The wines of Glenguin include several major trophy winners. The Old Broke Block Semillon won the trophy for "Best White Wine" at the 2000 Boutique Winemakers Show and the trophy for "Best Young White Wine" at the NSW Wine Awards in 2004. In 2003 Aristea Shiraz was awarded "NSW Best Young Red Wine", "NSW Wine of the Show" and "NSW Wine of the Year". Other wines have won numerous medals including several golds at various shows over the past decade.

To view the experts opinions and reviews of the wines, please visit EXPERT OPINION.
.

VINEYARD : Sandy loam riverfloat soils perfect for Semillon.

VINIFICATION : 100% Semillon picked early in vintage at 2.9 ph and 10 to 11 be for maximum ageing capacity and a high level of acid retention. Fermented dry in steel with no malos or oak then bottled early.

THE WINE : Christina is released after 5 years of maturation in bottle at which time the golden colour, toasty aromas and honeyed palate of mature Hunter Semillon have developed.

. Download Christina Classic Semillon Notes





VINEYARD : The most concentrated parcel of shiraz fruit in 2003 came from the first 30 rows of gravel on the north east facing slope in front of our house at Glenguin. The paltry yield averaged one tonne per acre.

VINIFICATION : After a week of cold settling fermentation was completed in a single two tonne open top fermentation vessel. The pressed wine was transferred to new American (4 year old air dried oak French coopered) Oak hogsheads for maturation over 18 months with racking every 90 days. Bottled in September 2005.

THE WINE : Dry landed grown vines on a superb site, plus the outstanding vintage conditions of 2003, have made it possible to produce a wine of power and weight which demonstrates the heights shiraz can achieve in the lower Hunter. Rich ripe sweet blackberry fruit has been moulded with seamless oak into a wine with the acidity and tannins to develop great complexity in bottle over many years possibly two decades or more under appropriate cellaring conditions.

. Download Aristea Shiraz Notes





VINEYARD : The shiraz fruit came from the House Block at Gelnguin (5 acres of north east sloping clay with gravel cropped at 2.1 tonnes per acre; average vine age 12 years) and Polkolbin Vineyard (3 acres of 40 year old vines in red basalt clay cropped at 2 tonnes per acre). The Tannat is grown in rocky clay at Glenguin cropped at one tonne per acre on 6 year old vines. The Tannat gives depth to the colour, also adding a little meatiness on the palate and an extra bite of malic acidity to the finished wine.

VINIFICATION : Cold soaked for 3 days then fermented in small (two tonne) open top stainless steel down to 3 be then finished alcoholic fermentation and subsequent malo lactic fermentation in small oak barriques. Maturation in oak for 15 months (20% new 50/50 French and American) prior to bottling in July 2004. Aged for a further two years in bottle prior to release in winter 2006.

THE WINE : Deep purple red colour with earthy leathery aromas followed by a mouthful of concentrated savoury red wine. 2003 was a superb year and the intense blackberry fruit characters with multiple layers of soft dusty tannins is supported by a firm backbone of racy acidity. Drinking very well on release this the best Stonybroke to date with the weight and balance to develop in bottle over many years.

. Download Stonybroke Shiraz Tannat Notes
.

VINEYARD : The Schoolhouse Block comprises just three and a half acres of shiraz grown on own roots in gravel over clay on a north east facing slope at Glenguin, copped at 1.7 tonnes per acre. The vines are twelve years old and planted adjacent to the old schoolhouse building.

VINIFICATION : Juice on skins for 5 days at cool temperatures prior to fermentation in a small open top steel vat to dryness, then left on skins for two days post ferment maceration to extract more colour, tannin and flavours in order to obtain the full expression from this excellent block. The viognier grapes are picked at the same time and are co-fermented with the shiraz softening the wine a little adding further complexity and balance. The wine was pressed and matured in small French oak barriques (25% new) for 16 months prior to bottling and a further two years ageing before release.

THE WINE : A most expressive Schoolhouse yet from this superb vineyard site. This wine has the spicy savoury characters and distinctive dry tannin grip to enable long bottle development over more than a decade. The gravel soils and very low yields of even fully ripe fruit make a wine of great depth and complexity possible.

. Download Schoolhouse Block Shiraz Notes





VINEYARD : Sandy loam over red basalt soils planted to the rare "Mendoza" clone of Chardonnay on low vigour schwartzmann rootstock. Yields low averaging two tonnes per acre in the warm dry vintage of 2005.

