Shedleys

Chris and Erica Shedley may only have 4ha of vines (three-quarters devoted to 1.2ha each of cabernet sauvignon, shiraz and sauvignon blanc, the remainder to a mix of mainstream and alternative varieties), but their story is a rich one, the website an object lesson in design and content. The vineyard and winemaking enterprise occupies 1% of the family's mixed farming property, which includes running sheep, harvest crops, blue gum plantation and (from 1992) grapegrowing and winemaking. I particularly like the one-line summary, ‘Good wines, made by real people in a beautiful place. Come and get involved.' I read all too many stories of wineries with organic and biodynamic symbols emblazoned everywhere that leave me with a big question mark: are these feel-good aspirations or are they real achievements (as here) that come about as a result of total commitment at all levels? The mouth-watering prices of the wines speak for themselves. -JAMES HALLIDAY