Yarra Valley, Victoria

Ben Haines

It was back in 2003 that I began making my own single vineyard wines – not for commercial release but rather as a personal fascination with the idea of interpreting places through winemaking. The first was a rustic cool climate Cabernet Sauvignon from a stunning vineyard in Clarendon Hills, teetering on the border of the Adelaide Hills and McLaren Vale. The following season, 2004, the allure of Shiraz from Langhorne Creek took hold. This was the beginning of my vineyard exploration.

Each vintage, each season, my senses are illuminated by the pervasive beauty of nature presenting itself, and amazingly, offering a humbling opportunity in return for me to share. I feel so connected to this. There is so much beauty and honesty in wine. It offers a true window into a special period of time like a hedonistic time capsule that can be revisited, shared, pondered and enjoyed at any time with food and friends.” –Ben Haines

Ben Haines is a boutique winemaker in Victoria’s Yarra Valley. He is a bit different from the estate wineries in the Little Peacock portfolio, as his focus is to source grapes from “magic dirt” of different origins year-to-year and season-to-season.

The vineyards he chooses are those possessing great interest, charm and depth, and that capture a sense of mystique. Ben’s base is the Yarra Valley, where he formerly worked as winemaker for Yering Station before moving to the Grampians to be head winemaker at the historic Mt Langi Ghiran winery. Having trained in viticulture, he pays close attention to what’s happening in each vineyard throughout the growing season. His wines are intensely textural with flavors  continuing to develop sip after sip. Fruit is expressive, structure is present without being constraining.

From around Victoria, Ben crafts single-vineyard expressions of Roussanne, Marsanne, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah.

Wines

‘Everyday’ Amber..

Fresh, barely ripe exotic fruits, savoury spices, jalapeno coolness, with wild texture for the tactile feels. A skin-contact wine that is both complex & individual, yet so approachable you want to drink it ‘everyday’.

#everydaywine #benhaineswine #amberwine #smallbar #winebar #berrynsw #havewinewilldrink #gotowine
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“Oh, I could drink a case of you, darling” Joni Mitchell

(We think she must have have been talking about benhaineswine ).

#bythedozen #caseofwine #caseofyou #jonimitchell #redredwine #winebar #frenchbistro #berrynsw #benhaineswine
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Introducing the 2022 Ben Haines With Friends Roussanne Marsanne, the fourth release from this year’s Design Series.
Artwork by kbar.design
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Introducing the 2021 Ben Haines A Hope For The Times Syrah, the third release from this year’s Design Series.
Artwork by dougie_schofield
Douglas is represented in Australia by asterandasha_gallery
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Introducing the 2021 Ben Haines One for the Loves Pinot Noir, the second release from this years Design Series.
Artwork by elean0r__r
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2021 Ben Haines Rosé, as recommended by Josephine:

‘Yarra Valley Rosé… unfiltered, unfined, lower in alcohol, minimal sulphites. Bright, fresh and juicy, with a little texture and bite!’

#kallistageneralstore #wineswelove
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2020 Ben Haines Red; Pinot Shiraz blend from the Yarra Valley.

Red-fruited, fleet-footed, bright, crunchy and slippery to drink.

It`s a great option for warm-weather sipping

Pair with Salmon sashimi or Goma Cucumber

#benhaineswine #benhaines #pinotshiraz
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Congratulations to our good friend Ben Haines and his family for the birth of their son. Time for some Ben Haines Wine to celebrate 🍷#benhaineswine ...

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#benhaineswine #benhaines #shiraz #2019 #grampians #victoria #vic #australianwine #australia #redwine #naturallyfermented #bigbarrel ...

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We’re loving getting into our cellar after a nine-month hiatus growing a small human...⁣
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This wine takes us to Beechworth with uber-talented and all-round good guy benhaineswine⁣
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2016 ‘Firelights’ Syrah. It grabs you from the first whiff. There’s sweet, broody red and black fruit, spice, anise and crushed rock. Palate is zingy yet balanced, soft yet assertive, understated yet complex.⁣
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Perfect match for our medium-rare scotchy’s and some crappy winter weather. Great work Ben!⁣

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#benhaines #benhaineswine #syrah #firelights #beechworth #isolation #tastingnote #shiraz #victorianwine #beechworthwine #vineyard #vigneron #redwine #homecooking #winemaking #vines #wine #winestagram #winery #visitbeechworth #fetherstonvintners #winetasting #handpicked #viticulture #instawine #winelover #winetime #winemaker #familybusiness #boutique
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A week ago we were in Sydney and I finally got my birthday steak.
It was so, so amazing. Must go back.
#bearestaurant #barangaroohouse #kingfish #wattleseed #benhaineswine
#bestmeal #love #sydney #australia #boydidgood
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A warming and rich welcome back to Australia. This Ben Haines Volta Brackets Marsanne from Yarra Valley encapsulated everything that I have been missing these past 5 years. Hedonistic and mouthfilling with incredible stone fruit and orchard flowers. However not lacking one bit in fresh, lifting acidity and left me wanting more.... And more and more

#yarravalley #wine #wineaustralia #winegeek #winevictoria #benhaineswine #marsanne #welcomehome #sommelier #wsetdiploma
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🇦🇺 Ben Haines Rendition Nebbiolo 2015 | Pyrenees, Victoria 🍷
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The second wine opened last week with wineworthwritingabout was this 2015 vintage Nebbiolo from winemaker Ben Haines. Now, I thought the lpmwine Amphora Saperavi (in my previous post) would take the cake for time on skins at 193 days, but I was way off! 🤯
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For this striking #Nebbiolo, grapes were sourced from the Malakoff vineyard in the Landsborough district of the Pyrenees (Victoria). Fruit was fermented, with a massive 383 days on skins, before being basket pressed to large, old oak barrels for another 10 months, prior to bottling.
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Notes 1 and 2 days from opening: On the nose, overripe crushed strawberry, ripe cherry 🍓and an earthy, mushroom funk 🍄 lead to a palate that’s quite literally packed with bright red fruit (red cherry🍒and strawberry again, redcurrant), notes of cherry liqueur and raspberry. Persistent but fine, powdery and drying tannins meet with crunchy, fresh acidity, leading into a tail that’s got a bit of residual, lingering sweetness. It’s simultaneously light and resoundingly complex, with the extended skin contact adding layers of flavour, complexity and intrigue. 🤔 Very enjoyable stuff from benhaineswine. 🤙🏼
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