Two Hands

History of Two Hands

Two Hands was born in 1999 from the meeting of two passionate individuals, Michael Twelftree and Richard Mintz, firmly determined to break the codes of Australian wine. At a time when national production was dominated by standardised multi-regional blends, the two partners made the opposite wager: to reveal the diversity of Australian Shiraz by highlighting regional and single-vineyard characters, allowing the fruit to express itself above all. The first harvest, in 2000, covered just 17 tonnes of grapes, with a modest initial investment. Critical success was swift: Michael Twelftree's contacts in the United States and the United Kingdom launched the brand, and the complete Garden Series came into being with the 2003 vintage.

In 2004, the estate built an ultra-modern winery at Marananga, in the heart of the Barossa Valley, designed for small-lot winemaking. The tasting room, housed in Kraehe House — a late 19th-century stone cottage — welcomes visitors seven days a week. International recognition followed: a presence in Wine Spectator's Top 100 for ten consecutive years (2003 to 2012), a performance unmatched at the time, and Robert Parker's famous accolade describing Two Hands as the finest négociant house south of the equator. The estate now exports to more than 24 countries.

Two Hands Terroirs and Vineyards

The identity of Two Hands rests on a conviction: great wines are made in the vineyard. The estate draws on its own vineyards in the Barossa Valley and Eden Valley — including the iconic Holy Grail Vineyard at Seppeltsfield, acquired from 2008 onwards and planted with the utmost care — as well as on a network of partner growers cultivating exceptional parcels. The sourcing covers six Australian wine regions with contrasting personalities: Barossa Valley, Eden Valley, McLaren Vale, Clare Valley, Langhorne Creek and Heathcote, not forgetting Padthaway.

The Barossa, one of Australia's oldest wine regions, is home to Shiraz, Grenache and Mourvèdre vines — some over 125 years old, ungrafted, plunging their roots into the red soils of the Western Ranges. This mosaic of terroirs allows Two Hands to demonstrate how greatly the Shiraz variety can vary from one region to another, from the opulent fruitiness of the Barossa to the spicy freshness of the cooler sectors.

Two Hands Winemaking

At Two Hands, grapes are harvested at gustatory ripeness, without analytical dogma, then vinified parcel by parcel in small lots at the Marananga winery. The philosophy is non-interventionist: respectful extractions, ageing predominantly in French oak barrels, and a constant desire to let the origin of the fruit speak rather than the winemaker's hand. The estate's hallmark lies in its barrel classification: each year, cellar master Richard Langford and his team blind-taste more than 1,500 Shiraz barrels. The very best (1 to 2% of production) are reserved for the Flagship Series, followed by the Single Vineyard Series, the Garden Series and then the Picture Series. The Ares Shiraz, the pinnacle of this pyramid, is aged for 24 months in new and one-wine French oak barrels, then re-tasted barrel by barrel before the final blend.

The Two Hands Cuvées

Ares Shiraz: the estate's finest wine, drawn from the handful of barrels judged the most exceptional among the 1,500 casks tasted each year. A monumental, deep and structured Shiraz, with an ageing potential of 15 to 20 years and beyond.

Aphrodite Cabernet Sauvignon: the goddess of the Flagship Series, a thoroughbred Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from the finest lots, combining dark fruit power, menthol freshness and velvety tannins.

Aerope Grenache: the estate's homage to the very old Grenache vines of South Australia, a fragrant, silky wine of great elegance.

Adrestia Chardonnay: the latest addition to the Flagship Series, a high-calibre Chardonnay — taut and precise — that expands the Greek gods collection into the world of whites.

My Hands Shiraz: a highly confidential and exceedingly rare cuvée, crafted from the estate's most extraordinary lots — including certain blocks from the Holy Grail Vineyard — reserved for serious collectors.

Holy Grail Shiraz: the jewel of the Single Vineyard Series, this Shiraz comes from the estate-owned vineyard at Seppeltsfield in the Barossa. Intensely aromatic, elegant and long, it bears a name inspired by the Monty Python film and the quest for the perfect site.

Secret Block Shiraz and the other single-vineyard wines from the Single Vineyard Series (Yacca Block, Coach House Block, Dave's Block among others): wines of unique sites, produced in limited quantities, expressing with precision the varietal definition and the personality of each location.

Bella's Garden Shiraz: the signature cuvée of the Garden Series, a blend of the finest Shiraz barrels from the Barossa Valley, produced since the 1999 vintage. Opulent and harmonious, it ranked second in Wine Spectator's Top 100 with the 2008 vintage.

Lily's Garden Shiraz: the expression of McLaren Vale — supple, rich and indulgent — with notes of mixed fruits, eucalyptus and sage.

Samantha's Garden Shiraz: the Clare Valley expression — fresher and more slender — marked by spice accents and fine tension.

Sophie's Garden Shiraz: born from the terroirs of Padthaway, a cuvée of deep dark fruits and a savoury texture.

Max's Garden Shiraz: the estate's sole foray outside South Australia, onto the ancient soils of Heathcote in Victoria, delivering a dense and mineral Shiraz.

Harry & Edward's Garden Shiraz and Charlie's Garden Shiraz: the expressions of Langhorne Creek and Eden Valley, completing this uniquely comprehensive regional tour of Australia.

Gnarly Dudes Shiraz: star of the Picture Series, this Barossa Shiraz — whose name is a nod to The Big Lebowski and to gnarled old vines — delivers juicy fruit, charming tannins and immediate pleasure. Also available in magnum.

Angels' Share Shiraz: a luscious McLaren Vale saturated with black cherry, raspberry and liquorice, its name evoking the angel's share that evaporates from the barrels.

Sexy Beast Cabernet Sauvignon: named after the British gangster film, this full-bodied and spiced Cabernet climbed into Wine Spectator's Top 100 with the 2020 vintage.

The Boy, Yesterday's Hero, Brave Faces and Fields of Joy: the other gems of the Picture Series — respectively a finely chiselled Eden Valley Riesling, a charming old-vine Grenache, an appealing Grenache, Shiraz and Mataro blend, and a fresh and floral Clare Valley Shiraz.

The Twelftree range: Michael Twelftree's personal collection of single-vineyard Grenaches, available at the cellar door, exploring the oldest Grenache vines in McLaren Vale and the Barossa.