Airline pilots make surprisingly good wine. Their appreciation of the sciences, a respect for the weather and a bird's eye view of the land, all invaluable to the winemaker's art. John Ellis would take every opportune weekend away from his regular New York Paris route, to pursue a passion for viticulture. He planted the first commercial Cabernet Merlot vines in the Hamptons and found time between trans atlantic flights to work vintages amongst the Grand Cru vineyards of La Bourgogne. Ellis ultimately made the great lifelong sea change in favour of our land downunder. He settled on a farmstead outside Leongatha, amongst the slow ripening pastures of.. Placing pinot amongst the pastures»

Andrew Nugent grew up next door to the great historical wineworks at Penfolds Magill. He honed his craft as viticulturalist and vigneron amongst the illustrious wineries of old McLaren Vale. In the 1990s, Nugent planted new vines at Woodside along Bird In Hand Road, on the site of an ancient gold mine, a godsend of fortuitously fertile soils and magnificent mesoclimes for stellar quality Adelaide Hills wine. Bird In Hand have since amassed a breathtaking tally of international accolades for the unrivalled excellence of their superlative vintages, wonderfully small batch releases, with the magnificence of structure, seamlessness and immaculacy of fruit,.. Vivid vintages from the tailings of adelaide hills»

One of the Australian west's most enduring marques, the illustrious vineyards of Howard Park are now in their fourth and fifth decade. Langton's Listed and recipient of the most prestigious accolades, Grande Medialle d'Or Concours Mondial and London International Wine & Spirits Competition. Howard Park were established from the ground up with a strict adherence to sustainable, holistic viticulture. Planted to sheep studs along Margaret River's Wilyabrup Creek, drawing fruit from the oldest Cabernet vines on Mount Barker, renowned for opulence and structure, they continue to deliver a range of superlative single vineyard bottlings with each vintage... The virtuous vines of howard park»

The story of Langmeil begins with early Barossa settlement, planted to Shiraz by Christian Auricht in the 1840s, the estate vineyards were restored by the Lindner and Bitter families during the 1990s. Some of Herr Auricht's original plantings are still in production, three and a half priceless acres of gnarled, dry grown vines which provided the cuttings for much of Langmeil's refurbished heirloom parcels. A princely range of old, to very old single vineyard wines, delineated by the eloquence of each unique site, defined by the provenance of history and pioneer folklore. Saved from the ravages of time by the hand of providence and generations of.. The legacy landscapes of langmeil»

Torbreck of Barossa are one of Australia's great export brands, synonymous with luxury and excellence throughout the world of wine. Crafted from the fruit of old and ancient vineyards, the opulence and exclusivity of Torbreck's painfully limited production challenge the primacy of Grange. Established by a share cropper in the 1990s, its precious range has risen to the status of First Growth amongst the community of ardent international advocates. Woodcutter is the entry level, assembled from parcels which may have been destined for some of the brand's lofty icons, an essential experience for all enthusiasts of compelling Barossa Shiraz... Chew a chop of woodcutter's wine»

Balgownie are one of our nation's great small vineyards, pioneers of the reprise in Bendigo viticulture, with the foresight to establish vines in 1969, the first local plantings in over eighty years. Grown to terrains very near the tailings of Victoria's original gold rush, the auspicious Balgownie vines yield discreet yet exquisite harvests of the most edifying and undervalued Victorian vintages. A bespoke favourite amongst enthusiasts of the old school style in elegant and finely boned Aussie Shiraz, Balgownie represent the essential accompaniment to meaty eggplant inspired recipes, or a princely roast of lamb, the best of.. Balgownie begets the best of bendigo»

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.. Bounty of bendigo goldfields»

There's a vineyard at Moorooduc in upper Mornington, planted to a splendid north facing slope which captures the maximum warmth of sunshine each day. Refreshed after nightfall by the invigorating maritime winds off Bass Strait and Port Phillip Bay, it's a place of exceptional winegrowing. Populated by ten unique Burgundy clones, this very special block of vine grew the only Pinot Noir ever to claim our nation's highest accolade for great red wines, the Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy. The property continues to yield limited releases of outstanding vintages, it's a place of exacting viticulture and uncompromising pursuit of excellence, cherished by cognoscenti and exalted by industry press, the vineyard.. The burgundy clones of mornington»