Winemaker Hadyn Black (the Black of B&G) just wants to make yummy wines to drink with mates.
For a bit of backstory; after growing up on a farm in Western Victoria, he started work in wine at a high-end bottleshop in Melbourne, writing tasting notes. Always keen on the lesser known varieties that came through the door, Hadyn quickly decided that he wanted make the stuff.
Following vintages at Giant Steps Winery in the Yarra Valley and Galli Estate in Rockbank (where he first started working with alternative grape varietals like Sangiovese, Nebbiolo and Tempranillo), Hadyn completed 2 stints in the Napa Valley in California. On return to Aus, he worked with some of the oldest vines in the world at Best's Wines Great Western and set up digs in this small winemaking village in the heart of the Grampians wine region.
Despite being known for its more traditional varieties, Hadyn was impressed with the diversity of grapes available in the area. After discussions with longtime friend Darcy Naughton (the Ginger) over many wines and 4WD camping trips, the duo decided to do their own thing and launched the Black & Ginger label in 2015 with the purchase of 1 tonne of Shiraz grapes from the Pyrenees.
These days, Hadyn is still buying lesser known varieties when he goes to the bottle-o, and discovery and exploration is at the heart of the wines he makes for B&G. The ‘virtual winery’ approach enables experimentation and the flexibility to buy interesting small batch grape varieties from Victorian growers, rather than being limited by what you might grow yourself. The result is an ever evolving range of small batch wines to be enjoyed now.
Have fun, try everything. Enjoyment is the key principle in Hadyn’s winemaking and he wants to make delicious wines that everyone can enjoy, anytime. People can be nervous about trying new varieties or combinations they haven’t heard of, says Hadyn, and B&G’s mission is to break down those barriers.
(Formerly Clarnette & Ludvigsen)
A Viticulturist and a Winemaker, specialists in their own fields, combine to form a wine label; two blokes with extensive experience in the wine industry.
A vineyard specifically selected for its "terroir"; a small, innovative vineyard and a winery making single vineyard, single clone wines.
Winemaking using techniques from the past with open fermentors, minimal handling and high quality oak magnifying the highly perfumed wines typical of the Grampians Wine region.
Our vineyard was planted on the steep Eastern slopes of the Grampians in 1969. It represented part of the second coming of the Victorian wine industry which had seen very little new plantings since the turn of the century. The region had always had a pedigree for great wines with the first vineyards in Grampians being planted at Bests & Seppelts, in the early 1860's.
Grampians Estate was established in 1989 in the Guthrie family farm ‘Thermopylae’ with the planting of 1.6 ha of Shiraz and Chardonnay vines at Mafeking on the Eastern side of the Grampians National Park. In 1994 a group of friends banded together to further develop the vineyard (another 1.6 ha) and produce wine. Vintages ensued from 1995, Tom and Sarah taking over the business from 2004. A Trophy for the 2003 Streeton Reserve Shiraz at the 2005 National Wine Show in Canberra was a high point, but two months later the 2006 Grampians bushfire destroyed most of the vineyard. Locals helped salvage the vineyard and in time it recovered.
In 2009 Grampians Estate took over the former Garden Gully Vineyard (5 ha)and Cellar Door giving it a shopfront for its wines. In 2020 it expanded the Cellar Door with a winery café and deck looking out over the historic St Ethels Vineyard, first planted by the Salinger family in 1878. Retiring from his years running his family’s sheep farm, Tom has taken charge of the winemaking having just completed a Wine Science Degree by distance education at Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga, NSW. Tom, Sarah and daughter Pollyanna have a real hand-on approach to running their family business and are involved in all aspects of the operation.
Grampians Estate produces a wide range of sparkling, white and red wines, with about 30% of it’s production being sourced from local vineyards. With an eye to the future (demand, climate change), it has just planted some Grenache and Tempranillo. Whilst cool-climate Shiraz (and Sparkling Shiraz) will always be the signature wines of the Grampians Region, these varieties are part of a growing diversity of other varieties being planted in the Region.
Montara Grampians Wines is captivating with its panorama of plains, mountains, vines, and old-world charm of the Ararat gold rush days. Situated 200 kilometres west of Melbourne, with a dramatic backdrop of the rugged sandstone Grampians mountain ranges, it is a feast for the eyes and the spirit.
Established in 1970, Montara is today owned by the Stapleton family. This dynamic group of six siblings has given Montara a youthful exuberance, where tradition meets a new era of winemaking.
Set against the dramatic backdrop of the Great Dividing Range in the Grampians region of Victoria, the Mount Langi Ghiran (Aboriginal for home of the yellow-tailed black cockatoo) vineyard is one of the most isolated and unique sites in Australian viticulture. The vineyard, with its towering granite cliffs and loamy red soils, encapsulates an extraordinary sense of place. Mount Langi Ghiran , or Langi, as it is fondly referred to by the staff, was originally planted in 1870. It has become the home of one of Australia's finest cool climate wines, the Langi Shiraz. Langi was first planted with Shiraz in 1870, but was later replanted by the Fratin brothers in 1963. The exceptionally high quality of the Fratin's fruit quickly drew a strong following and in 1978, the brothers appointed Trevor Mast as consultant winemaker. Inspired by the potential of the vineyard and keen to develop it further, Trevor and Sandra Mast purchased the property in 1987. In late 2002 the property was sold to the Rathbone family. Today, Mount Langi Ghiran’s winemaking is led by Adam Louder, Chief Winemaker. Born and bred in the Grampians, Adam first started his career at Langi while working as a cellar hand under Trevor Mast. With rich experience across various wine regions around the globe, Adam returned in 2016 and upholds the winemaking philosophy that has long guided Langi; producing inimitable, distinctive cool climate wines that capture the unique terroir and extraordinary sense of place.
Mountainside Wines is a family owned and operated vineyard and winery which is situated at the base of Mount Cole at the south eastern end of the Grampians wine region.
We produce premium wines from vineyards that are hand tended and hand-picked. This allows us to focus on quality and consistency of flavour. All our wines are made using grapes from a single vineyard and showcase the best of our terroir.
Here at Mountainside Wines we have warm days, cool nights, and a long growing season. We also have unique soil conditions of granite loam over red clay allowing the flavours of Shiraz to shine in the wine. This means that the wines produced in our little corner of the Grampians are rich and full of flavour and aroma and represent a unique picture of the area.
The property itself has been growing grapes and making wine since 1998 with just under seven acres of Shiraz vines, two and one-half acres of Viognier vines, and one acre of Nebbiolo vines. The vines produce approximately 1000 cases per year and we focus on making premium wines.
SubRosa is an award winning boutique winery located in the Grampians Wine Region, Australia. Founded by Nancy Panter and winemaker Adam Louder, SubRosa crafts handmade, small batch wine including Grampians Shiraz, Cabernet, Viognier, Rosé and Pyrenees Nebbiolo.
Winemaker Adam Louder has travelled the world making wine. He has completed 34 harvests (Grampians, Pyrenees, Margaret River, Bordeaux and Napa Valley) at 39 years of age. Adam uses his vast knowledge and experience to nurture premium grapes creating quality wine to enjoy now – or in years to come.
SubRosa means under the rose. In ancient times, a rose was hung above a table, what happened under that rose was to be kept secret. With SubRosa, “what happens at the table, stays at the table”.
Cellar Door: online (www.subrosawine.com)
