Wineries

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Brokenwood Wines

Brokenwood was established in the early 1970s by a group of wine enthusiasts including James Halliday, John Beeston and the late Tony Albert. The winery is known for its legendary parties and spirit of place. The ownership has changed over the years, but has retained consistency with the strong leadership of chief winemaker/partner and industry mentor, Iain Riggs. Nick Bullied MW has also been a long-term partner.

The winery is located at Pokolbin in the heart of the lower Hunter Valley and within sight of the Brokenback Ranges. Its vineyards are named after a 19th century Pokolbin town-planning map. Its famous 40-hectare Graveyard Vineyard, for instance, is planted on the site where the Pokolbin Graveyard was going to be established. The Cricket Pitch is also a well-known brand. Brokenwood has been an innovative force in the Hunter Valley, known for its plethora of boutique/hobby wineries. It pioneered the concept of multi-regional wines and was one of the first to embrace the concept of distinguished vineyard site by acknowledging vineyard source.

The overall quality of its wines is excellent. Originally, it was a champion of Cabernet Sauvignon and, at one stage, had a Graveyard Cabernet Sauvignon, although it was discontinued because of a shortage of suitable red wine grape sites and the growing pre-eminence of Shiraz. However Brokenwood’s Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz has been a major success and is considered as one of Australia’s quintessential wines.

The winemaking philosophy harks back to traditional Barossa techniques including partial barrel fermentation but has been refined to include pre-fermentation cold soak and maturation in increasing proportions of French oak. The relaxed warm atmosphere, but clearly focussed winemaking, has made Brokenwood winery a popular destination for young up-and-coming winemakers. Some of Australia’s most talented winemakers have worked a vintage ‘university’ at Brokenwood, or held positions as winemaker.

Andrew Caillard MW

Best's Wines

The history of Best’s goes back to 1893 when William Thomson purchased a vineyard (the first vines were planted in 1868) and winery at Rhymney. This property was subsequently renamed St Andrew’s to acknowledge the Thomson Family’s Scottish origins. Frederick Thomson acquired the property from his father in 1911 and in 1920 purchased Best’s Concongella Vineyard at Great Western originally planted in 1866. The Great Depression forced the Thomsons off their land but by the early 1930s the family was back in control again through both dogged persistence and luck. The Thomson family are inextricably linked to Great Western. Viv Thomson is the fourth generation to run the family business. This producer has always been highly regarded.

The release of the 1992 Thomson Centenary Shiraz, to commemorate a century of winemaking, illustrates the sheer cellaring potential of Great Western Shiraz. The wine, rebadged Thomson Family Shiraz, is only relased in exceptional vintages: 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997 and 1998. It was not produced in 1993, 1999 and 2000. The wine is made entirely off the fifteen rows of vines planted by Henry Best in the 1860s. The Concongella vineyard, elevated at 234 metres, and planted on powdery sandy loams over deep clay, is cropped at levels of up to 3 tonnes/acre. Thomson Family Shiraz is now open-fermented in small ‘tubs’. At dryness the wine is pressed off and matured in a combination new and old American oak (of which 50% is new) for approximately 24 months.

The wines show bright raspberry mulberry fruit aromas and flavours with silken tannins and underlying smoky oak. The severe frosts in October 1998 reduced the 1999 crop dramatically making it impossible to make a Thomson Family Shiraz. However the wine, blended with a component of Best’s Bin O Shiraz and matured in American oak puncheons, was isolated and bottled as Best’s FHT Shiraz. In 2000 the old vines ‘simply ran out of steam’ and didn’t yield the quality need for Thomson Family designation. Best’s Bin O Shiraz, made from Concongella Shiraz fruit is a classic Great Western Style with emphasis on fruit quality. Best’s convincingly affirms the key concern of regional provenance, illustrating that history and sense of place are important elements of fine wine.

Andrew Caillard MW

Bindi

Bindi, Macedon

The miniscule Bindi vineyard is located on a parcel of elevated grazing land on the slopes of Mount Gisborne at the heal of the Great Dividing Range. Although a vineyard was proposed in the 1970s inappropriate advice delayed planting until the mid 1980s when the local Gisborne Shire began to encourage alternative agriculture.

