2019 SAXONVALE WHITE LABEL SHIRAZ MOURVEDRE

These two varieties are planted as a Field Blend on the Saxonvale Vineyard. The entire Hunter has Shiraz vines, but we are not sure who had the foresight to plant the Mourvèdre back in the late 1960’s. However, we now have this vineyard and are glad they did. The original plantings were trained as ‘bush vines’ and the variety mix is about 85% Shiraz and 15% Mourvèdre. We first released this wine in 2005 and it is a consistent favourite with a real cult following.

Growing Season

Small bunches and intensely flavoured fruit with bright aromatics was a characteristic of the 2019 vintage, resulting in beautifully ripe and healthy fruit that we hand picked in mid January. Fruit quality was exceptionally high.

Vineyard

Planted as a field blend, the grapes were picked from a 3 hectare block on our Saxonvale vineyard. Mourvèdre thrives in a hot, dry climate and produces small bunches of intensely flavoured berries. The Mourvèdre ripens later than the Shiraz so we wait until it is ready and pick it all together. The Shiraz is very ripe at this stage, so the style of wine is bigger and has a higher potential alcohol than our other reds.

Winemaking

The grapes were picked and co-fermented under cool conditions using cultured aromatic yeast. The wine was then placed in new and old French oak barriques where it matured for 12 months prior to bottling. The intense tannins of the Mourvèdre help lift the spicy notes of the Shiraz.

Tasting Notes

Aromas of mulberry and black currants, followed by a palate of cocoa and rich forest fruits. Fine tannins and subtle oak frame the fruit providing a fuller style of Hunter Valley Shiraz with lifted aromatics from the Mourvèdre.

 Wine Composition

pH                                                           3.42

Titratable Acidity                                7.1g/L

Alcohol                                                  14%

Residual Sugar                                    < 1g/L

 Vine Age

60 years

 Food Match

Wagyu Sirloin with roasted fennel and roasted beetroots

 Cellaring Potential

20 + years

Accolades

Gold medal 2020 Hunter Valley Wine Show

Gold medal 2020 NSW Wine Show

93 points The Real Review Stuart Knox

James Halliday 5 Star Winery 2009 - 2021

2017 FRANCIS JOHN MARGAN AGED RELEASE SEMILLON

If it weren’t for my father, Frank Margan, I would never have become a winemaker. He first planted grapes in the Hunter in 1965 and it was from those days that I fell in love with growing grapes and making wine. After he passed away, I took cuttings from his DeBeyers Vineyard and replanted them on our own Timbervines Vineyard, in the volcanic soil of the Fordwich Sill. Handpicked, handmade and carefully cellared for 5 years, this wine is now ready to enjoy! Dad always loved Hunter Valley Semillon and this is my tribute to him. - Andrew

Growing Season

A perfect growing season such as 2017 on the back of several wet years often yields wines of the highest quality. Our FJM is only released from vintages such as this. The fruit from this vintage was selected for its finesse and balance that have allowed me to make a Semillon with lots of acid and a fine structure, with age ability unlike any other area in Australia can produce.

Vineyard

The fruit for this wine comes off our small one-hectare Francis John Margan or ‘FJM’ block. Situated on our Timbervines Vineyard on the red volcanic soil of the Fordwich Sill, this vineyard is planted with cuttings taken from the DeBeyers vineyard that Frank Margan planted in the late 60s.

Winemaking

The juice was fermented at cool temperatures to preserve delicate fruit characters. Our Aged Release Semillon has been made in a very pure style to reflect the traditions of the area. Strength of acid and line and length are the keys to the ageing style and this wine has been specifically made to have this covered. 5 years of bottle maturation allows both the young wine and the older wine to be seen in the one glass. This wine shows great ageing potential, well beyond the five years at release.

Tasting Notes

Lifted citrus pith and native lemongrass on the nose, perfectly poised after five years of development in bottle. Tense, mineral and lightly fruited on the palate; traditional hallmarks of tense structure, married with unmistakable Fordwich Sill texture.

