Hay Shed Hill|Margaret River|Premium Wines

Highly regarded former winemaker at Howard Park, Mike Kerrigan has acquired the business (with co-ownership by the West Cape Howe syndicate) and is now the full-time winemaker. He had every confidence he could dramatically lift the quality of the wines, which is precisely what he has done. James Halliday Wine Companion 2009

Michael Kerrigan - Winemaker

WITH a star-studded career behind him as architect of the classy Howard Park and Madfish brands, Michael Kerrigan has taken on a new challenge at the neighbouring Hay Shed Hill winery. Having spent 13 vintages making the big decisions that triggered unprecedented growth of the Howard Park and Madfish labels, Kerrigan is considered one of the most respected technicians in this super-premium region.
With 30-year-old plantings at his disposal, Kerrigan has understandably set his sights on producing classic “old vine” Margaret River wines. John Fordham – Sunday Telegraph - 23/03/2008 

Hay Shed Hill Block Series Wines

2005 Hay Shed Hill 'Block 2' Cabernet Sauvignon

Excellent colour and clarity; a powerful, full-bodied palate with perfectly delineated cabernet fruit supported by firm tannins; will richly repay the cellaring it demands. Rating 94. Aging to 2025. James Halliday Wine Companion 2009

2007 Hay Shed Hill 'Block 1' Semillon Sauvignon Blanc

Fine, elegant and tightly focused; citrus, mineral and herb flavours seamlessly welded; subliminal oak on a long dry finish. Rating 94. James Halliday Wine Companion 2009

The blessings are starting to flow from Mike Kerrigan's incaration as winemaker at HSH, and this SSB is a brilliant start! A surging line of very tight lemon acidity underpins all manner of green herbs and spices.  This is an exceedingly senior SSB with great line and power.  It will age brilliantly. 94/100. WBM100 – Tyson Stelzer  January 2008

Cracker of a wine for those lovers of 'integrated complex'.  Voluminously shellacked with French barrique vanilla and Persian limes, it's roomy, elegant and refined.  The oak gives it extra dimensions; sweet spice verses the cutting citrus acidity which resolves to a taut fine finish. Spice Magaine - Autumn 2008

2007 Hay Shed Hill 'Block 6' Chardonnay

Comes from a low yielding section of the vineyard.  It is correspondingly very intense on both nose and palate while striking an excellent fruit and oak balance.  Nice tough of grapefuit and citrus on the nose while the palate exhibits deep but controlled intensity. 90/100. The West Australian - Ray Jordan - June 2008

2005 Hay Shed Hill 'Block 2' Cabernet Sauvignon

Excellent colour and clarity; a powerful, full-bodied plate with perfectly delineated cabernet fruit supported by firm tannins; will richly repay the cellaring it demands.  Rating 94. Cellar to 2025. James Halliday Wine Companion 2009

2005 Hay Shed Hill 'Block 2' Cabernet Sauvignon

A triumph for new winemaker Mike Kerrigan at this Wilyabrup vineyard: opulent and fleshy with deep, ripe cassis and dark-plum flavours that balance powerful, firm tannins. 18.5. Sunday Times Magazine - Top 100 Wines - Peter Forrestal - April 2008 (highest ranking wine in the Top 100)

Silver Medal Margaret River Wine Show 2007

2005 Hay Shed Hill 'Block 10' Petit Verdot

This wine has a very deep ruby colour and an aromatic nose of lavender and blackberry.  A big gutsy mouth feel creates a very robust style with a clean finish and assertive tannins, which should soften in time.  A good cellaring proposition.  BEST VARIETAL in the tasting 15.5. Scoop Magazine - April, 2008

Hay Shed Hill Wines

2007 Hay Shed Hill Chardonnay

Very ripe peach and orange citrus fruits, some fig too, there's some Margaret River power on show here.  The palate has regional sweet/sour interplay, tropical meets citrus flavours and subtle savoury notes through the finish.  Really Juicy.
91 Points WBM 100, Nick Stock - September 2008

Along with a vineyard in Margaret River’s quality heart, Hay Shed Hill now has former Howard Park winemaker Michael Kerrigan at the helm, making this a label to watch. This very classy chardonnay offers intense grapefruit and nectarine characters with lightly nutty barrel input. It has lovely texture, perfect balance and great finesse.
Rated ‘The Best White Wine in $18-$30 bracket’ FIVE STARS
Ralph Kyte-Powell Epicure Wine Styles Liftout - August 2008

This is Margaret River chardonnay of finesse and complexity at a fair price. Nectarine and grapefruit aromas with balanced, nutty barrel ferment and excellent texture and equilibrium. It should improve for a couple of years, too. 95/100 Sydney Morning Herald - Ralph Kyte-Powell - Good Living - May 27, 2008

2006 Hay Shed Hill Shiraz Tempranillo

The Hay Shed Hill Shiraz tempranillo 2006 is a real beauty. The blend of the plump, fleshy Shiraz with the drier earthy tempranillo works really well. Strong spicy and slightly pepper aromas with a warm, opulent, and focused palate. Fine tannins and nicely judged oak. Definitely worth checking out. The West Australian - Ray Jordan - 16th August 2007

