There were two scrub covered parcels of land, just outside Pokolbin village along McDonalds Road, that local council had long set aside for use as cricket ground and cemetery. Both were ultimately auctioned off to the highest bidders and sown to vine. A third undeveloped site became the subject of a long running feud among the new and old neighbours. Dodgy invoices between the rivals were exchanged and the division of firewood became a further cause of contention. A truce was eventually called by the two protagonists, Brokenwood and Hungerford Hill, for the sake of healthy viticulture. The nascent blocks achieved international renown as the eminent Cricket Pitch and the Langtons Listed Graveyard Vineyard, establishing Brokenwood as one of the most cherished marques in Hunter Valley..
Sociable soils make for healthy vine»
Johann Gottfried Scholz served in the Prussian army as a battlefield bonesetter, before joining the great emigration of Lutherans from Silesia to Barossa Valley. After building a family homestead along the alluvial banks of Para River, Gottfried established a mixed farm of livestock and crops, fruit trees and grapevines, Semillon and Shiraz. His acumen at healing fractures and setting splints made Gottfried a leading local identity, as his homestead cottage evolved into the Barossa's very first private hospital. Over a century later, the exceptional quality of harvest from Gottfried's original homestead, made the fruit of Willows Vineyard, an essential component in the most memorable vintages of Peter Lehmann, Saltram and Kaiser Stuhl. Scholz are still in charge, pruning their vines and..
Savour the shiraz by scholz»
Rich, ripe dark berry fruit complemented by layers of spice, dried herbs and chocolate. Penny's Hill was declared Australia's Best Boutique Wine in 2006 and Australia's Best Boutique Shiraz in 2007... More»
Rich tropical fruit flavours of lychee and paw paw with hints of citrus and red apple create a fruit salad styled palate. Some of the Chenin Blanc vines at Voyager Estate date back to the property's first planting in 1978... More»
More savoury than fruity, a faint hint of clove and fresh cardamom adds intrigue to the nose. Ata Rangi founder Clive Paton has long been an avid tree planter and has won a number of awards for... More»
Ripe blackberry fruit palate, currant and red cherry flavours, the savouryness of olive and tobacco. Mike Press knows about red wine, he learned his craft at Penfolds while working alongside the man who created the... More»
A velvet palate that's loaded with intense fruit flavours, festive cake and dark cherry notes, a wonderful red berry acid line keeps everything vital. The top contender for the most exceptional value in outstanding yet underrated Australian red wine... More»
Big, rich and dense with lovely fine grained tannins. Following decades of devoted viticulture, Plunkett Fowles have accumulated extensive local knowledge of soils and microclimes peculiar to the Strathbogie... More»
Grown to the frigid climes of Central Otago, the vines at Prophet's Rock were established 1999 to the most auspicious sites in the nether regions around the ancient goldfields of Bendigo Creek. Challenging aspects with breathtaking views of Cromwell Basin and Pisa Ranges, these are places defined by their fortuitous soils and favourable climes, tiny parcels of vine capable of just a few hundred cases each vintage, picked for their confluence of growing conditions and husbanded by a devout cadre. The winemaking is decidedly French, small vessels and wild yeasts, followed by an extended term on sedimentary lees for opulence. Invigorated by the warmth of alluvial pebbles and infused by the minerality of quartz schists, the opportune vines yield a small range of wines, made by environmental purists in the old fashioned way, crafted to the..
Bounty of bendigo goldfields»
The 1890s brought boom years to the nascent Aussie wine industry, as connoisseurs throughout Europe and the Empire were introduced to the Dionysian delights of new world Claret by Tyrrell, St Huberts and Wirra Wirra. An enterprising family of Scots took heed of the times to plant grapevines on a uniquely auspicious block in Valley Clare, they called it St Andrew and produced forty vintages of the most sensational quality Claret until the 1930s. The Taylor family acquired the fallow farm in 1995 and brought St Andrew's vines back to life. The treasured block endures as home to the flagship range of Taylor wines, one of the most distinguished vineyards in all Australia. St Andrew's Cabernet was adjudicated by Union de la Sommellerie Française as Best Cabernet Wine in the World at Concours International des Cabernets...
*according to the french»