Wine Composition

pH                                           3.19        

Titratable Acidity                   6.7 g/L   

Alcohol                                   11%         

Residual Sugar                       <1g/L      

Food Match

Freshly shucked oysters with finger lime and cracked pepper

Cellaring Potential

15 years +

2018 TIMBERVINES AGED RELEASE SHIRAZ
This range showcases the ageing potential of Hunter Valley Shiraz which is renowned for its unique style, elegance and capacity to age. We launched this range in 2003 as we really wanted our wine lovers to experience these wines with some extra age but know that sometimes patience runs out and the wines don’t make it until then. We decided to carefully mature these wines ourselves and then release them after five years ready to enjoy. Our aged release Shiraz is only made in limited quantities in exceptional years and is a true celebration of Hunter Valley terroir.

Growing Season

2018 was a dry year with low yields of grapes but exceptionally high in quality. The fruit was clean, concentrated in flavour and perfectly ripe which was a hallmark of the excellent 2018 vintage. The 2018 vintage was also one of the earliest to start.

Vineyard

The grapes for this wine are carefully selected parcels of our heritage clone Shiraz from our Timbervines Vineyard, grown on the red volcanic soils of the Fordwich Sill. There are eight unique blocks, all grafted with different heritage clones on to 50yr old rootstocks. We select the best performing blocks for each vintage.

Winemaking

The wine is a blend of the best press cuts from all our Timbervines Shiraz vineyards which is characterised by concentrated fruit intensity and higher tannins. These press cuts are pressed directly to new French oak barriques to go through secondary fermentation and continue maturation for 18 months.

Tasting Notes

This wine is selected for the fruit profile and tannin structure we find in only the best of years. Freshness in youth is essential, it is the framework for longevity that we are searching for in this wine. After up to five years of careful bottle ageing in our cellar it is ready to enjoy now but will age very gracefully over the next 20 years. Dark, savoury fruit with firm but silky tannins make for a compelling shiraz that speaks volumes of our volcanic soils.

Wine Composition

pH                                                           3.47

Titratable Acidity                                   7.1g/L

Alcohol                                                   13.5%

Residual Sugar                                       <1g/L

Food Match

Osso Bucco with parmesan polenta and gremolata

Cellaring Potential

20 years plus

CELEBRATE INTERNATIONAL SHIRAZ DAY

To celebrate international Shiraz Day on 28^th of July we'd like to offer you a bonus bottle of our 2018 Aged Release Timbervines Shiraz. 

This pack includes five bottles plus your bonus bottle of Aged Release Shiraz. RRP $100

2018 TIMBERVINES AGED RELEASE SHIRAZ

Our Aged Release range showcases the ageing potential of Hunter Valley Shiraz which is renowned for its unique style, elegance and capacity to age. We launched this range in 2003 as we really wanted our wine lovers to experience these wines with some extra age but know that sometimes patience runs out and the wines don’t make it until then. We decided to carefully mature these wines ourselves and then release them after five years ready to enjoy. Our aged release Shiraz is only made in limited quantities in exceptional years and is a true celebration of Hunter Valley terroir.

Tasting Notes

This wine is selected for the fruit profile and tannin structure we find in only the best of years. Freshness in youth is essential, it is the framework for longevity that we are searching for in this wine. After up to five years of careful bottle ageing in our cellar it is ready to enjoy now but will age very gracefully over the next 20 years. Dark, savoury fruit with firm but silky tannins make for a compelling shiraz that speaks volumes of our volcanic soils.

