Australia’s Heartland Wines has long been admired for its grower-first mindset and uncompromising approach to red winemaking. Founded in the late 1990s by celebrated winemaker Ben Glaetzer, and later joined by industry veterans Scott Collett, Grant Tilbrook, and today Owner and Managing Director Nick Keukenmeester, Heartland has built its reputation by championing the exceptional fruit of Langhorne Creek, one of South Australia’s oldest but most under-appreciated wine regions. In 2025, their 2021 Heartland Directors' Cut Shiraz earned two major distinctions at the China Wine Competitions: Wine of the Year Australia and Shiraz of the Year. A recognition that reflects both the pedigree of the vineyard and the precision of the winemaking.

In this interview, Nick Keukenmeester and Ben Glaetzer discuss Heartland’s philosophy, terroir, sustainability ethos, global growth strategy, and the craftsmanship behind their award-winning Shiraz.

Edited excerpts from the interview.

Heartland has always positioned itself as grower- and winemaker-led, not investor-driven. How does this authenticity shape your day-to-day decisions and the wines you make?

Nick: Because Heartland is a couple of friends working together, often people might think we are a larger business than we are. Ben and I honestly don’t know any winemakers who do it for the money. Unless you love wine and the culture of making it, you go and get a ‘proper job’. We only make wines we want to drink ourselves. Otherwise we are letting ourselves down.

Ben: Directors’ Cut Shiraz was the first wine we bottled and was our first attempt to explain the unique character of Langhorne Creek. It remains a flagship wine for us and an ambassador for the region.

All your fruit is sourced from Langhorne Creek. What makes this region uniquely suited to expressive, world-class Shiraz?

Nick: Langhorne Creek offers a combination of natural advantages that make it one of Australia’s most compelling regions for Shiraz. The vineyards sit on ancient alluvial limestone soils, which provide excellent drainage and mineral structure, both essential for producing wines with purity, depth, and a distinctive regional signature. Many of our sites are planted to old vines, which naturally yield fewer grapes but in turn deliver far greater concentration, complexity, and flavour intensity. These vines have decades of history in the soil, and that maturity comes through clearly in the character of the fruit. The region’s cooling winds also play a crucial role. They extend the growing season, allowing the grapes to ripen more slowly and evenly, and they naturally toughen the skins. This results in richer colour, firmer structure, and the kind of balance and longevity that define world-class Shiraz.

What guiding principles define your winemaking philosophy — both in the vineyard and in the cellar?

Ben: Vineyards are chosen for the quality of their fruit and the character of the people who work amongst them. Terroir is not just about the land, but also the way we interact with it. People who understand a vineyard can bring out its character. The winemaker is an impressionist and a landscape artist. I am not trying to show wine lovers who I am. We are trying to show what the vines conveyed to us that year. It is not a photograph and each winemaker will have a unique impression. It is an honest attempt to share how the vines expressed themselves to us and how they made us feel. We ferment the grapes cool to best express the fresh fruit character of the vines. We use limited oak to frame the fruit, but let the fruit be the centre of attention.

Could you walk us through your approach to crafting the 2021 Directors’ Cut Shiraz, and what made this vintage stand out?

Nick: We walk the vines each day and take samples, which we then taste in the winery under temperature controlled conditions to determine the perfect time to harvest. We harvest at night for maximum structure from the grapes. Ben [Glaetzer] ferments in open top 2 and 4 tonne fermenters, but uses chilled pump overs and refrigeration coils to keep ferments below room temperature. This is made possible by our solar array. We barrel exclusively in new and 2nd use hogshead barrels [300 litres]. The wine is aged for 12 to 14 months depending on vintage—14 months in the case of 2021—and then allowed to rest in bottle for six months after bottling, prior to release.

Your environmental practices go well beyond certification. How did this philosophy develop, and how central is sustainability to your long-term goals?

Ben: The best intentions are supported when they also make economic sense. Yes, our winery is solar powered and that is good for the planet. It is also good for our power bills. We don’t advertise this. We will always do what we think is best for our future and our environment. We did this before it was considered important by others and we will continue, no matter what others say. Without healthy vines on a healthy planet there is no long term.

The Chinese and Asian wine markets are increasingly sophisticated. What makes Heartland — and specifically your Shiraz — resonate with these consumers?

Ben: No market has seen such transformation over the recent years as China. What was seen as a new market only recently, is now a core market for international wines. The Heartland philosophy has always been that we make the same wines for China that we make for the rest of the world. We don’t make anything lesser and we don’t try to adapt to chase a unique ‘Chinese palate’. Chinese consumers are predictably looking for the same consistent quality and expression as everyone else. Anything less is unthinkable.

How do you plan to engage importers, distributors, and sommeliers across Asia to strengthen long-term relationships?

Nick: We have an established network of importers and distributors throughout Asia with only a few countries unrepresented and they are some of the finest and most respected businesses in their field. For us, travelling to market whenever possible and engaging directly with sommeliers and other friends is the best way to grow relationships over the long term. Nathan, Nick and Ben all travel to meet those who support us and help them understand and represent the wines. Also, awards and acknowledgments like this reassure our friends that they are not alone in appreciating our wines.

Beyond Asia, what are your broader export ambitions for the next five years?

Nick: We are fortunate to have representation throughout Europe and North America. However, the industry is constantly evolving and new relationships are often the foundation of the future. We are always learning and engaging with market innovators to find how we can best remain a part of the conversation going forward.

How do you see technology shaping your winemaking and vineyard management in the years ahead?

Nick: The grape growing and winemaking process will and must remain a hand crafted undertaking. However, online platforms, virtual tastings and real time responses are the only way to keep everyone up to date and engaged in this rapidly evolving world.

Are there any upcoming projects or experiments you can share?

Ben: We often make single vintage, one-off wines to better explore our region and its potential. We sometimes frustrate customers who fall in love with a wine that never comes back, but we feel that it is only by innovating and experimenting that we can be fully engaged in the process. If we are interested in what we are making, then drinkers have a much better chance of sharing in the fun!

Header image sourced from Heartland Wines (Website).