Four Winds Vineyards Riesling
⏳ Drinking Window
2021 - 2028
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Freshly shucked oysters, spicy Asian cuisine, pan-seared white fish
✨ Technical Specifications
While Brokenwood is iconically rooted in the Hunter Valley, their search for world-class cool-climate fruit led them to the Canberra District, specifically the acclaimed Four Winds Vineyard in Murrumbateman. Situated at an elevation of approximately 600 meters on volcanic soils of decomposed granite and red clay loam, this vineyard experiences warm days and very cool nights. This dramatic diurnal temperature swing is perfect for preserving the natural acidity and delicate aromatics of Riesling. Brokenwood's minimal-intervention winemaking style coaxes out a pristine, mineral-driven expression of the grape, celebrating the unique terroir of one of Australia's premier Riesling regions.
🍾 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
Riesling