Wine Composition

pH                                                      3.47

Titratable Acidity                              7.1g/L

Alcohol                                              13.5%

Residual Sugar                                  <1g/L

Food Match

Osso Bucco with parmesan polenta and gremolata

Cellaring Potential

20 years plus

2019 WHITE LABEL FORDWICH HILL SHIRAZ

Hunter Valley Shiraz is a globally renown style generally lower in alcohol and with a more savoury fruit profile than many Shiraz from other Australian wine regions. It features a more elegant and medium bodied style with softer tannins and bright acidity. I select the grapes for this limited volume shiraz from the volcanic soil vineyard of the easterly facing Fordwich Hill. This aspect gets less direct sunlight and allows for the slower accumulation of flavours whilst maintaining the natural acidity of the wine.

Growing Season

The 2019 Vintage followed three years of drought which resulted in extremely low yielding vines. The smaller berries resulted in wines of concentration and density with the natural acidity maintained, both important factors to determine long term ageing potential.

Vineyard

This Shiraz is grown on our Fordwich Hill vineyard, a small three-hectare Easterly facing block planted on red volcanic soils in the early 1970’s. These old vines are low in productivity and give low yields of intensely concentrated fruit.

Winemaking

We ferment using partial ‘carbonic maceration’ to enhance the bright fruit aromatics and give a complex red wine with smooth tannins. The wine was placed in a mixture of one and two year old French oak barriques for twelve months.

Tasting Notes

Savoury Hunter Valley nuances temper powerful purple and black fruits. Bright, natural acidity allows this wine to be accessible straight away, however patience will see its complexity and depth evolve over the next decade or more. A favourite vineyard from an outstanding vintage. 

Wine Composition

pH                                                           3.46

Titratable Acidity                                   7.2g/L

Alcohol                                                   13.5%

Residual Sugar                                       < 1g/L

Vine Age

50 years

Food Match

Dry Aged Waygu, Potato Gratin, Béarnaise

Cellaring Potential

20 + years

CELEBRATE INTERNATIONAL SHIRAZ DAY

To celebrate international Shiraz Day on 28^th of July we'd like to offer you a bonus bottle of our Fordwich Hill Shiraz. 

This pack includes five bottles plus your bonus bottle of Shiraz. RRP $50

2019 WHITE LABEL FORDWICH HILL SHIRAZ

Hunter Valley Shiraz is a globally renown style generally lower in alcohol and with a more savoury fruit profile than many Shiraz from other Australian wine regions. It features a more elegant and medium bodied style with softer tannins and bright acidity. I select the grapes for this limited volume shiraz from the volcanic soil vineyard of the easterly facing Fordwich Hill. This aspect gets less direct sunlight and allows for the slower accumulation of flavours whilst maintaining the natural acidity of the wine.

Tasting Notes

Savoury Hunter Valley nuances temper powerful purple and black fruits. Bright, natural acidity allows this wine to be accessible straight away, however patience will see its complexity and depth evolve over the next decade or more. A favourite vineyard from an outstanding vintage. 

Wine Composition

pH                                                      3.46

Titratable Acidity                              7.2g/L

Alcohol                                              13.5%

Residual Sugar                                  < 1g/L

Vine Age

50 years

Food Match

Dry Aged Waygu, Potato Gratin, Béarnaise

Cellaring Potential

20 + years

2020 HUESGEN MARGAN TRABENER WŰRZGARTEN RIESLING

Back in the vintage of 1981 when I was working at Tyrrell’s here in the Hunter Valley I had the pleasure of working beside a young German who had come to Australia for the harvest businesses in the late nineties. In 2018 I visited Germany with my family, to travel their wine regions, and once again caught up with Ado and his wonderful family. From that meeting we decided that we needed to make some wine together! Made using German handcrafted viticulture and handpicked at optimum ripeness before being made using Australian winemaking techniques.

Vineyard

The single vineyard Trabener Würzgarten directly sits above the twin town Traben-Trarbach on the banks of the Middle Mosel. Classified in the 1897 classification as Grand Cru vineyard it has been producing outstanding wines since. The soil of this steep Mosel slope is a grey slate stone that in certain parts is highly weathered. I can vouch for the steepness of the vineyard as Lisa and I helped pick the grapes for this wine. If you didn’t hang onto the vine above with one hand and jam your bucket up against the vine you were picking you and your bucket would fall to the road below.

