Brokenwood was established in the early 1970s by a group of wine enthusiasts including James Halliday, John Beeston and the late Tony Albert. The winery is known for its legendary parties and spirit of place. The first harvest was brought into the winery in the boot of Len Evans Bentley. Brokenwood ownership has changed over the years, but has retained consistency with the strong leadership of chief winemaker/partner and industry mentor, Iain Riggs. The winery (pictured) is located at Pokolbin in the heart of the lower Hunter Valley and within sight of the Brokenback Ranges. Its vineyards are named after a 19th century Pokolbin town planning map. Its famous 15 hectare Graveyard Vineyard, for instance, is planted on the site of the planned – but never implemented – Pokolbin Graveyard. The Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz, derived from a multitude of ancient genetic vine Selections and first introduced in 1984, has quickly evolved into a modern classic. The sheer class of the 40 hectare vineyard, planted on heavy red clay over loam soils, is shown when the inevitable February rains set in. The topsoil is very mean and shallow forcing the vines to struggle, resulting in very low yields that average about 1 tonne/acre. The consistency of quality across vintage reflects a remarkable wine making philosophy, attitude and vineyard character. The wine is partially barrel fermented and then matured in a combination of French and American oak barriques for a period of around 14 months. Young elemental Graveyard shows ginger bread, blackberry aniseed fruit, plenty of savoury oak and floral/herb garden notes. The opulent gamey/French polish characters develop with time bringing a rich palimpsest of aromas and flavours. There is plenty of light and shade across vintages making Graveyard one of Australia’s most interesting and characterful Shirazes. Brokenwood ILR (Iain Lesley Riggs) Semillon has developed quite a cachet for being a top Hunter Semillon. Cricket Pitch is also a well-known brand. Brokenwood has been an innovative force in the Hunter Valley, known for its plethora of boutique/hobby wineries. It pioneered the concept of multi-regional wines and was one of the first to embrace the concept of distinguished vineyard site by acknowledging vineyard source. Furthermore it has taken a leadership stand on bottling all of its wine under screw cap. The overall quality of its wines is excellent. Originally it was a champion of Cabernet Sauvignon and, at one stage, had a Graveyard Cabernet Sauvignon, although it was discontinued because of a shortage of suitable red wine grape sites and the growing pre-eminence of Shiraz. However Brokenwood’s Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz has been a major success and is considered as one of Australia’s great Shiraz wines. The relaxed, warm atmosphere, but clearly focussed winemaking, has made Brokenwood winery a popular destination for young up-and-coming winemakers. Some of Australia’s most talented winemakers have worked a vintage ‘university’ at Brokenwood or held positions as winemaker. Andrew Caillard MW, Langton's