Hewitson is the culmination of a love of the Barossa, Southern France, and some of the world’s oldest vines. Established in 1997 by Dean and Lou following the lease of an old dairy shed and the acquisition of an 1853-planted block of mourvèdre vines, widely noted as the world’s oldest, Hewitson has since come to be recognised as one of the Barossa’s most respected and singular producers.

 

Dean started his winemaking career at Petaluma in the late 80 and early 90s. Under the influential eye of Brian Croser, he was encouraged to spend as much time making wine abroad as possible, and subsequent vintages in Beaujolais, Bordeaux, Champagne, and Oregon were swiftly added to his CV. To  counterbalance his practical experience, Dean also completed his Masters of (O)Enology at U.C Davis. In the early years of raising their family (sons Ned and Henry, and daughter Harriet) Dean and Lou lived in Provence, where Dean further grew his obsession for mourvèdre and the savoury, refreshing wine styles of Southern France.

 

Shifting their HQ to Seppeltsfield, Barossa in 2007, Dean and Lou restored a 160-year-old homestead which now houses the Hewitson tasting room and a handful of boutique guest suites. Aside from making wine, Dean has made it part of his life’s work to establish the legacy of the old vines with which he works, grafting cuttings onto decades-old rootstock. Wines of longevity indeed.