Hahndorf Hill Winery (HHW) is owned by Larry Jacobs and Marc Dobson, who operate the boutique business together with a dedicated team.

Larry was once an intensive-care doctor who gave up medicine to become the founder of Mulderbosch Vineyards in Stellenbosch, South Africa. Marc is a former journalist and advertising copywriter from Cape Town.

Having built Mulderbosch into an international brand, Larry sold the winery and immigrated with Marc to Australia in 1997. After falling in love with the cool-climate Adelaide Hills, they bought and further developed Hahndorf Hill Winery.

Today Larry oversees all vineyard and winery operations at Hahndorf Hill, while Marc is responsible for marketing and the cellar door.

Hahndorf Hill's six-hectare vineyard is located at the edge of historic Hahndorf village and on the slopes of a gentle hill which, over a century ago, contained a slate quarry. It is very apparent when walking along the slopes of the vineyard blocks at Hahndorf Hill that slate forms a significant part of the mineral component of the soils.

Our vineyard topsoils consist of a sandy-loam and red-clay blend, richly embellished with blue-red slate, quartz and ironstone intrusions. The subsoils comprise deep red clay..

This abundance of diverse mineral components in the soil translates into a distinct mineral element in all our wines, which is especially beneficial for our Austrian varieties - Gruner Veltliner, Blaufrankisch and Zweigelt (with St. Laurent waiting in the wings).