Press release: ‘A Decade of Refinement – 10 Years of honing in the Otway Hinterland’
28 Oct 2025, Otway Hinterland, Victoria
After 10 years at “Heroes” Vineyard, winemaker James Thomas is not just celebrating a milestone, but a decade of meticulous improvement. In 2016, coming to the Otway Hinterland vineyard was a bold leap, but each year since he has steadily refined his reflection of this terroir in the foothills of the Otways National Park.
Brit-born winemaker, James Thomas was then head winemaker at Clyde Park and previously assistant winemaker at Bannockburn. He found a mature vineyard, off the beaten track, tucked inland from Lorne, north of the vast tract of the Otways. The vineyard was planted 18 years earlier, outside of any official GI (between Geelong and Henty), but showed remarkable promise; a warm site in a cool climate, the 10-acres of vines showing healthy, balanced canopies and yields.
Recognising its potential, James and his wife Eloise took a long-term, 25-year lease on the vineyard and renamed it “Heroes” Vineyard, a nod to David Bowie’s anthem of perseverance and individuality. From that beginning, every decision in the vineyard and winery was made to pursue excellence and respect the site’s authenticity.
The vineyard is farmed organically, relying on natural rainfall (780mm), and zero till. In the vineyard, the focus is balanced vines and ultra-low yields, with the Pinot Noir cropping 0.8-1.3-tonnes to the acre. The vines are dry grown, with the original irrigation (only used once to establish the new plantings) now all removed, typical of James’ uncompromising, no-turning-back approach. No synthetic pesticides are used, only organic preparations. Hand pruning for canopy management, and under vine mowing and grazing herds control growth during winter.
The winemaking focuses on restraint, precision, and age-worthiness. All ferments use indigenous yeasts. Typically, whites are whole bunch pressed before ferment, with no fining. The reds ferment naturally, too, with whole bunches (10-30%) and hand destemming. Never fined and bottled without filtration, depending on the season. The wines are matured in new and old French oak (incl. François Frères, Damy, Tremeaux, Vicard, and Doreau). There are no additions except minimal sulphur, below organic thresholds.
In terms of style, the approach has been incremental evolution, rather than radical reinvention. While the early vintages impressed and have proved to age well, James feels a decade of patience, gradual honing, and slow improvement have taken the latest vintages “to a new level for us – wines that compete with the best of type in Australia.”
The “Heroes” Cellar Door (495 Murroon Rd, Murroon VIC 3243) is open weekends Dec-Apr (12-5) and by appointment. Visitors can taste the wines and graze on local produce sourced from Forrest General Store and Otway Harvest Trail.
And, Brae Restaurant guests can add a private “Heroes” Vineyard tour and tasting when they book at the three-hatted destination restaurant, 10 minutes away (Sunday mornings Dec 2025 to Feb 2026).
Current flagship releases:
2024 “HEROES” VINEYARD CHARDONNAY – OTWAY HINTERLAND, VIC – Notes of lemon butter, lemon rind, meadow flowers, nectarine skin, white rind cheese. Mouth filling and textural, with persistent length – Whole bunch pressed and fermented with wild yeasts in French oak – 90 cases produced – RRP $65
2024 “HEROES” VINEYARD PINOT NOIR– OTWAY HINTERLAND, VIC – Notes of violets, black cherry, autumnal bramble, rosehips, pink peppercorn, thyme. Depth, acid drive, and persistence – Whole bunch pressed and fermented (30% whole bunch) with wild yeast ferment and MLF in French oak (25% new) – 180 cases produced – RRP $75
2024 “HEROES” VINEYARD DRY RIESLING– OTWAY HINTERLAND, VIC – Notes of jasmine, lemon thyme, lemon and lime peel, meadow flowers, white pepper. Persistent, linear, savoury, textural – Wild yeast in stainless steel – 180 cases produced – RRP $40
Vertical Tasting packs of the “HEROES” VINEYARD PINOT NOIR 2019, 2022, and 2024 also available on request.
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More info: Technical data attached. Wines are available at the cellar door, on the “Heroes” Vineyard website and wine retailers incl. Blackhearts & Sparrows, Prince Wine Store, Rathdowne Cellars, Wine Republic, Union Street Wine, Geelong, etc. (stockists).
To arrange a call or in-person tasting in Melbourne with Winemaker, James Thomas to taste through the wines, images, or for wine samples, please contact Kim Pearce at Wine Brain, kp@winebrain.com.au, 0413 120 385.