2021 Field of Mars Shiraz Block 1

Single Vineyard Range

2021 Eagles Rest Vineyard Chardonnay

Variety:   Chardonnay 100%

Vineyard: Eagles Rest Vineyard

Region:    Pokolbin, Hunter Valley

Vine Age:  Vines planted in 1970's by Don Maxwell

Tasting Note

The Eagles Rest Vineyard is sited in central Pokolbin, nestled on the high slopes of the Pokolbin Mountain foothills and enjoys the benefits of cooler sea breeze air flow during Summer. It is also a protected site from both rainfall and the hot mid-Summer sun, close up under the shoulder of the Brokenback Mountain Range.

The Chardonnay vines growing here relish the deep red volcanic-basalt and decomposed sandstone soils. Rows are steeply terraced facing South in this section, with the unique steepness of the vineyard contributing to wonderfully intense flavours and consistent quality.

 The mild weather of 2021 has given this wine a special reserve, with crystal-clear fruit detail, poise and balance. Fruit aromas are nectarine, yellow apple and golden pear, quite highly focussed and tense, with soft notes of quince and vanilla yoghurt. Flavours show classy reserve too, yellow to gold stone fruits with linear brightness, plus a subtle cashew-like roundness from wild-ferment.

Drink Now to 2030

200 dozen made

Technical Data
Alcohol: 13%

Single Vineyard Range

2022 Norlana Vineyard Shiraz

Variety:     100% Shiraz

Region:     Upper Hunter Valley

Vineyard:  Norlana Vineyard  

Tasting Note

This special bottling is dedicated to the vineyard owner and grape grower Geoff Oldman, who supplied great quality Shiraz to us from 2015 - 2023, but sadly passed away in September 2023, aged 82.

Norlana is an outstanding vineyard just outside Denman in the Upper Hunter Valley, on a gentle hillside overlooking the confluence of the Goulburn and Hunter Rivers. The soil is a rich black clay flecked with iron-stone and red gravel, generating a perfumed and elegant style of Hunter Shiraz.

The sweet red-cherry, raspberry perfumes with a fine touch of cranberry, deliver freshness and elegance. Smooth and finely floral, with powdery fragrances of violet and lavender, beautifully fresh, lithe and light in expression, yet opulent.

Soft-fruits run along the palate, showing powder-soft flavours of raspberry and strawberry sherbet. This remarkably glossy texture continues with delicious velvety persistence, juicy red plum and red apple, finishing with hints of white pepper and nutmeg. Tannins are soft and creamy due to the whole-bunch nature of the fermentation, and the large format 1500litre oak foudre used for 12 months of aging.

Drink: Now – 2040

Limited Edition - only 160 dozen made

95 points Wine Companion

 Technical Data

Alcohol: 13.5%

2023 Hunter Valley Chardonnay

Variety:     100% Chardonnay
Region:     Hunter Valley
Vine Age:  20+ years old

Tasting Notes

A brilliant year for growing and making Chardonnay. There is the full spectrum of yellow and golden fruits on the nose and palate, intertwined with barrel, yeast and struck-match flint character - each layer of character with so much more to give as this wine sits in the glass, breathes and relaxes.

Drink: Now to 2030

Technical Data

Alcohol: 12.5%

Single Vineyard Range

2022 McKelvey Vineyard Chardonnay

Variety:     100% Chardonnay       

Vineyard:  McKelvey Vineyard

Region:     Pokolbin, Hunter Valley               

Vine age:  Vines planted in 1998                                                 

Tasting Note

Planted on a western-facing hillside on Deasys Road, Pokolbin, the McKelvey Vineyard was established in 1997/1998 by the viticulturalist and winemaker David Lowe; the property is proudly family-owned and operated, farmed by Peter McKelvey and his son James. The soils on this site are profound; rich red-brown clay loam with underlying chalky limestone, one of the most desirable soils for the growth of quality Chardonnay. The rows here wrap around the contours of the hills and valleys of a magnificent property, with Chardonnay running both NE-SW and NW-SE, balancing the exposure and shading of the fruit across the sunny days of the growing season. The quality vinestock here is also important, with Chardonnay clone I10V5 highly recognised for generating fruit with strong varietal distinction and wine quality.

The 2022 Chardonnay is a silky, sophisticated wine. There is fine frame and finesse, yet complexity grows in aromatic power as it breathes from an initial spark of flint and struck match to reveal cinnamon, ripe peach and autolysis. The palate follows through with ripe pineapple, super-smooth creamy softness and peach-skin crunch. These elements of fruit quality, ferment funk and barrel maturation beckon and entice as a young wine, but even more certainly as a wine that will reward those who cellar it.

Drink: Now - 2030 
257 dozen made.

95 points Wine Companion

Technical Data

Alcohol:  13.6%
pH:          3.24
TA:          7.3