Mudgee Wines

If Mudgee is to compete with other wine regions in NSW then they have to offer a point of difference when it comes to wine varieties. The Hunter has Semillon, Canberra has Riesling but Mudgee have cornered the market with alternative varieties. Some of the oldest Barbera vines are planted to the region providing medium bodied, food-friendly wines that team well with the local produce. Expect a savoury and complex red with cherry and berry fruit, gentle tannins and firm tannins. This is a real pizza magnet that over-delivers in every way.

Sexy, sleek and sometimes savoury, Sangiovese has come of age in Australia and has found a comfortable home in Mudgee. The Montrose vineyards were the first to be planted back in the 70’s by a couple of wine-loving Italians Their vision paid off as alternative varieties have really give Mudgee a fine reputation. Pietra is the Italian for stone and this wine lies on quartz and limestone imparting a complex minerality. The wine is full of bright, savoury fruit, with crisp acids and soft tannins that make it a must for pasta and meatballs.

The Montrose vineyards in Mudgee are the oldest in the region and as winemaker James Manners points out this Shiraz is about balance, flavour and a true expression of the Mudgee region. Reds of the area have been referred to as Mudgee mud in the past, but we like to think earthy is a far more apt description. The fruit is concentrated with a solid oak integration and a nicely rounded tannin structure. It makes for great drinking now with a charred steak but will cellar well for the next five years too.

If the stylish packaging does not seduce you, the contents will. This superb sparkler from Mudgee’s celebrated Logan wines has all the appeal of Champagne without the price tag. It looks enticing, but it’s the combination of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir that make for such a harmonious mouthful. This is a celebration waiting to happen, a mixture of fine bubbles and a creamy mousse with aromas of strawberry and oats and almond. The palate is crisp and dry with notes of citrus and nectarine before a long finish. A style that works perfectly with canapés especially smoked salmon.

You don’t often associate Mudgee with Chardonnay yet some winemakers believe it’s the great white hope for the region and has as much chance of success as it does in the Hunter. One of the leaders of the Chardy revolution in the region is Robert Oatley wines who make this classic wine from some of the oldest Chardonnay vines in the area. It’s more about subtlety than full-blown fruit and shows a citrus tinged minerality and a creamy persistence on the palate as well as a hint of vanillin oak. A fine pairing for a creamy smoked salmon pasta.

What’s the ultimate romantic gesture? We imagine that making a wine for someone would rate highly in the gesture department and that’s exactly what winemaker Peter Logan did for his wife Hannah. This suggestive pink wine is the result of his quixotic desires and it hums with aromas of rhubarb, raspberry and strawberry. The palate is a refreshing burst of cranberry and citrus that ends long and dry. Serve chilled as it’s a good match for spicy Indian dishes.

If you like Merlot, you’ll like this one a lot. It’s the cook’s Lot Merlot sourced from Mudgee. This is the kind of fruit forward red you want on hand for any kind of mid week dinner. By that we mean it’s going to win lots of friends at the dinner table thanks to its low alcohol and soft, easy going palate. It’s bright with berries, plum and cedar and goes down a treat thanks to silky tannins.

Really good Riesling, under a tenner can be very hard to find. But that is exactly what we have got right here, with all of the fresh, crisp fruit you’d expect from young Riesling plus just a little honeyed toast poking though giving plenty of interest. Crisp, light weight – pair this with some fish and chips and you are sure to be impressed.

Mudgee is on the move in a serious way, this often overlooked wine region of NSW is starting to shine with its young, energetic winemakers showing what can be done in the region. Even Pink wine is on the rise and this stylish and seductive Rosé works well with gently spiced foods. It smells of fresh summer berries in a bowl with raspberries and strawberries providing a grand perfume. The palate develops to reveal more plum and cherry character, before a drying finish.

Shiraz is always going to be Australia’s favourite red variety and there’s rarely a winery that does not produce one. You’d think we’d get bored of it but thanks to regional diversity we see so many varying styles from cool to warm climate as well as medium-bodied to full on alcohol-driven monsters. This falls into the former category, a nicely medium style of red from Mudgee. It’s filled out with blackcurrant and spice and some chocolate notes before a long and lingering palate.

