Right next to the Merry Widow Inn at Glenrowan, infamous of Kelly gang folklore, Richard Bailey set up shop to service prospectors during the great Victorian gold rush of the 1860s. Rows of newly planted Shiraz soon followed and the Baileys released their first vintage in 1870. The region was ultimately infected by the terrible vine killing plague of the 1890s, a guarded blessing for Glenrowan, which elevated the quarantine status of its vitiated vineyards to a marque of the highest provenance. Baileys endure as one of the new world's most arcane and mythical wineworks, a small estate of historically significant parcels, producing limited vintages, defined by their exceptional value, purity of.. The bushranger's brew»

Moet & Chandon originally acquired the Green Point property, an old dairy farm at Coldstream along Maroondah Highway, with a vision of establishing a prestigious Australian label. Set in the verdant hills of Victoria's propitious Yarra Valley, Domain Chandon continue to over deliver, completely dedicated to the production of the finest quality, cool climate table wines. The excellence of their renowned sparklings are due in no small part to the quality of the estate's Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. A regimen of extravagant Burgundian techniques, achieve a range of superlative Yarra Valley table.. These old yarra valley vines are just getting better»

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 Gippsland and established a vineyard called Bellvale... Placing pinot amongst the pastures»

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.. *according to the french»

One of the closely guarded secrets which remained cardinal to the preeminence of Grange Hermitage, was the sacred tally of exceptional vineyards which were called on to provide fruit for the new world's most stately Shiraz. The elite Grange Growers Club is one of the nation's more exclusive fellowships, an illustrious canon of distinguished wine growing families which are the stuff of Australian viticultural history. One of McLaren Vale's most eminent dynasties, Oliver's of Taranga were an essential inclusion into many of the mighty Grange's most memorable vintages. Oliver Taranga's estate flagship HJ Reserve Shiraz represents peerless value for a wine of its provenance, power, persistence and depth, $50.99 and drinking sensationally... A principal part of the great grange»

Discovered by Dr Bertel Sundstrup in 1987, after a long search for the perfect site, the amphitheatre known as Dalrymple is a mere twelve hectares of sun drenched bucolic idyll, at the very heart of superior viticulture on the beauteous Apple Isle. This is Piper's Brook central, a place of auspicious winegrowing climes, long hours of sunlight and extended ripening seasons, which yield fruit of remarkable succulence, gracious acids and satin tannins. Dalrymple are a small, unincorporated winegrowing concern, whose accord with the elements and devotion to the land, are best articulated by the leisured pursuits of their chief vigneron, whose favourite pastimes are sheep herding, river fishing and making smoked goose sausages. The wines of Dalrymple.. The verdant nook on pipers brook»