May News 2026

Welcome to the May Edition of Instinctively Curious

Across the vineyard, the vines are entering their autumn transition, our team have taken a moment to farewell some of the vintage crew, and the calendar is starting to fill with local and interstate events. Let’s dive into what has been happening at Two Hands.

IN THE WINERY

The last fruit of vintage arrived at the winery on Wednesday, 6 May, and with it came one final crush for the season. While there is still plenty of pressing, tasting and careful cellar work to come, the arrival of the final fruit is always the major milestone.

Now onto the secondary fermentation process, malo-lactic (MFL) fermenting. This secondary fermentation is a process of converting the harder malic acid naturally occurring in wine into softer lactic acid, resulting in a deeper body, softer mouthfeel and added complexity, whilst also having the added benefit of additional wine stability.

Nearly all red wines and some white wines (such as Chardonnay and Viognier) undergo malolactic fermentation.

Each year, our vintage team t-shirt gives the marketing team a chance to have a bit of creative fun. This year’s design is Greetings from Marananga, with artwork looking like a postcard, including the famous Seppeltsfield Road palms, Shiraz, Bella’s Garden, our Cellar Door, and of course, Richard’s Springer Spaniel, Ollie.

SCORES & REVIEWS

We were pretty happy to see Two Hands recognised in the latest Real Review Top Wineries list, coming in at #51 out of more than 400 wineries across Australia. To be included amongst such strong companies is something we are incredibly proud of, especially as one of only seven Barossa wineries to feature around the Top 50. The Real Review reviews around 10,000 wines each year. The Top Wineries Certificate is awarded to a select group of wineries that consistently produce excellent wine. It is testament to the hard work of the vineyard & winery team and everyone at Two Hands and cements our commitment to continuous improvement.

IN THE VINEYARD

For Peter and Lara (and puppy dog Chip), the picking of the final fruit marks the end of another growing season in the vineyard.

After months of monitoring, sampling, walking rows, watching weather, checking ripeness and making picking calls, there is a moment to step back and let the vines begin their own seasonal shift.

Across the vineyards, the vines are now entering senescence. This is the natural autumn transition where grapevines stop producing chlorophyll, and the leaves begin to turn gold, amber and crimson before falling. It is one of the most beautiful times of year in the Barossa, but it is also an important phase in the life of the vine.

As the vines move away from active growth, they begin reallocating nutrients back into their roots and permanent wood, storing reserves that will carry them through winter and support new growth in spring. It marks the end of the vegetative season and the beginning of dormancy.

In other words, the vineyard is not exactly switching off, it is simply doing the quiet, clever work that sets up the season to come.

A VINTAGE FAREWELL

On Wednesday 29 April, the whole team gathered on the Cellar Door lawns for a long table lunch to celebrate the end of the 2026 harvest and farewell some of our vintage crew.

Marking the end of vintage with a long lunch in the autumn sunshine was a wonderful way to come together and enjoy good food and of course great wines. After the intensity of harvest, celebrating the huge effort that goes into bringing another vintage across the line is an important thing to do.

Lunch was a proper feast, with a pig on the spit, salads and veg, and a few very special bottles organised by Pierre for the team to enjoy, including magnums of Champagne and a 3L 2012 Windmill Block Shiraz from the Single Vineyard Series. There were a few speeches, plenty of laughs and the all important vintage awards, handed out by Jett. A special mention goes to Janice, who took home “The Golden Shovel” for the most dig-outs of ferments throughout vintage. 

AT CELLAR DOOR

Autumn has well and truly settled in across Marananga, and it continues to be one of the most beautiful times to visit us. The fireplace will be lit and ready to welcome you in. The Kraehe Nature Trail is also looking beautiful at this time of year, with visitors able to take a gentle walk along the vineyard, enjoy views across the Seppeltsfield Road palms, and make their way down to see our Highland cows.

OPEN JUNE LONG WEEKEND - We will be open across the June long weekend, 11-5, making it the perfect excuse for a Barossa escape. Join us for a tasting, stock up on a few winter reds, wander the trail, and settle into the season with us at Cellar Door. Come in for a tasting of Charlie's Garden for King Charlie's Birthday 😉

UPCOMING EVENTS

Melbourne
29-31st May
At the end of this month, Luke and Morgan will be packing their bags and heading to Melbourne for the Good Food & Wine Show. We will be pouring in the Barossa Pavilion alongside a brilliant group of neighbouring wineries, bringing a selection of new releases and a few special bottles for those who know. The event runs across Friday, Saturday and Sunday, giving you the chance to choose the day that suits you best. Some guests like to come for all three days and make a weekend of it, while others prefer Sunday when the pace is often a little gentler, and there is more time for a proper chat.

