8 Rows Sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir
⏳ Drinking Window
Best enjoyed fresh within 1 to 3 years of release.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Fresh oysters, salt and pepper squid, triple-cream brie
✨ Technical Specifications
The '8 Rows' range from Brokenwood pays homage to the winery's humble beginnings in 1970, when the founders planted the original eight rows of vines in the Hunter Valley. While those initial plantings launched a legendary estate, this Sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir carries that heritage of passion and meticulous sourcing into a vibrant, celebratory style. Crafted from select cool-climate vineyards across premium Australian regions, this non-vintage sparkling blend combines the citrus-driven elegance of Chardonnay with the structural red-berry depth of Pinot Noir. Secondary fermentation imparts a delicate, persistent bead and a creamy texture, making it a stellar representation of Brokenwood's approachable yet sophisticated winemaking philosophy.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1970 by Sydney solicitors James Halliday, John Beeston, and Tony Albert, Brokenwood Wines began on a ten-acre Pokolbin parcel initially intended as a cricket ground. Situated in the lower Hunter Valley against the Brokenback Mountain Range, the estate operates on alluvial loams and heavy clay soils, shaped by a warm, humid subtropical climate with cooling maritime breezes. While historically anchored by its renowned Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz, Brokenwood established equivalent global renown for its pure, cellar-worthy white wines. The estate practices certified viticulture under Sustainable Winegrowing Australia standards, supervised in cellar operations by Chief Winemaker Stuart Hordern following Iain Riggs's transformative tenure. Renowned benchmark expressions include the single-vineyard and aged ILR Reserve Semillon—celebrated for low-alcohol tension, racy citrus acidity, and nuanced toast developments without oak maturation—alongside single-site iterations like Stanleigh Park Vineyard Semillon and cool-climate chardonnays from Beechworth and Orange.
🍇 Grapes
Chardonnay, Pinot Noir