Brian Freeman Adds Another Feather To The Hilltops Wine Hat

Brian Freeman wins the Provenance Trophy for the FREEMAN Secco Rondinella Corvina (2004, 2007, 2017) at the Australian Alternatives Varieties Wine Show, 2024.

Freeman Vineyards won the Provenance Trophy for the FREEMAN Secco Rondinella Corvina (2004, 2007, 2017) at the Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show, 2024.

Brian Freeman said they were very pleased with the award. “We’re very pleased with the recognition,” Mr Freeman said. “It’s always been a wine that we knew would age well.

The grapes are aged for up to three months, and bottle-aged for another three months after that. The 2018 label was six years old when it went up.”

Mr Freeman said the Hilltops region guaranteed an outstanding intensity of flavour. In fact, the judges commented on the wine’s good primary fruit flavour.

“These are very unique wines,” Mr Freeman said. “They’re Amorone wines that originated from Venito Italy and involves drying the grapes for up to three months. We use a prune dehydrator, which ripens the grapes and gives it furry tannins without the bitterness.”

Mr Freeman said the Italians had claimed they were “doing it wrong” because they used an artificial dehydrator, but now the Italians are permitted to use artificial dehydrators for the first seven days.

Mr Freeman said they were expanding operations at the moment. “Our main job is growing grapes to sell to other winemakers,” Mr Freeman said.

“Winemaking is a hobby; a very pleasant hobby. I’ve been involved in the wine industry since I left uni.”

Mr Freeman said he established the vineyard over 25 years ago.