Michael Dhillon helped his father Bill, an engineer and great wine enthusiast, to plant their 11-acre vineyard in 1988. While studying economics at Monash University in Melbourne, he developed his own passion for wine becoming a travelling cellar rat, rather than taking the standard technical trail through wine university. Michael however regards visiting winemaker consultant Stuart Anderson (the founder of Balgownie) as his most profound influence. This rounded vocational start, through both experience and hands-on mentoring, is highly unusual from an Australian perspective. Michael Dhillon is fluent in contemporary wine philosophy. He talks about making wines that are “ethereal and seductive” rather than just “satisfying and chunky” and that Bindi’s “soils have the strength of character to talk through the wine.” This all relates, of course, to the idea of vineyard site and sense of place (terroir). Dhillon is convinced that flavour profiles are inextricably linked to soil type.

The Bindi vineyard, now 15 acres and growing the classic Burgundian varieties of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, are planted on predominately two soil profiles - shattered quartz over alluvial silts and top soil (mostly sandy grey loams over clay). The vineyards, elevated at approximately 500 metres, are on gentle north facing slopes. Block 5 is the most naturally protected vineyard while a windbreak of trees guards the more exposed Original vineyard. The vines are all vertically shoot positioned to optimise exposure to sunlight. Yields are typically as low as one and a half tonnes/acre. Wine making is strictly “non-interference – but not uncontrolled”. Dhillon believes strongly in natural wines showing “perfume, harmony and elegance.”

The Block 5 Pinot Noir sees about 25% to 40% new French oak. The Quartz Chardonnay and Original Vineyard Pinot Noir see between 20% and 30% new oak depending on vintage. Wild yeast fermentation and minimal filtration are also employed. The commitment to quality at Bindi goes beyond winemaking. An afforestation programme (through natural seeding) is another project being undertaken. The wines of Bindi are dedicated to the late mathematician and professor Kostas Rind (1909-1983) whom Bill Dhillon describes as a “Lithuanian sage who epitomised wisdom and humility and introduced me to wine.” Bindi also makes a non-vineyard designated Chardonnay and Bindi Cuvee – a sparkling (methode champenoise) wine.

Andrew Caillard MW

Bannockburn Vineyards

Bannockburn Vineyards, Geelong

The Late Stuart Hooper established Bannockburn in 1973. The winery, located just northwest of Geelong, is one of Australia's leading Pinot Noir and Chardonnay producers. Gary Farr, the winemaker, is notoriously fastidious with a deep understanding of his material.

Research has shown that Bannockburn’s Pinot Noir clone was brought out as part of the James Busby collection, originally planted in the Botanical Gardens in Sydney and sourced from Clos Vougeot. Indeed the vines look remarkably similar to their Burgundian antecedents. With over 20 Australian vintages under his belt and the equivalent in Burgundy, Farr believes in vineyard individuality and vintage personality. Hence, Bannockburn Pinot Noir reflects the character of the vintage and never appears contrived. Bannockburn Pinot Noir is a highly defined wine with black cherry aromas and meaty complexity, a silky palate and deep-set flavours.

Like his Pinot, Farr believes strongly in the tried and tested older clones when it comes to Chardonnay. Indeed his overall winemaking philosophy is low input/maximum flavour, preserving the inherent qualities of fruit and site. This wine is an immensely complex Chardonnay showing all the winemaker's arts. Tropical fruit aromas, nutty, vanillin complexity, ripe fruit, a creamy palate and fruit sweetness make it one of the best Chardonnays in the country. It is also one of the longest-lived. Move over Puligny! SRH Chardonnay, named after the late Stuart Hooper, founder of Bannockburn, and Serre Pinot Noir are examples of the burgeoning new breed of ultra-fine, selected-parcel wines.

It is only a matter of time before they begin to make an impression on the market. The Bannockburn Shiraz is a classic cool-climate wine. Bannockburn is well regarded on the secondary wine market. However, because its star wines are a medium term cellaring proposition, they perform erratically. The quality is outstanding.

Andrew Caillard MW

Baileys of Glenrowan

Baileys of Glenrowan, Rutherglen

Bailey’s at Glenrowan is located in classic bushranger country. The land around Glenrowan in Victoria is known as Kelly Country, named after Ned Kelly and his gang who roamed the area. Richard Bailey, a merchant who supplied goods to gold miners, purchased the property in 1853. The first wine was made in 1870. The family eventually sold its business in 1972. Beringer Blass acquired Bailey’s in 1986. The low-yielding vineyards, replanted in the early 1900s because of phylloxera, are located on red granitic soils in what is a relatively hot and continental climate.

