Wild Vines Estate - Where It All Begins
The Property
Wild Vines Estate sits on 63 acres — deep in the Broke Fordwich sub-region of the Hunter Valley. The name was earned. When we first arrived, the vines had been abandoned for years. Overgrown, tangled, and spectacular in their own way. We kept the name as a reminder of where this all started.
The mountains surrounding the property are what you notice first. The Brokenback Range to the west shelters the estate and creates the distinctive mesoclimate that makes Broke Fordwich wines unlike anything else in the Hunter. The air is cooler here. The diurnal temperature variation — warm days, cool nights — slows ripening and builds complexity in the fruit.
The Land & Soil
The soils at Wild Vines are sandy loam — free-draining, well-aerated, and ideal for viticulture. Water moves through easily, reducing the risk of waterlogging and encouraging deep root systems that reach down for nutrients rather than sitting at the surface.
The Broke Fordwich GI was granted its own geographic indication on the basis of its volcanic soil makeup and the unique mesoclimate created by the Wollombi Brook and the sheltering hills.
The Vines
The soils at Wild Vines are sandy loam — free-draining, well-aerated, and ideal for viticulture. Water moves through easily, reducing the risk of waterlogging and encouraging deep root systems that reach down for nutrients rather than sitting at the surface.
The Broke Fordwich GI was granted its own geographic indication on the basis of its volcanic soil makeup and the unique mesoclimate created by the Wollombi Brook and the sheltering hills.
Chardonnay
Our flagship variety. Estate grown and produced in two distinct styles: our unoaked 'Nude' and our wild ferment 'Wild'. The Chardonnay is also used in our 'blanc de blanc' and 'cintilante' bubbles - so versatile and so loved.
Verdelho
A variety brought to the Hunter Valley from Portugal in the early 1800s. Our 'high ground' Verdelho produces bright, aromatic fruit with natural acidity and the kind of drinkability that makes it dangerously easy to open a second bottle.
Chambourcin
The super grape. A hardy French-American hybrid that endures what other varieties cannot. Our 'Gully Row' Chambourcin produces medium-weight, bright red fruit with a distinctive lift of English mint. Best served slightly chilled.
