Mount Horrocks Wines

Mount Horrocks is a small, independently owned estate in Clare Valley, South Australia, run by winemaker Stephanie Toole since 1993. Everything here is certified organic and biodynamic, hand-picked from single vineyards, and capped at 2,500 cases a year — worth knowing before a vintage sells through, because they do. Careful fruit handling means no fining agents are ever needed, so every bottle is vegan-friendly. James Halliday put it plainly in his 2023 Wine Companion: "Throughout her tenure, Toole has remained unwavering in her commitment to quality across both vineyard and winery operations. The meticulous attention evident in her work and her consistent refusal to compromise are apparent throughout her entire range."

The Estate and Its Vineyards

Toole bought the estate after a career in fine wine sales in Perth, and by 1998 had restored the historic Auburn Railway station as her cellar door. In 2000 she acquired land at Watervale and planted three blocks, each matched to its soil and microclimate. The 'Cordon Cut' vineyard, planted solely with Riesling beside the cellar door, yields some of Australia's finest sweet wines. The 'Alexander' vineyard grows only Shiraz, while the larger 'Watervale' vineyard carries Riesling, Semillon, Nero d'Avola and Cabernet Sauvignon. Only one other local producer holds both organic and biodynamic certification, and for Toole it is a working philosophy — regenerative land management shapes every decision in vineyard and winery — rather than paperwork.

The House Style

Expect precision over power. The whites are taut and dry with generous fruit underneath; the reds are structured but never heavy, picked at full ripeness for brightness rather than jam. These are wines built deliberately for the table, and that is how we sell them — each one earns its place next to a specific plate.

What We Stock, and What to Eat With It

The 2024 Watervale Riesling is the classic entry point: bone-dry, lime-driven, and a natural match for oysters, Thai-spiced fish or proper fish and chips. Prefer a richer white? The 2022 Watervale Semillon is barrel-fermented with tropical depth — the style that earned 94 points from The Wine Front — and has the weight for roast chicken or a creamy fish pie. Among the reds, the 92-point Alexander Vineyard Shiraz comes in both 2021 and 2022 vintages, a rare chance to compare consecutive years of one vineyard side by side, and its elegant, savoury build suits roast lamb. Something more distinctive? The 2023 Nero d'Avola, born of Toole's visit to Sicily, is bright and medium-weight with muscular structure — pick this for tomato-based pasta or grilled sausages. The 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon completes the range for anyone cooking beef or laying out hard cheeses. Six wines, one grower, no compromise: browse the Mount Horrocks range below and take the bottle that matches your table.