PIKE & JOYCE

Tasting Notes for Current Vintage James Haliday Rating: ««««

Englishman Henry Pike emigrated to South Australia in 1878 aboard the HMS Oakland. He settled in the small town of Oakbank in the Adelaide Hills and in 1886 established the family brewing business called H. Pike & Co. This name became well known throughout South Australia for its quality beer, soft drink and tonic ale, and the company used the English Pike fish on the label, which remains to this day -- a symbol of Pikes' long heritage. The sale of H. Pike & Co. in 1972 did not end the family tradition. Henry Pike's great grandson Edgar was well established in the wine industry as a private vigneron and as a vineyard manager for a large proprietary wine company. His sons, Andrew and Neil, have both followed in their father's footsteps. Since graduating from Roseworthy Agricultural College both have become proficient in their separate fields within the wine industry -- Andrew in viticulture and management, and Neil in winemaking and marketing. Today Neil makes wines at the Polish Hill River Estate under the Pikes logo. The Winery and vineyards are situated in the historic and picturesque Polish Hill River sub region on the eastern side of the Clare Valley. The climate in this area is considerably cooler and the soils are also quite unique to the rest of the region. These attributes impart distinctive flavours and aromas to the wines from the Polish Hill River area. The Winery and Cellar Door has been renovated from an old stone shearing shed and our new administration and function area is constructed out of local stone and has a similar feel to it as the other buildings on the property.