The award-winning winery, Briar Ridge Vineyard, unveils its highly anticipated Single Vineyard red wines, perfect during the cool winter months ahead. The brand’s latest release includes the 2021 Single Vineyard ‘Dairy Hill’ Shiraz, the 2021 Single Vineyard ‘Big Bully’ Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2022 Single Vineyard ‘Hillrose’ Shiraz.
Nestled amongst the rolling green hills of Mount View in the picturesque Hunter Valley, Briar Ridge is a boutique winery with a vinous history dating back to 1972. The slice of winemaking paradise, resembling wine-growing regions in southern France, enjoys a microclimate that avoids temperature extremes and allows the grapes to ripen slowly and evenly over a longer period. This differs from other areas of the Hunter region, adding to Briar Ridge’s uniqueness and ability to produce grapes of incredible intensity and distinctive character.
As the largest vineyard holder in the Mount View area, Briar Ridge is a prominent regional producer of quality wine, making both the quintessential Hunter classics and small-batch modern styles, which have led to the winery taking out some of the most prestigious awards in Australia. Such awards include a 5-star rating from the Halliday Wine Companion for the continuous production of wines of exemplary quality, inclusion in The Real Review Top Wines of Australia 2023 list and most recently being shortlisted for the 2024 Halliday Wine Companion Awards for ‘Best Value Winery’.
Bringing a modern interpretation to the oldest wine region in Australia is the Briar Ridge mission, steered by Hunter Valley local and esteemed Winemaker, Alex Beckett. While deeply rooted in the Hunter winemaking traditions, Briar Ridge uses contemporary techniques to produce wines unparallel to others in the region.
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“We not only have this strong history and tradition at Briar Ridge Vineyard but also all this tremendous excitement around new grape varieties, modern viticultural practices and winemaking techniques. To me, it’s the melding together of the old and the new that makes Briar Ridge wines so interesting – it’s certainly why I enjoy doing what I do,” says Alex.
The new release Briar Ridge Single Vineyard Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon hail from strong vintages across the Wrattonbully, Hunter Valley and Hilltops regions where good winter rains, warm conditions, and cool night-time temperatures produced fruit with outstanding.
Intended for immediate enjoyment and also excellent for cellaring, the Single Vineyard red release can be perfectly paired with a variety of occasions. Whether taking to a dinner party or sharing at home with friends, as a gift for that special occasion or the wine collector in your life, each of the newly released reds will elevate the moment, however, you choose to enjoy it.
“With the region seeing some of the coldest growing seasons in recent history, with record levels of rainfall leading to vigorous vineyard growth, the wines produced are a true expression of terroir, combining elegance with excellent concentration of flavour, with long cellaring potential.”
2021 Single Vineyard Dairy Hill Shiraz
The pinnacle of the Mountain View estate, grown in optimal weather conditions for exceptional flavour development, the 2021 Single Vineyard ‘Dairy Hill’ Shiraz is elegant with a lovely floral lift. The medium-bodied Shiraz reveals an intense red fruit palate complemented by savoury and spiced characters in classic Hunter Valley style, typical of the Dairy Hill block. This exquisite bottle is sublime for consuming in its youth, or carefully cellaring for up to ten years.
2021 Single Vineyard Big Bully Cabernet Sauvignon
A very memorable vintage for all the right reasons, the 2021 Single Vineyard ‘Big Bully’ Cabernet Sauvignon boasts intense colour, flavour and tannin due to the optimal ripening conditions following the season’s recent cool nights and warm days. Bigger and better than ever, the Big Bully is a first-class contender in the world of Cabernet with its deep ruby purple hue, intense blackcurrant and varietal herbal aromas, concentrated blackberry jam and cassis carrying through for a linear crisp finish.
2022 Single Vineyard Hillrose Shiraz
The first cool-climate Shiraz for the Briar Ridge Vineyard, the 2022 Single Vineyard ‘Hillrose’ Shiraz benefited from a long growing season in the Hilltops region, which lead to rich ripe berry fruit flavours and tannins. A medium-bodied red with freshness and complexity, this Shiraz features a deep ruby hue and reveals lovely, concentrated blueberry and blackberry cherry fruits, with earthy notes and smooth crisp acidity.
Briar Ridge Vineyard
593 Mount View Road, Mount View, NSW 2325, Australia
T: +61 02 4990 3670 | E: cellardoor@briarridge.com.au
Cellar Door: 10am-4pm
Osteria Kitchen: Thurs-Mon, 11am-4pm
