| Region of production: | New South Wales |
| Winery Location: | Hunter Valley |
| Year Established: | 1970 |
Vineyard Holdings
15 ha
- Graveyard Vineyard: Planted entirely to Shiraz. Named because locals had designated the plot as a cemetery (but never used as one). Purchased in 1978.
Top Wines Produced & Inaugural Vintages
- Graveyard Shiraz: Inaugural vintage 1983 (as a single vineyard wine).
- HBA Shiraz: Blend of Graveyard Vineyard and McLaren Vale fruit. Released after 10 years.
- ILR Reserve Sémillon: initials of Brokenwood’s chief winemaker (Iain Leslie Riggs). Whether the wine is a blend or single-vineyard is vintage dependent. Released after five years of bottle age. Inaugural vintage 1992.
Average Total Production
- 1,200,000 bottles
Summary
Brokenwood began as a venture started by Tony Albert, John Beeston, and notable Australian wine writer and critic James Halliday. After successful initial vintages, they expanded the operation to accommodate a larger production in 1975, and again in 1983 when the winery brought on current winemaker and Managing Director Iain Leslie Riggs. Since 1978 the winery has expanded its vineyard holdings to other regions, including McLaren Vale for varieties not suitable for Hunter Valley. Their flagship single vineyard “Graveyard” Shiraz has been categorized as “Exceptional” in all five installments of Langston’s Classification of Premium Australian Wine.
Style & Vinification Techniques
The winemaking team aims for lower alcohol levels and moderate oak usage. The Graveyard Shiraz ferments in stainless steel open top fermenters and finishes fermentation in larger format seasoned French oak. The wines age in a combination of French and American oak, averaging 12-14 months. The ILR is fermented by cultivated yeasts in stainless steel, malolactic fermentation is avoided, and the wine sees no oak.
Producer Website: Brokenwood