About the winery & vineyard
The Brodericks have been growing and making wine here since the 1980s.
Basket Range Wine is a family-run winery and vineyard in the heart of the Adelaide Hills.
Led by second-generation winemaker Sholto Broderick, and alongside his parents Phillip and Mary, they’ve been nurturing this land and crafting wines here since the 1980s. Every bottle tells the story of their land, reflecting the uniquely steep and rugged Basket Range hillsides they call home.
The family story
Early beginnings: planting the first grapes in Basket Range
In 1978 Phillip Broderick purchased a property in Basket Range, a steeply sloped place known at the time for its apple and cherry orchards.
But Phillip was spending regular time alongside other key winemakers of that era. So, in 1980, he planted the first grapes in Basket Range, a mix of Bordeaux varieties.
“People really thought you were silly for planting vines here, people thought I was mad,” Phillip recalls. Little did they know the small Basket Range community would go on to make a huge impression on the Australian wine scene.
Phillip’s first vintage was in 1983, with just 100 dozen cases made.
Growth and transition: moving to a larger Basket Range property
In 2000 the Brodericks purchased a larger neighbouring property, where they continue to live and work today.
Previously home to apples and pears, they replanted that land with 4.5 hectares of vines, including Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot.
Initially, most of their fruit was sold to local wineries, with Phillip making small amounts of wine under the Basket Range Wine label.
Second-generation evolution: Sholto Broderick takes the winemaking reins
From the early days of making a few hundred cases in the family cellar, Phillip Broderick was accompanied by sons Louis and Sholto, who grew up in the vineyard, helping with picking and pruning.
Sholto went on to study viticulture and oenology, as well as completing vintages in Europe and locally.
In 2016, Sholto began making wine and working in the vineyard, with a focus on organic practice and vine rejuvenation.
Since then, all grapes grown on the property have gone into the Basket Range Wine label, with each wine made at the on-site winery, just beside the vineyard.
“Incredible maturity and smarts from winemaker Sholto Broderick, ensuring the legacy of the estate is revered through the lens of his fine wine paradigm approach to winemaking.”
— Mike Bennie, Australian wine writer
The vineyard & wines
A diversely sloped vineyard, influencing growth and flavour
Within the 4.5-hectare vineyard are three different hillside aspects — two north and one south-east facing — with steep topography that impacts both sunlight and soil. This means flavours can differ dramatically even in vineyards grown right beside one another.
These different slopes and aspects are deliberately planted to suit different grape varieties.
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot thrive on the north and west-facing slopes, where the afternoon sun supports their late ripening in this cool-climate region. Meanwhile, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are grown on the cooler, more sheltered south and east-facing slopes.
Soil and viticulture
The 13.5-acre property sits at about 450m elevation. The geology is ancient, with a bedrock of sandstone as well as ironstone and quartz distributed through blue and red clay.
The Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot vines were among the first plantings for those varieties in the Adelaide Hills. These Bordeaux grape varieties are rare in this wine region and express themselves uniquely on this cool-climate site.
The entire vineyard is farmed using sustainable practices, preserving healthy soil microbiology and allowing a diversity of plants and insects. The focus is vineyard longevity and sustainable viticulture.
Wines made to reflect our unique site, soil and slopes
Sholto keeps the winemaking process relatively simple, using less manipulation, while consciously making wines with detail, focus and longevity. His goal is to make wines that reflect the undulating vineyard’s many different sites, aspects and varieties.
Growing and making Pinot Noir and Chardonnay allows for wines that embody the cool-climate character and winemaking heritage of the Adelaide Hills.
Meanwhile, the legacy of Basket Range Wine lives on through Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot, which were the vineyard’s original plantings.
The resulting wines are well-regarded, regularly scored at 94 points and higher by major Australian wine writers.