In 1853 Friedrich Koch planted this Mourvedre vineyard in the heart of the Barossa Valley in the area now known as Rowland Flat. Nurtured in deep sand over a bed of limestone the vines flourished. By the 1880s the local vignerons had already acknowledged the vineyard as the Old Garden. To the end of the 19th Century, throughout the 20th Century and now into the 21st Century subsequent generations of Koch's family have tended these vines in the traditions of the Barossa: bush vines, no irrigation, hand pruned and hand harvested. Today nothing has changed. Old Garden is likely to be the oldest Mourvèdre vineyard in the world. 2009 provided perfect conditions for these old vines. It was hot and dry early in February and March, while the latter part of ripening saw warm, sunny days. Old Garden was picked at optimum phenological ripeness. After fermentation approaching three weeks on skins the wine was subsequently matured in 100% new French barriques for 18 months. These com