Tempranillo is the ultimate food wine and this is an attrative, supple and very friendly style with lashings of dark fruit and some of that moreish juicy savoury Tempranillo fruit.

It's a much underrated beast is Mudgee Chardonay, a wine/grape combination that is not all that sexy in theory yet provides quite a deal of drinking pleasure. In this instance the joy is in the balance between nectarine/white peach richness and that often forgotten Mudgee acidity. Toasty generosity vs dryness and length.

A botrytis Chardonnay? Now that's unusual, though the wine itself is not that odd. Instead it's just a lovely luscious wine in the big, broad and super luscious end of the spectrum. If anything it's almost too luscious, a massive mouthful of simple richness and marmalade intensity, all glowing with sweetness and weight. Drink it well chilled with richly flavoured desserts.

Sometimes it’s good to have a wine on standby. The kind of wine you know everyone will like and more importantly won’t cost you a fortune so you don’t mind opening a second bottle. The Apple Tree Flat is in Mudgee, where winemaker Peter Logan creates this superbly mouthwatering Merlot. It’s rich and concentrated with aromas of dark berries and violets before flavours of blueberry, dark chocolate and plum ensure a plush palate. Do yourself a favour and make sure your wine rack is kept full with a bargain wine of this quality.

With the Logan’s it’s all in the detail. It starts with the wine, premium fruit picked at high altitudes in Orange, meticulously handled by winemaker Peter. The resultant package is put in hot bottles that have beautiful hand crafted labels. Putting the cool back into cool climate this Chardonnay is perfumed with orange and pear and a touch of spicy oak. The flavours of peach and grapefruit vie for attention complexed by minerals. Textured and long it would pair brilliantly with rich, seafood dishes.

Pinot Gris from Orange is going to be the next big thing according to our all-seeing Cracka crystal ball, just remember where you heard it first. Winemaker Duncan Lot is the mastermind behind the Cooks Lot wines. He chooses only the best fruit from Mudgee and Orange to craft boutique style wines. It’s imbued with varietal pear and apple and has a palate laden with minerals. Crisp, textured and freshened by a core of acids this is a very suitable food wine.

The Tic Tok range from the Oatley family pays tribute to James, the great grandfather who was a clock maker who made his home in Australia and was lauded for his precision work. Much in the same way winemaker James Manners is lauded for his precise attention when it comes to crafting premium wine. This Chardonnay is a mixture of Mudgee and Pemberton fruit and a very modern take on the variety with fruit and texture the key and oak playing second fiddle. Expect to find pineapple flavours and spicy oak before a long textured finish that begs to be paired with roast chicken.

The Weemala name is aboriginal for good view and the name of the Logan’s vineyard in Mudgee. It’s from this view that winemaker Peter Logan crafts stunning wines that have a European influence. This sparkling was inspired by the bubbly style of Italy, Prosecco. It’ s an aromatic wine that displays lifted pear and a slight nutty complexity. Citrus and apple collide on the palate showing a fine balance between fine bubbles, refreshing acids and a long finish.

The Oatley’s must be restless souls, not content with having had one of Australia’s most successful brands with Rosemount, they returned to the wine business and re-invented the wheel with a new label. The Wild Oats range is intended for everyday drinking and this Shiraz Viognier made with fruit sourced from Mudgee takes inspiration from the wines of the Northern Rhone. The Viognier adds intense aromatics and a succulent mouthfeel to generous Shiraz fruit ensuring a wine that’s rich in black fruits and spice.

The name of the winery comes from the fact that winemaker Duncan Cook works with individual vineyard ‘Lots’ in order to craft wines that reveal the best of the Mudgee and Orange wine regions. Duncan was formerly a chef for many years eventually turning his fine tuned palate to grapes. Some real Pinosity here, displaying cherry, plum and spice before an earthy palate with silky tannins.