Murdoch Hill

Murdoch Hill isn’t just one of the Adelaide Hills’ quiet achievers - it’s now firmly at the vanguard, thanks to the vision of winemaker Michael Downer. Since returning to the family farm in Oakbank in 2012, Downer has transformed a solid estate label into one of the most dynamic and forward-thinking outfits in the country. Micky is one of the future leaders of the Hills region and one of our favourite producers in all of South Australia.

Before taking the reins at Murdoch Hill, Downer did the rounds - Shaw + Smith, Cape Mentelle, Best’s, Revenir - absorbing a diversity of regional and stylistic approaches and sharpening a palate already attuned to finesse and site expression. That training now pulses through every wine he makes, from the pitch-perfect Estate range to the envelope-pushing Artisan Series. The latter, a suite of small-batch, low-intervention bottlings named after his grandfather’s collection of horse-drawn carriages, has earned cult status for its texture, transparency, and sheer drinkability.

The home base is a mixed-use farm in the Onkaparinga Valley, where the Downers have run cattle and sheep for decades. Vines arrived in 1998, and under Michael’s stewardship, have evolved toward an organically farmed, cane-pruned vineyard geared for precision picking and micro-parcel ferments. But he doesn’t stop there - Downer scours the Hills for the most interesting fruit, especially from higher, cooler pockets like Piccadilly and Uraidla.

Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are taken seriously here, crafted with the elegance and structural clarity the Hills can deliver at its best. But it’s Downer’s truly excellent Hills Syrahs which have seen him emerge as one of the finest makers of the variety in the region.

The huge reviews for these wines continue to roll in Downer’s trajectory continues skyward. Murdoch Hill today is one of the most compelling stories in modern Australian wine - authentic, energetic, and always evolving.

"Few wineries reach for the stars quite so regularly as Murdoch Hill. Wow, when this winery nails it, it really does drive it home. Murdoch Hill’s The Landau Syrah was the winner of the Companion’s coveted Shiraz of the Year award, and its Apollo Pinot Noir 2022 is right up there too, as indeed is the ‘standard’ chardonnay. Murdoch Hill is a serious ultra-quality player in Australian wine. Take note."
- Halliday Wine Companion Top 100 Wineries