Adelaide Wine Festival
Sunday 7th of June
Adelaide Central Markets | 11am-5pm

Come along for a tasting at the world number 3 top food markets, Adelaide Central Market! One day only. 45+ wineries, tastings, live music, and market food. Tickets>>

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Sydney
Wine Dinner
Thursday 18 June
Chiswick Woollahra

After a fantastic evening at our recent Sydney dinner, we are excited to return in June. Join us at Chiswick Woollahra for a dinner set to an incredible lineup of wines showcasing the best of what Two Hands represents, Shiraz.

Perth Wine Dinner
Thursday 16 July
Steves Bar & Restaurant, Nedlands

After the popularity of last year’s dinner in Perth, we are heading back west and this time to Nedlands’ iconic Steves Bar & Restaurant. Hosted in their Cellar Room, this special dinner will feature two Flagship wines from the incredible 2021 vintage, as well as two highly rated Single Vineyard Shiraz that speak to the heart of what Two Hands is all about.

ON THE ROAD WITH PIERRE-HENRI

Pierre is off again this time with a trip to Asia, meeting with our distributors, connecting with new customers, and sharing the Two Hands story abroad.

These trips are an important part of keeping our wines in front of the people who champion them around the world. Pierre has been showcasing the breadth of the Two Hands portfolio and continuing to build the relationships that help take our wines from the Barossa to tables across the globe.

It is always exciting to see how strongly Australian Shiraz continues to resonate internationally. Even more rewarding when people who first discover Two Hands overseas make their way to Australia and visit us at Cellar Door. It is a lovely full-circle moment.

WINE OF THE MONTH
COACH HOUSE BLOCK
Greenock Shiraz

Before the Single Vineyard Series became what it is today, there was one estate vineyard: Branson Coach House. Tucked just outside the small Barossa hamlet of Greenock, this vineyard was planted in the early 1990s into deep, iron-rich soils that seem almost purpose-built for Shiraz. The Branson name is a quiet nod to the property’s earliest chapter, with James Branson recorded as the first owner after purchasing the land on 5 June 1861. 

In 1998, a small winery was established on the site under the Branson Coach House name, before the property was later purchased by MT. From this vineyard came the first Two Hands single vineyard wine, the 2002 “BcH” Shiraz.

As the years passed, Coach House became more than our first vineyard, it became a benchmark. When the Single Vineyard Series was formalised in 2006 into the range we know today, this wine helped anchor the collection, consistently delivering fruit that stood out for its depth, definition and unmistakable Greenock character.

"The fabulous, inky/purple-hued 2003 Shiraz Coach House only carries 14.5% alcohol (in the land of 15% full-throttle Shiraz). It offers a huge nose of blackberry and cassis liqueur, plums, figs, barbecue smoke, and lead pencil shavings. A wine of great intensity, enormous concentration, moderately high tannin, and a blockbuster finish, it needs 2-3 more years of bottle age, and it should last for 10-20+ years. This is an impressive successor to Branson Coach House’s equally exciting 2002. (RP) - 98 points" Robert Parker, Review Date: 10/2005

Now over 30 years of age, and with the wine on its 17th vintage, Coach House Block has settled beautifully into its stride. Revisiting the 2002 and 2003 vintages is more than opening older bottles. It is a return to the beginning, and a chance to taste the early expression of a vineyard that helped shape who we are today.

A small quantity of the earliest vintages are available now, online only. Head over to our store to grab a few bottles while you can. SHOP NOW

2018 Barossa Winemaker of the Year! – Each year the Barons of Barossa come together in Tanunda, and a ceremony is held at Keil Garden and includes the announcement of Winemaker and Vigneron of the Year. Winemaker of the Year has been awarded since 1998.

Richard joined Two Hands in July 2019 and came with high praise from many present and past Barossa Winemakers. He has worked in the Barossa, Rutherglen, Hunter Valley, Mudgee and the South of France. Richard has a proven ability to work with viticulturists to ensure that quality begins and occurs in the vineyard. When not in the winery, you can find him enjoying the spoils of the great outdoors – fishing, bushwalking & camping with friends and family.

Q&A:
Was there a particular parcel, variety or vineyard in 2026 that made you stop and think, “this could be something special”?
Shiraz from Angelo, one of our growers at the back of Greenock. Coach House from our estate.

What makes the Barossa such a special place to make wine?
I moved to the Barossa 26 years ago to work in what many consider the greatest red wine region in Australia, and I haven’t looked back since. 

What do you think people misunderstand about winemaking?
I think a lot of people imagine winemaking as long lunches and drinking great wine all day. The reality is usually far less glamorous. During vintage especially, it’s early mornings, long days and a lot of hard physical and mental work. Even something that sounds exciting, like tasting 30 barrels of Cabernet, is very different in reality than it sounds on paper. At that stage, it could be 7am and you’re analysing, comparing and making decisions, not just casually enjoying a glass of wine.

What is your favourite local restaurant, pub or hidden gem?
Same answer as last year, Vintners Bar & Grill. It always delivers; the food is consistently excellent.