrive in their specific environment, producing wines with elegance, structure, and distinctive minerality.
Pinot Noir: This is their flagship red variety, with a strong focus on high-density plantings. The resulting wines are often detailed and elegant, with a bright acidity and complex earthy, cherry, and plum notes that speak of the unique terroir.
Riesling: A key white variety for the estate. Their Rieslings are known for their intense, rich style with vibrant acidity, mineral core, and notes of citrus and green apple.
Syrah: Unlike the warmer-climate Shiraz of other Australian regions, Hochkirch's Syrah is a cool-climate expression, resulting in a lighter-framed, more elegant wine with notes of dark fruit, spice, and pepper.
Chardonnay: Grown on the Tarrington vineyard, the Chardonnay is a pure expression of the site, fermented on solids and aged in large puncheons to develop complexity and a distinctive character.
Blanc (Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc): Often made with skin contact, this textural "orange" style wine is rich, savory, and saline-driven, with notes of wet stone, mandarin, and honey.