Howard Vineyard in the Adelaide Hills is a family-owned winery founded by Ian Northcott and now run by his son Tom Northcott. Established on vineyards planted in the 1990s, the estate reflects a long-term commitment to the region. The cool-climate conditions of the Adelaide Hills allow the winery to produce elegant, balanced wines with fresh acidity and varietal clarity. Howard Vineyard is known for combining quality winemaking with a welcoming, relaxed atmosphere, including a popular cellar door and dining experience. Sustainability, careful vineyard management and a strong family ethos remain central to the winery’s philosophy and continued success in the region.
OUR WINES
2025 Howard Vineyard Gamay Adelaide Hills
The undulating, elevated topography and well-drained, stony soils of Woodside create an ideal microclimate for the Gamay (clones BGW19 and 222) vines, which are spaced 2.5 meters apart to optimize sunlight, manage wind, and protect against heatwaves. The grapes are handpicked and undergo an 8% whole bunch fermentation in small batches, featuring twice-daily hand plunging and pump overs before aging for six months in French oak barrels. This careful process yields a clean, juicy wine defined by aromas of raspberry, sloe berries, and violet, alongside a savory palate of cranberry, blackcurrant, and black pepper with gentle tannins and refreshing acidity. This complex flavor profile pairs beautifully with charcuterie boards, venison, duck, and mushrooms.
2025 Howard Vineyard Cabernet Franc Rosé
This estate-grown Rosé originates from Blocks 4 and 9 of the Clover Farm vineyard in Mt Barker, situated within the cool, elevated slopes of the Adelaide Hills at 380 to 410 meters above sea level. Cultivated in fine sandy to clay loam soils with rows spaced 2.2 meters apart, the fruit is harvested early in the cool of the evening to lock in freshness at an optimum yield of eight tonnes per hectare. A gentle pressing with minimal maceration ensures controlled color and phenolics, followed by a stainless steel fermentation and a short maturation on fine lees to soften the natural acidity and build texture. The resulting wine is highly thought-provoking, opening with aromas of cherry, pomegranate, mango, yellow peach, strawberry-leaf, and rose petals. The palate delivers lively flavors of red fruit and fairy floss, balanced by a distinct orange peel citrus line and a wet stone minerality that lingers through a crisp finish, making it an exceptional pairing for crab linguini, prawn and goat's cheese tortellini, or grilled octopus.
2025 Howard Vineyard 400 metre RangeSauvignon Blanc
Sourced from Blocks 5 and 10 of the Clover Farm vineyard in Mt Barker, these cane-pruned, low-yielding vines grow at an elevation of 360 to 410 meters above sea level on northwest-facing slopes featuring fine sandy to dark red-brown clay soils. The rows are spaced 2.2 meters apart with a vertical shoot positioning trellis system, creating a generous canopy that ensures steady ripening into autumn at an optimum yield of eight tonnes per hectare. To preserve freshness, the fruit is harvested at night, receives eight hours of skin contact, and undergoes a cold fermentation with brief time on the lees to build texture. This process delivers a wine with a fragrant burst of passionfruit, guava, honeydew melon, ripe lemon, and white grapefruit aromas. The palate is juicy and generous, mirroring those tropical and stone fruit flavors with a softer, well-integrated acidity that provides a fresh finish of citrus peel, making it an ideal match for grilled prawns, green papaya salad, burrata, or chèvre.