Erinn Klein, Ngeringa – Summit, Vineyard of the Year – Young Gun of Wine
“At the 4th Annual Vineyard of the Year Awards, Vineyard of the Year goes to Erinn Klein, Ngeringa – Summit Vineyard in Adelaide Hills.
Erinn Klein and his wife, Janet, planted the Summit Vineyard at a density of 6,600 vines per hectare on his family’s property in 2001–02. Aside from being a site of excellent potential, biodynamic farming principles had been in place for over a decade, with certification coming in 1993. That property houses the herb farm at the core of the family’s Jurlique skin-care brand, providing botanicals for their products. The approach that underscores the herb farm was always going to be central to the Kleins’ vision, who run the @ngeringa brand together from the ground up, making wine on site as well as running livestock, growing vegetables and tirelessly revegetating the native environment.
The 2-hectare Summit Vineyard, which sits at around 360 metres, is planted to chardonnay, pinot noir, syrah, fiano, gamay and pink semillon.
“Ngeringa is at the base of the Mount Barker Summit, an ancient place steeped in culture and lore,” says Klein. “The tops of our slopes look out over the Murray Mouth in the distance, and in return, the afternoon ocean breezes cool the vineyard, preserving flavour, acids and complementing the warmer, ripening mornings.”
The pair manage three vineyards across two properties – two kilometres apart – in the Adelaide Hills, along with running Scottish Highland cattle, sheep and chickens, along with extensive biodynamic vegetable gardens, with the produce sold to top Adelaide restaurants and the public. The holistic approach also sees 80 per cent of their power needs coming via solar, while they have an ongoing program to return clear-felled parts to native bushland, having planted up to 1,500 trees every year since 2008.” - Young Gun of Wine
About
2024 Sheoak Label Rose
Winemaker: Erinn Klein
Grape: Syrah
GI: Adelaide Hills
Closure: Screw Cap
ABV: 13.0%
Production: 243 dozen
Hand-picked | Biodynamic | Wild yeast fermented | Estate bottled
Vineyard Notes
The grapes for this Rosé come from three of our long- certified biodynamic vineyards. The Iluma Vineyard, facing west at an altitude of 420m, is home to our prized Iluma Syrah. The Summit Vineyard faces east, while the Rufus Vineyard faces west. Ngeringa has maintained a chemical-free approach—using no pesticides, synthetic fertilisers, or insecticides—dating back to 1980.
Winemaking
This Rosé is made from whole bunch pressed Syrah, fermented in older French oak barrels, and aged for eight months on lees. The wine was hand-bottled on-site, with a small addition of sulphur before bottling. No enzymes or fining agents are used.
Tasting Notes
Vibrant salmon pink with a dry, balanced profile, this Rosé combines intense fruit and savoury complexity. Aromas of wild strawberry, raspberry, and citrus blossom are complemented by nutty, saline notes. The silky palate offers fresh acidity, mineral depth, and fine phenolics with a textured creamy finish. Flavours of strawberries, blood orange, and pink grapefruit evolve into savoury hints of biscotti and amaretto, creating a layered and enticing experience.
2024 Sheoak Label Chardonnay
Winemaker: Erinn Klein
Grape: Chardonnay
GI: Adelaide Hills
Closure: Stelvin screw cap
ABV: 13.5%
Production: 1001 dozen
Hand-picked | Wild yeast fermented | Estate bottled
Vintage Notes
The season began with an early bud burst following a dry spring and early summer. Flowering was strong across our vineyards, resulting in excellent fruit set compared to other parts of the Hills. Mid-season rain boosted yields for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. A mild summer with only one heat spike allowed for slow, steady ripening, delivering wines with concentration, balanced acidity, and long, dense flavours.
Vineyard Notes
A blend of Ngeringa’ estate grown Biodynamic Chardonnay from our prized Summit Vineyard as well as small parcels of Chardonnay from three special Adelaide Hills vineyards, Manyara, (certified organic, Balhannah), Landsdown (organic in conversion, Forreston), and the Turnbull family vineyard (Charleston).
Winemaking
The Chardonnay grapes are gently hand harvested, then whole bunch pressed, with minimal settling into French oak barriques and puncheons of which thirty percent are new barrels. Fermentation began spontaneously with wild yeast and followed by a natural malolactic fermentation. The wine matured on lees for nine months with no battonage. A small dose of sulphur was added prior to bottling. No enzymes, no fining.
Tasting Notes
This pale lemon-yellow Chardonnay balances power and finesse. The nose reveals layers of stone fruit, gently complemented by orange citrus and floral Spring blossoms. The palate offers creamy textures, with flavours of yellow peach, lemon zest, and subtle vanilla and cashew. The oak is well-integrated, supporting ample fruit intensity, while good natural acidity keeps it vibrant. Complex yet approachable, it’s drinking beautifully now.