GOLD MEDAL WINNER Margaret River Wine Show 2007
BRONZE MEDAL WINNER Qantas Wine Show of WA 2007
3 Stars - WINESTATE - The Best of the West Tasting - May/June 2008 Issue

A strange blend that works remarkably well here, with an accent on pepper, spice and vibrant berry fruit. There’s not a lot of weight in the middle, but it’s got plenty of lively acid to keep it going. At 12.5% alcohol it’s really well balanced.
90 points. WBM100 – Tyson Stelzer – January 2008

Pitchfork Wines

2008 Pitchfork Pink

Fresh as a daisy, bright and cherry rose.  Brilliant crimson pink colour.  Fresh strawberries and red berry aromas entrice.  The slightly sweet middle palate finishes with dry acidity.
86/100 Ray Jordan, The West Australian - Fresh, 18/09/2008

2007 Pitchfork Chardonnay

If you haven't rediscovered Pitchfork since Mike Kerrigan took the reins, here's a great place to start.  This is a fresh, quaffing-style Chardonnay with a tight palate that's all about ripe grapefruit and nutty complexity.  This brand is fast redefining entry level Margaret River.  90 points. WBM - Tyson Stelzer - February 2008

A clean, simple, fruit-driven aroma of peachy chardonnay and minerally notes, very little oak discernible and fairly light, but fair value as an entry-level $16 quaffer. 86/100. The Age/Sydney Morning Herald - Good Weekend Magazine - Huon Hooke - April 2008

2005 Pitchfork Shiraz

The Pitchfork Shiraz 2005 ($16) is damn fine value and offers a lot. Still tight with some savoury earthy characters on the nose and a focused long palate showing fine ripe tannins and excellent oak integration. Give it a month or so before drinking. The West Australian - Ray Jordan - August 2007

BRONZE MEDAL WINNER Margaret River Wine Show 2007
SILVER MEDAL WINNER Qantas Wine Show of WA 2007

An easy-drinking red from Margaret River that is made to be drunk young. Has depth and concentration of redcurrant jubes. 17 points. The Sunday Times Magazine - Peter Forrestal - April 20, 2008

Historical Reviews

2007 Hay Shed Hill Sauvignon Blanc Semillon

The Hay Shed Hill sauvignon blanc semillon 2007 ($20) has exquisite sauvignon blanc dominating the aroma of this very good classic blend. Soft tropical flavours with tropical gooseberry characters and a keen cut of acid and citrus. Long flavoursome and controlled palate. The West Australian – Ray Jordan - August 2007

Silver Medal Qantas Wine Show of WA 2007
Bronze Medal Margaret River Wine Show 2007

Michael Kerrigan’s first vintage at the snappy Hay Shed Hill property in Willyabrup, Margaret River was a pretty good one. It has a bucketful of citrus fruit and melon along with freshly mown grass all bundled up in a long dry crisp package ready for drinking. There is no oak to complicate the pure fruit characters and we would hop in and enjoy it in its youth. Vita Magazine – Autumn 2008

5 Stars - WINESTATE - The Best of the West Tasting - May/June 2008 Issue

2007 Pitchfork Semillon Sauvignon Blanc

The Pitchfork Semillon sauvignon blanc 2007 ($16) is a light, delicate blended white with a fine zippy little acid sustaining a fresh and lively palate. It has a crunchy mouth feel with subtle herbaceousness and a little tropical character. Good current drinking. The West Australian - Ray Jordan - August 2007

Another bargain from the Pitchfork stable, this is a zesty, levely SSB ready for summer quaffing. It’s built around a pure lemon/lime juice backbone, on to which is sprinkled an array of mixed dried herbs. Great balance and length. 91 points. WBM – Tyson Stelzer - February, 2008

Silver Medal Qantas Wine Show of WA 2007

2007 Pitchfork Pink

Full purple in hue, this weightier style of Aussie rosé has a distinctly cabernet personality with blackcurrant pastille and slight crushed-leaf aromas, moving a slightly sweet but grapy palate. Not complex but fruity. 87 points. 
Gourmet Traveller WINE - Huon Hooke - April/May, 2008

BRONZE MEDAL WINNER Margaret River Wine Show 2007

2005 Pitchfork Cabernet Merlot

Pitchfork is the junior label of Margaret River winery Hay Shed Hill. It shows surprising elegance for a sub-$20 cabernet, true to its origins. The nose has light mint, violet and cedar notes, and blackcurrant fruit is clean and appetizing. It’s fine-textured, tangy and long, with moderate alcohol. (13.5% alcohol; screwcap)
Ageing? Drink over 3 years. 4 STARS - $$$ (a wine with a price tag that makes it a steal)
UNCORKED – EPICURE - Ralph Kyte-Powell - January 29, 2008

Margaret River cabernet blends are hardly renowned for value, which makes this wine even more phenomenal. It’s an accurate expression of a great vintage with every bit in the right place; succulent black and red currant fruit, leaf and mint, fine tannins and cigar box complexity building on a long finish. 92 points. WBM – Tyson Stelzer - February, 2008