VINIFICATION : Hand picked fruit was whole bunch pressed with only the free run juice going forward to primary fermentation which occurred naturally with no inoculated yeast. A portion was fermented in new and used oak barriques (coopers Darguad and Jaegle and Serigue) prior to maturation in used oak barrels for 8 months before bottling in November 2005.

THE WINE : This rich savoury Chardonnay demonstrates the character this variety can achieve in the Hunter when conditions and fruit quality are exemplary. The wild yeast ferment and partial barrel fermantation have led to the development of distinctive nutty aromas and a smooth creamy palate. Aged in bottle for a further year prior to release in late 2006 this concentrated white wine will be at its best over the next two or three years.

. Download River Terrace Chardonnay Notes





VINEYARD : Sandy loam over red basalt with yields averaging 2.5 tonnes per acre.

VINIFICATION : Only free run juice was fermented to near dryness in steel before stabilization. The wine was then left on lees to develop flavour for 6 months prior to bottling. 5% Verdelho blended to the finished wine to add a little mouthful and fig character.

THE WINE : This low alcohol unwooded white wine combines the citrus fruit character of young Semillon with the ripe fig fruit of Verdelho. The Semillon from this vineyard has the intense lime and lemon characters which have come to be appreciated by sommeliers as distinctive yet subtle, complementing food with a mouthwatering finish.

. Download Old Broke Block Semillon Notes
.

VINEYARD : Sandy loam over red basalt and clay soils at Broke.

VINIFICATION : Botrytised fruit is handpicked late in the vintage often a month or more after the dry wines have been harvested. The shrivelled grapes produce limited volumes of intensely sweet juice. 15% late picked Viognier is added to give greater complexity mouthfeel and balance.

THE WINE : Bright green gold in colour this sweet wine has the components to develop great complexity in bottle. It has the spice of botrytis and the weight of fruit intensity from low yielding vines. The lemony citrus tang of Semillon contrasts with the apricot character of a little viognier in a unique style from Glenguin.

. Download The Sticky Botrytised Semillon Notes





VINEYARD : We have 2.5 acres of Tannat vines planted in rocky soils, below the ancient ironbark trees, on the top of the slope at Glenguin. The vines are extremely low yielding at a single tonne to the acre resulting in grapes with great depth of colour flavour and tannins.

VINIFICATION : Fermented and then macerated on skins in open steel fermenters the Tannat is then pressed and the wine ages in large puncheons for 12 months prior to bottling.

THE WINE : This ancient noble variety from SW France has found the ideal Australian home at Glenguin. Tannat’s small thick skinned berries add terrific purple colour, spicy damson fruit characters and multiple layers of soft dusty tannins to this interesting wine. A rich racy concentrated red Glenguin Tannat will continue to develop in bottle over many years.

. Download Ironbark Tannat Notes





VINEYARD : We only have 2,000 Viognier vines at Glenguin planted in sandy loam over clay. The clone is “Montpellier” from the Languedoc in southern France and produces very small thick skinned berries. This combines with the low yields (1.5 tonnes per acre) to produce grapes of great concentration.

VINIFICATION : 80% steel tank fermented and 20% in barriques this Viognier has no malo lactic fermentation or extended barrel ageing. After four months on lees the two parcels were combined and bottled to maintain maximum fruit freshness.

THE WINE : This classic variety grows exceptionally well on sandy loam over red basalt soils at Glenguin. Distinctive apricot aromas combine with a rich creamy mouthful of stonefruit characters. This mouthwatering spicy white will be at its best over the next few years.

. Download Two Thousand Vines Viognier Notes





VINEYARD : Protos comes from 3.5 acres of sandy loam over clay behind the big dam at Glenguin. Our chardonnay clone is “Mendoza” famous for small berries and loose bunches which assits the handpicking.

VINIFICATION : Protos is made following classic Burgundian traditions including whole bunch pressing and barrel fermentation with natural vineyard yeasts only.

THE WINE : Whole bunch pressed, natural yeasts and extended lees contact have led to the development of nutty aromas and citrus fruit characters, with a rich creamy mouthful of flavour, in a wine of real depth and power. This is simply our best Chardonnay so far!

. Download Protos Chardonnay Notes
.