Winemaking

A quick ferment at 15 degrees with natural yeast and filtration and it went straight into bottle. It is made in very much a GG style in that is 12 % alcohol, 8.1 g/l acidity and 6g/l of residual sugar. Most importantly it is balanced with ripe fruit and a wonderful strength of natural acid to provide balance to the fullness of the palate.

Tasting Notes

Picked at the ideal ripeness of 12.1 % sugar and 8 g/l of acid with ripe primary fruit characters of nashi pear and a prickly acidity. The wine evolved out of fermentation with hints of ginger and lychee and ripe pineapple on the nose. The palate is balanced and structured around its strength of ripe fruit and lifted acid backbone. A small level of phenolics left in the wine has helped to strengthen the back palate of the wine. It is built to drink now and to age.

Wine Composition

Titratable Acidity                                 8.1g/L    

Alcohol                                                  12%       

Residual Sugar                                      6 g/L      

Food Match

Snapper bake with fennel and tomato

Accolades

Gourmet Traveler Wine - Best Buys 

Cellaring PotentialAccolades

20 years plus

2019 WHITE LABEL TIMBERVINES TEMPRANILLO GRACIANO SHIRAZ

Inspired by some great Spanish wines and their versatility with food, we pioneered the inter-planting (field blend) of these 3 varieties together here in the Hunter Valley in 2010. Picked at the same time and vinified together as a single wine we find the Tempranillo provides the rich fruit, Graciano gives lifted floral notes and acidity and the Shiraz provides the tannin and extra structure.

Growing Season

Low yielding, high quality, clean fruit at full ripeness was a hallmark of the excellent 2018 vintage. In 2018 this vineyard was picked in the last week of February celebrating the end of vintage and the end of working weekends!

Vineyard

The grapes are from our Timbervines Vineyard planted to red volcanic soils and cover a tiny 2 hectares. The three varieties are inter planted as a Field Blend. The challenge when making wine from a field blend is that the different varieties ripen at different stages so the art of making good wine involves balancing these ripeness’s. We enjoy the unpredictability of this and that the conditions of the vintage and the terroir will dictate the style of wine each year.

Winemaking

All three varieties were harvested and fermented together under cool conditions using cultured aromatic yeast.  After fermentation the wine was placed in a mixture of new and used French and American oak barriques and puncheons where it matured for 12 months prior to bottling.

Tasting Notes

This is perfectly balanced, medium bodied wine with bright plush fruit, silky tannins and well-defined acidity which gives a long, refreshing finish. The nose has violets and black fruits and the palate has loads of forest berries, a touch of dark chocolate, soft tannins and refreshing acidity.

Wine Composition

pH                                                          3.46

Titratable Acidity                                7.1g/L

Alcohol                                                  13.5%

Residual Sugar                                     < 1g/L

Vine Age

10 years

Food Match

Duck and pork belly cassoulet, with creamy parmesan polenta

Cellaring Potential

20 + years

2017 WHITE LABEL RIPASSO 

Growing Season

The 2017 Hunter vintage was dry, with perfect growing conditions and produced outstanding quality wines. The hot dry ripening conditions provided us with clean, ripe flavoured fruit with firm tannins and natural acidity maintained.

Vineyard

The fruit that makes up the Shiraz base wine from 2017 was handpicked off 40yr old vines grown on the rich red volcanic soils of the Fordwich Sill. We choose a block that consistently delivers perfect ripeness and concentration in the wine. The skins that we pass this wine over are chosen based on the vineyards that are performing best that particular year, as well as what additional nuances of tannin and flavour will complement the base wine to build complexity.

