Rufus Stone
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Typically best enjoyed 3 to 8 years from the vintage release, though high-quality vintages can comfortably cellar for up to 10 years.
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
Grilled ribeye steak, slow-roasted leg of lamb with rosemary, hearty beef stew
✨ wine.spec_sheet
Tyrrell's 'Rufus Stone' is a rich and robust Shiraz that pays homage to a colorful piece of Tyrrell family history. The wine is named after the Rufus Stone in England's New Forest, which marks the spot where King William II (known as 'Rufus' for his red hair) was fatally struck by an arrow in the year 1100—an arrow reputedly shot by Sir Walter Tyrrell, an ancestor of the winemaking family. While Tyrrell's is legendary for its Hunter Valley estates, the Rufus Stone label represents their exploration of premier Shiraz regions, historically sourcing from top-tier vineyards in South Australia and Victoria. The wine is crafted to showcase a deeply concentrated, classic Australian Shiraz style, featuring fermentation in open-top fermenters followed by maturation in a mix of French and American oak barrels to impart structure, spice, and velvety tannins.
🍾 wine.about_producer
Established in 1858 by English immigrant Edward Tyrrell, Tyrrell's is one of Australia's oldest and most prestigious family-owned wineries, located in the historic Pokolbin sub-region of the Hunter Valley, New South Wales. Today, under the guidance of fourth-generation family member Bruce Tyrrell, the estate continues to champion its rich heritage while managing some of the region's oldest dry-grown vineyards. Tyrrell's is globally celebrated for its benchmark Hunter Valley Semillon, particularly the iconic Vat 1 Semillon, which showcases extraordinary longevity and complexity without oak contact. The winery is also a pioneer of Australian Chardonnay, exemplified by the historic Vat 47, alongside exceptional, elegant Shiraz expressions such as Vat 9, cementing its status as an icon of Australian viticulture.