14
AUSTRALIA
Pikes
C L A R E VA L L E Y
WINERY OVERVIEW
The Pikes estate is situated in the picturesque Polish Hill sub region of South Australia’s
beautiful Clare Valley. Brothers Andrew and Neil Pike established Pikes Wines in 1984 and
continue to manage every aspect of the business today. They take great pride in producing
quality handcrafted wines that reflect vintage, variety and region. Pikes flagship wine is
Riesling Traditionale which has gained an international cult-like following as Australia’s best
dry Riesling.
The Pikes story in South Australia is one rich in history dating back to 1878 when Englishman
Henry Pike, Andrew and Neil’s great-great grandfather, immigrated to South Australia and
established the family brewing business called H. Pike & Co. The company used the English
Pike fish on the label, which remains to this day a symbol of Pike’s long heritage, now spanning
three centuries.
LOCATION OF VINEYARD
Pikes is situated in the North West section of the Clare Valley, in a sub-region known as Polish
Hill River. The vines enjoy east to southeast exposure and for the most part are ungrafted, with
just a small percentage planted on rootstock. The soils are red brown earth over clay, with
slate and broken bluestone subsoil. The property is 240 acres (97 hectares), of which 200 are
under vine. The region of Polish Hill is renowned for its black slate, which runs underneath the
Pikes vineyards.
WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY
Pikes aims to produce wines that reflect their varietal, regional, and vintage conditions.
They are quite happy to watch over the wines during their formative stage and intervene only
when necessary.
Owned by
:
Andrew Pike and Neil Pike
Winemaker
:
Neil Pike
Founded in
:
1984
Region
:
Clare Valley, South Australia
Country
:
Australia
Wines
:
Pikes, Clare Valley Dry Riesling “Traditionale”
Pikes, Eastside Shiraz
Pikes, Los Companeros Shiraz/Tempranillo
Pikes, Riesling Hills and Valleys
Pikes, Riesling Reserve The Merle