Wild Duck Creek Estate

We are a small family-run winery situated 8km west of Heathcote, alongside the Wild Duck Creek. David (aka ‘Duck’) and Diana planted the first vines in 1974 and in 1979 named the first vineyard Alan’s Cabernet Vineyard, after Duck’s late father Alan. The Original Vineyard was planted in 1988 on land owned by Diana’s parents. Duck and Diana have three children – Liam, Ngaire and Bridie.

Traditional winemaking methods including hand-picking, open fermentation, hand-plunging, basket-pressing, and long-term barrel-ageing are fostered, as is the use biodynamic principles on our own vineyards. Duck remains adamant however, that it’s still the vineyard and site selection especially, that dictate great wines.

Second-generation winemaking has flourished for more than a decade through Liam, whose methodical yet innovative approaches merge fantastically with Duck’s eccentricity – a humorous and brilliant concoction!

Our passion is to produce extraordinary wines of balance and power that enrich and delight the senses.

“In my teens I hankered to farm anything really, and when the opportunity presented itself to buy some land, I jumped at it ‘site unseen’.Upon first seeing the block I’d purchased, it was evident that it was great for a forest or perhaps a quarry, but not animal raising or a vineyard.

Unexpectedly, the land over the fence was for sale, and Diana and I broke heaven-and-earth to buy it; because it had soil! For over 25 years, like most viticulturists, I have filled every day with planting and managing vines, making wine, or imbibing in the fruits of our labour with ever-present fellow enthusiasts!

Then about a decade ago, Liam came along and injected his obvious passion into our winery, taking our viticulture to the next level including gradually converting all of our sites to be grown bio-dynamically. The changes from this process are palpable including improved visual vine health, and our wines have benefited greatly” ~ Duck

Alan’s Cabernet Vineyard

Heathcote
(Produces: Alan’s Cabernet; Alan’s Cabernet Pressings; Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve)

The block with soil became the Alan’s Cabernet Vineyard in 1979. Much like many of the world’s masterful discoveries, site selection came down to pure luck. The site was well drained, received morning sunshine, and totally wind protected upon all sides. We planted Cabernet Sauvignon (70%), Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec and a little Petit Verdot. The Petit Verdot rarely ripens but occasionally it is useful. In 1985, our rogue Pinot Noir vine turned red and died!

Original Vineyard

Heathcote

(Produces: Shiraz Reserve; Duck Muck 
Contributes to: Shiraz Pressings; Springflat Shiraz)

In 1988, and now with experience under my belt, I went in search for the perfect site on which to plant some Shiraz. To my delight, upon observing ideal characteristics on my parents-in-laws’ property, I was quick to snap up a slice of their land – this property lay along the edge of the Wild Duck Creek. Pretty much before the nod of approval, the plants were in the ground! Now called the Original Vineyard, it birthed the first series of Springflat Shiraz, seven Duck Mucks, and a string of Shiraz Reserves that almost none of our other vineyards have been able to replicate – but not for lack of trying! The Original Vineyard often produces massive flavours with great acidity.

Mt Pleasant Vineyard

Mt Camel
(Contributes to: Ducks & Drakes; Shiraz Reserve;  Springflat Shiraz)
(Contributed to: Duck Muck)

More recently we have bought a share of a small vineyard called Mt Pleasant Vineyard on the red Cambrian soils at Mt Camel, situated 20 kilometres north of Heathcote. This site Duck helped plant in 1994 – it was one of the first of the new wave of plantings in the Heathcote area. Essentially a dry-land vineyard, it produces stunning fruit, including some 1997 parcels which contributed to Duck Muck, remaining the only other vineyard to have done so.