The district is best known for its fortified wines. However, Bailey’s produces a robust, well-focused, single vineyard 1904 and 1920s Block Shirazes. These are limited release wines. Only six tonnes comes off the 1904 Block. The wines are made in traditional open fermenters and matured in a combination of American and French oak. The overall profiles of these wines make them ideal secondary market staples, though they have yet to perform. The Winemaker’s Selection Liqueur Muscat and Tokay are in every respect brilliant wines. The Muscat has that beautiful, burnished bronze colour with slightly green edges. Strong rancio characters pervade the wine, bringing utter joy. The Tokay shows more tea leafy aromas and is decadent in flavour. Made using a solera system, these wines are not vintage dated. Sadly, undated fortifieds lack value in the secondary market. They are beacons of quality nonetheless.

Andrew Caillard MW

Barossa Valley Estates

Barossa Valley Estates, Barossa Valley

Barossa Valley Estates was established by 50 Barossa grape growers (members of the Valley Growers Co-operative) many of them from the dry-grown northern Moppa and Ebenezer sub-regions of the Barossa. BVE is now partially owned by the burgeoning and resource rich BRL Hardy empire. A new winery, to be completed in time for the 2002 vintage, is being built at Seppeltsfield.

Barossa Valley Estates E&E Black Pepper Shiraz is sourced from some of the best dry grown vineyards in the Barossa, ranging from 30 to 100-year-old vines and averaging about 60 years. Although this wine is essentially a tete de cuvee reflecting the power, richness and flavour of regional Barossa Shiraz, inevitably most of the fruit is picked from the very low-yielding vines in the northeast corner of the Barossa Valley. The wine is made in the traditional style. Picked at optimum ripeness, the wines are fermented in open headed down fermenters. At dryness, the wines are drained and pressed into a combination of new and one and two- year-old American and French oak for between 12 and 18 months.

The E&E Black Pepper Shiraz was originally conceived by Colin Glaetzer and comprises the best fruit from the vintage. Black Pepper Shiraz is considered a benchmark Barossa Shiraz with its plush rum n raisin/aniseed nose, ripe tannins, deep-set fruit, and skilful oak handling. Certainly, they have the balance and structure to age well.

Barossa Valley Estates also produces a sparkling E&E Shiraz, which is a variant. Both of these wines attract good interest on the secondary market, although the latter is extremely specialised. The Ebenezer Shiraz brings modest values, but has a good following.

Andrew Caillard MW

Bethany

Bethany, Barossa Valley

Strategically positioned above all its competitors, Bethany winery sits in one of the most picturesque corners of the Barossa Valley. The winery is located in an old quarry that overlooks the family vineyards and the historic hamlet of Bethany. The Schrapels have been in the Barossa for five generations. Johann Gottlob Schrapel (a Silesian immigrant) arrived in 1844, just eight years after the colony was settled. He established a mixed farm and planted a vineyard in 1852.

Subsequent generations continued to build the farming enterprise, the vineyards gradually expanding with the growing Barossa wine industry. The Schrapel family became important Barossa growers supplying wine to co-operatives, particularly Kaiserstuhl. The oldest vines are between 60 and 80 years old, although the vineyards have turned over at least three times. Economic conditions, vine age and changing market demand affected the vineyard varietal mix. During the late 1940s, for instance, many of the vines were planted to Palomino and Pedro Ximenez to satisfy the burgeoning fortified wine industry. The vineyards are located on the southeastern edge of the Barossa Valley under Menglers Hill in what the locals call the Hill Space Zone.

The 30 hectares of vineyard in Bethany, comprising the Bethanien Block, the Old Manse block and the Homestead Block, are located in the path of cool gully winds and the cool on-shore breezes of the Great Southern Ocean. Planted on a range of well-drained loamy topsoils to red clays over vertical seams of granite, bluestone and sandstone, these vineyards – planted to Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot – represent a mixed palate of characters. The Shiraz vines are trellised on single wires, many of them self-supporting.

The wines are vinified in the traditional Barossa manner with open top headed down fermenters with partial barrel fermentation and maturation for around 18 months in a mix of American and French oak (about 20% new). The GR Family Reserve Shiraz is a rigorous selection of the best fruit, batch vinified, partially barrel fermented and matured for two years in a combination of 60% new and used French medium toasted Cadoux oak. Its overall vineyard resources are some of the best in the Valley. Its Shiraz wines are highly under-valued. Bethany produces a number of commercially well-received wines.

Andrew Caillard MW