Neil & Andrew Pike

As winemaker and viticulturist at Pikes, brothers Neil and Andrew Pike have not only continued, but built on a family legacy of beverage production.

It’s purely coincidental that Pikes celebrated its 30th anniversary this year. Brothers Neil and Andrew Pike marked the occasion by opening a new brewery at their Sevenhill winery. Following a lead established by their forebear 129 years ago at Oakbank, the Pikes have been back in brewing since 1996, but not in premises of their own, until now.

In the 19th century, Henry Pike produced beers, soft drinks and cordials in the Adelaide Hills, so liquid refreshment has been in the blood for a long time.

Neil, 55, and Andrew, 59, grew up in their father Edgar’s vineyards at Padthaway and Langhorne Creek. Wine emerged early as their vocation. Both studied at Roseworthy College, Andrew graduating in 1976 with a Diploma in Agriculture, Neil in 1980 with a Diploma in Wine Production and Marketing. Neil previously worked a vintage at Wynns Coonawarra Estate in 1977.

Wynns was also the chosen destination for Andrew upon graduating and he spent four years in Coonawarra. In 1979 Andrew joined Penfolds to establish a new vineyard in the Clare Valley and it was then that he discovered the great potential of the region. Andrew worked his way up the Penfolds’ ranks and became general manager of vineyard operations for the entire Southcorp Wines group, responsible for more than 6,000 hectares of vineyards. He and Neil started Pikes in 1984 and Andrew resigned from Southcorp in 1998 to devote himself to the business.

Neil worked for various wineries in the Clare Valley after Roseworthy, including a decade as full-time winemaker for Mitchell Wines during the early years of Pikes, where he toiled after-hours and on weekends. He went full-time at Pikes in 1993.

Since then Pikes has grown and prospered, the portfolio expanding into new brands and varieties with an emphasis on the Italian cépages under the Luccio sub-brand, which is mainly sold in restaurants, cafes and bars. They also produce viognier, mourvèdre, savagnin and grenache to add to the Clare mainstays of riesling, shiraz and cabernet.

Riesling is their great strength, climaxing in the finely crafted, restrained, age-worthy The Merle. However, the second-rung riesling, branded Traditionale, often outperforms The Merle in its extreme youth as it’s more approachable early, frequently winning show gold medals and even trophies. The Merle, on the other hand, is a great rendition of restrained, age-worthy, ultra-pure Polish Hill River subregion riesling. It is always sourced from the same two blocks of the estate vineyard: Gill’s Farm and Hill Block.

Since 1998, Pikes’ Clare portfolio has been augmented by the Adelaide Hills brand Pike & Joyce. This came about not simply by buying grapes, but entering a joint venture with the Joyce family, relatives of Andrew’s wife Cathy. The Joyces had been orchardists in the Hills for over a century. They’ve planted 35 hectares of vines at Lenswood, favouring the cooler-climate varieties pinot noir, chardonnay, pinot gris and sauvignon blanc. Vinified at Pikes’ Sevenhill winery, the styles and varieties perfectly complement Pikes’ Clare offering. Chardonnay and pinot gris are especially successful, the latter is one of the more serious and interesting examples in Australia.

Neil Pike says the development of several small-output, cellar door-only wines, such as fiano, cabernet malbec, grenache, mourvèdre and off-dry riesling, has not only kept people interested in visiting the cellar door, but also serves to keep the winemakers challenged in a region which has a tendency to be obsessed with riesling and shiraz.

Pikes is big on recycling. They recycle all winery waste water and solid waste, which is composted and applied to the soil three years later. Vineyard management relies on minimal chemical use and they prefer to use organic or elemental fungicides and biological weed control, such as mulching. Tree planting and water conservation are also practised.

Andrew Pike believes sangiovese is head and shoulders above the alternative varieties trialled. Luccio Sangiovese sells 1,000 cases and in the best years they make a reserve sangiovese called Premio. “Tempranillo also suits our area,” he says. “Of the white varieties, fiano is very interesting. I really think it has a place in the Clare Valley. It has a totally different flavour, aroma and textural profile to riesling. It’s relatively easy to grow, has a thick skin and doesn’t succumb to late-season botrytis, bunch-rot or powdery mildew as riesling does.” At present it’s cellar door-only. Hopefully, it will be more widely available soon.