2024 Sheoak Label Pinot Noir
Winemaker: Erinn Klein
Grape: Pinot Noir
GI: Adelaide Hills
Closure: Stelvin screw cap
ABV: 13.0%
Production: 918 dozen
Hand-picked | Wild yeast fermented | Estate bottled
Vintage Notes
The season began with an early bud burst following a dry spring and early summer. Flowering was strong across our vineyards, resulting in excellent fruit set compared to other parts of the Hills. Mid-season rain boosted yields for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. A mild summer with only one heat spike allowed for slow, steady ripening, delivering wines with concentration, balanced acidity, and long, dense flavours.
Vineyard Notes
A blend of Ngeringa’ estate grown Biodynamic Pinot Noir along with parcels from three special Adelaide Hills vineyards, Manyara, (Certified Organic, Balhannah), Landsdown (Organic in Conversion, Forreston), and the Turnbull family vineyard (Charleston).
Winemaking
After hand harvesting, approximately 15% of the Pinot Noir is placed into a stainless-steel fermenter for a carbonic maceration. The remaining grapes are de-stemmed and undergo fermentation with daily pump- overs and foot stomping for two weeks. After fermentation, the wine is gently pressed into older French barriques, where it matures for nine months. A small addition of sulphur is made just before bottling. No enzymes or fining agents are used.
Tasting Notes
A ruby red Pinot Noir, medium-bodied, with vibrant aromas of satsuma plum, blackcurrant, strawberry, and a hint of liquorice. The bright palate offers ripe, juicy fruit flavours, leading to a medium-length finish with earthy cassis and cocoa nibs.
2023 Sheoak Label Syrah
Winemaker: Erinn Klein
Grape(s): Syrah
GI: Adelaide Hills
Closure: Stelvin screw cap
ABV: 13.2%
Production: 420 dozen
Hand-picked | Biodynamic | Wild yeast fermented | Estate bottled
Vintage Notes
The growing season leading into the vintage of 2023 was by all accounts our wettest and coolest in at least a decade. A long, slow, much later-than-normal harvest meant amazing flavour development and great acid retention in the grape across all varieties.
Vineyard Notes
The grapes for this Syrah come from three of our long- certified biodynamic vineyards. The Iluma Vineyard, facing west at an altitude of 420m, is home to our prized Iluma Syrah. The Summit Vineyard faces east, while the Rufus Vineyard faces west. Ngeringa has maintained a chemical-free approach—using no pesticides, synthetic fertilisers, or insecticides—dating back to 1980.
Winemaking
Approximately 30% of the grapes were fermented as whole bunches, with the rest de-stemmed. The wine was aged for 12 months, primarily in seasoned French oak barrels, before being blended in tank and lightly sulphured prior to bottling.
Tasting Notes
A lively and youthful Syrah, offering aromas of black currant, satsuma plum, raspberries, and red currant. Notes of rose, savoury olive tapenade, and spice add interest and complexity. The palate is bright with red currant flavours, complemented by sweet cedar and delicate hints of cinnamon and allspice. The wine has an addictive length and firm, enticing tannins.
2022 Single Vineyard Summit Chardonnay
*Summit Vineyard YGOW Vineyard of the year 2024*
Winemaker: Erinn Klein
Grape(s): Chardonnay
GI: Adelaide Hills (Mount Lofty Ranges, South Australia)
Site(s): Summit Vineyard - Winner 2023 'Vineyard of the Year', Young Gun of Wines
Vintage Notes
Vintage 2022 was set up by a milder spring and summer with no severe heat spikes or extended hotter periods. Spring and early summer were wetter than usual resulting it good soil moisture and thus requiring only minimal irrigation just before picking.
Flowering and set were good, if we don’t compare them to the dream conditions we had for the 2021 vintage! We had a few disease challenges with warm, wet weather, particularly one event where the vines had wet leaves for three days around the 10th of January. Our vine health was good and therefore resilient to these challenging few days.
Finally, a long and slow ripening with cool conditions over harvest produced great delicate wines across all varieties.
Vineyard Notes
The grapes for this wine are from our east-facing Summit Vineyard which collects more of the morning sunlight and less of the intense, direct afternoon heat. Vineyard altitude ranges between 330m and 360m above sea level, and the soil consists of sandy loam over red-orange clay, sandstone and ironstone. Fruit for our Single Vineyard Chardonnay comes from a small section in the middle of this vineyard where the balance of topsoil over subsoil is optimal for vine balance, flavour concentration and structure. The entire farm is certified biodynamic and is farmed with the rhythms of nature, tending towards a self-sustaining system without the use of synthetic chemical inputs.
Winemaking
The Chardonnay grapes are hand harvested into small 15kg crates then whole bunch pressed with minimal settling overnight into new (30%) and old French oak barriques (228L) and larger format Barrels (500 and 600L). Fermentation begins spontaneously with wild yeast from our vineyards and winery, with full malolactic fermentation occurring naturally. Wines mature on full lees for 11 months with no battonage. A small dose of sulphur is added at blending, just prior to bottling. No added yeast, no enzymes, no fining.
