Hilltops is - as the name suggests - a hilly and undulating area. Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz are the best grapes, grown here.
First settled in the 1820s its population was greatly increased in 1856 by a local epidemic of midnineteenth century gold fever. The railway arrived in 1877, which was also of great assistance to the by the time primarily agricultural area. Today the Young area is still famous for its cherries. The wine history began in 1860 with the arrival at the "Three Mile Rush" of Nichole Jasprizza, a Croatian from Dalmatia. Almos 100 years latere, grapegrowing became unprofitable and the old vineyards were grubbed out and more profitable cherries and stone fruit were planted in their place. Yet vineyards did not depart for long - in 1969 an eight-acre vineyard was planted by Peter Robertson. He chose Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Riesling and Semillon. His first Cabernet Sauvignon won a silver medal at the National Wine Show in Canberra.
Most plantings are within the altitude range of 450-600 m. The region is hilly and undulating. There are small areas of Aeolian (wind-blown) soils around Young and Harden, but the chief soils found in these areas are red duplex and red earths. The climate is pretty sunny and most vineyards are commonly drip-irrigated from private dams or bores, but no area larger than 10 ha may be irrigated from such a dam and dams may not be installed on a designated water course.
It is really early days to determine the definitive wine styles of the Hilltops Region. Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz reds of Barawang, which are full-bodied, moderately but not overtly fruity and well balanced by sufficient tannin and acid, are presently the benchmark reds of the region. Other grapes are Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Traminer and Merlot.
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