Winemaking

The 2017 and 2018 Vintages were outstanding, and this wine reflects that quality. Our young wine of Vintage 2017 is passed over the skins of the 2018 Vintage to freshen the aromatics, add concentration and complexity and build on the tannin profile. The result is an incredibly unique and complex wine that speaks of place and house in favour of varietal definition. It is robust and restrained, all at the same time. This wine is fun to make and is different every year we make it!

Tasting Notes

A concentrated full-bodied wine displaying a subtle combination of spice, plush black forest fruit and tobacco notes, coupled with nuances of violet and blue fruits and firm velvety tannins.

Wine Composition

pH                                                           3.43       

Titratable Acidity                                    7g/L

Alcohol                                                    14%

Residual Sugar                                        <1g/L

Food Match

Wagyu brisket, mushroom, celeriac and glazed onion

Cellaring Potential

15 - 20 years

2018 White Label Chardonnay

Description

Our Saxonvale Vineyard has 40 year old chardonnay vines planted on the volcanic soil of the Fordwich Sill. Low yielding vines with shaded canopies resulting in fruit with intense flavour and sharp natural acidity. Naturally fermented on full solids in 1-2year old puncheons, this modern Australian chardonnay shows the perfect balance of subtle oak, texture, elegant fruit, and long acidity.

Region Broke Fordwich, Hunter Valley

Vineyard Saxonvale Vineyard

Block  Block 2 (planted 1983)

Colour  Pale Lemon

Nose  White Nectarine, stonefruit, spiced vanilla

Palate  White peach, grapefruit, subtle oak influences, rich in style with sharp acidity giving line and length

Tasting Notes This wine has a lovely balance of complex savoury characteristics from the natural fermentation on full solids giving richness and midpalate weight to this wine. The oak sits softly around the core fruit profile of stonefruits and grapefruit.  High natural acidity contributes line and length and excellent age ability.

Food Match  Crispy Pork belly, Mushroom Risotto

Cellaring  5 to 10 years +

Winemakers Notes   The 2018 vintage was hot and dry and produced outstanding quality fruit from all varieties. This wine was fermented in 500 litre French puncheon barrels using high solids, natural yeasts and a moderated ferment temperature to achieve complex savoury aromatics. Post ferment, lees contact and batonage is used to create mid palate weight and texture. High acidity gives this wine balance and a long finish, as well as contributing to the cellaring potential of the wine.

 Alcohol - 12 %               pH- 3.30                    TA - 7.6 g/l

RRP  $40.00

NV MARGAN BLANC DE BLANCS

Blanc de Blancs is a French term meaning ‘white from white’ and refers to a classic champagne style made entirely from chardonnay. We can’t call ours champagne, but we make it in a method traditional to this famous sparkling wine region.

Vineyard

The Chardonnay used in the base wine is sourced from 40yr old vines on our Saxonvale vineyards which are located on the red volcanic clays of the Fordwich Sill. This is usually our first pick of the vintage to achieve a low alcohol and high natural acidity.

Winemaking

We pick the chardonnay grapes at lower sugar levels which gives fruit with crisp green apple characters and refreshing acidity. We ferment in stainless steel and then blend with wine from previous vintages to create our ‘house style’. More yeast is added to this blend which is then bottled where it undergoes secondary fermentation (to create the bubbles and keep them trapped in the bottle). The sparkling wine then stays ‘on lees’ for 18 months to develop toasty, biscuit notes.

Tasting Notes

Intensely aromatic and fresh, made from 100% chardonnay and blended from the harvest of various years to ensure consistent quality. It’s a crisp, fresh style exploding with white stone fruits, nutty complexity and green apple acidity. 

Vine Age/Clone

40yr old/Busby

Food Match

Oysters, Sashimi, Parfait

Cellaring Potential

5 to 10 + years

Wine Composition

pH                                                  3.09

Titratable Acidity                          10 g/L

Alcohol                                            12.5%

Residual Sugar                               2 g/L