Tasting Note
The 2022 Summit Chardonnay wonderfully encapsulates the quality of fruit from the Summit Vineyard. Abundant aromas of fleshy, ripe yellow nectarine, toasted cashews, almond brioche and mandarin blossom are complemented with flinty accents. A rich and textural palate, fresh acidity and well integrated oak. Drinking brilliantly now, but demonstrates great potential for extended cellaring.
Closure: High quality composite cork that is cork-taint free guaranteed.
ABV: 13.7%
Label Design: Ngeringa bases its branding and imagery on its relationship with the land: The logo makes the shape of Mount Barker Summit and the icon, in a circle, makes reference to the full moon and to the biodynamic practice of working with the rhythms of nature. The sheoak sits inside the circle, reflecting the name, Ngeringa, the place of sheoak. Each bottle is individually numbered.
Production size: 381 six packs
Winefront Review by Mike Bennie
Posted on 20 July 2024
'Unreal drinking right here. This kind of levity and freshness yet nutty, savoury undertow, crystalline pink grapefruit and Golden Delicious apple on top, a slick of liquid spice and a barely there pear juice thing going on. Slips over the palate with ease, glossy and then a puckering, chalky finish gently there as well. A distinct energy to the wine too – it moves well and bristles with saline minerality. Just fantastic.'
95 Points
2022 Single Vineyard Summit Pinot Noir
*Summit Vineyard YGOW Vineyard of the year 2024*
*Top Gold Medal Pinot Adelaide Hills Wine show*
Winemaker: Erinn Klein
Grape(s): Pinot Noir
GI: Adelaide Hills (Mount Lofty Ranges, South Australia)
Site(s): Summit Vineyard
Vintage Notes
Vintage 2022 was set up by a milder spring and summer with no severe heat spikes or extended hotter periods. Spring and early summer were wetter than usual resulting it good soil moisture and thus requiring only minimal irrigation just before picking.
Flowering and set were good, if we don’t compare them to the dream conditions we had for the 2021 vintage! We had a few disease challenges with warm, wet weather, particularly one event where the vines had wet leaves for three days around the 10th of January. Our vine health was good and therefore resilient to these challenging few days.
Finally, a long and slow ripening with cool conditions over harvest produced great delicate wines across all varieties.
Vineyard Notes
The Pinot Noir grapes for this wine are from our east-facing Summit Vineyard which collects more of the morning sunlight and less of the intense, direct afternoon heat. Vineyard altitude ranges between 330m and 360m above sea level. Soils consist of sandy loam over red-orange clay, sandstone and ironstone. Grapes for our Single Vineyard Pinot Noir come from a small section in the middle of the vineyard where the balance of topsoil over the subsoil is optimal for vine balance, fruit flavour concentration and structure. The entire farm is certified Biodynamic and is farmed with the rhythms of nature, tending towards a self-sustaining system without the use of synthetic chemical inputs.
Winemaking
The Pinot Noir is gently hand harvested into small 15kg crates and mostly destemmed into small batch fermenters, 5% by weight of whole bunches aew placed in the bottom of each fermenter. The grapes are plunged by hand or feet, up to twice a daily for a gentle and long extraction over two to three weeks. The pinot was pressed into new (30%) French oak barriques (228L) and left in barrel to mature for 12 months. A small dose of sulfur was added at blending prior to bottling. No Added yeast No enzymes, no fining.
Tasting Note
A beguilingly nuanced Pinot. Vibrant red berries, and orange rind jump out of the glass, with layers of sandalwood, oregano, thyme, and cacao. The tannins are firm, but approachable, the acidity balanced. On the palate the red fruits and orange citrus are juicy and generous, with a complex earthy finish.
Closure: High quality composite cork that is cork-taint free guaranteed.
ABV: 13.4%
Label Design: Ngeringa bases its branding and imagery on its relationship with the land: The logo makes the shape of Mount Barker Summit and the icon, in a circle, makes reference to the full moon and to the biodynamic practice of working with the rhythms of nature. The sheoak sits inside the circle, reflecting the name, Ngeringa, the place of sheoak. Each bottle is individually numbered.
Production size: 364 six packs
Winefront Review by Campbell Mattinson
Posted on 26 August 2024
'Kasia mentioned last year that this wine is sealed with a DIAM30 cork. The 30 relates to years so this cork is technically or mechanically guaranteed to hold for 30 years.
There’s a sweet-sour aspect to this but there’s impressive structure and the length to go with it. Everything about this wine suggests that it will mature well. Red cherries, sweet spices, tomato bush, earth and rust characters crunch their way through the palate. Tannin presents as long, sinewy, herb-encrusted chains. This wine has a future.'
93+ Points