The name Ridgeback is descriptive of the vineyard location, being situated on the back of the main ridge at Panton Hill, but also directly alludes to our fine and aristocratic Rhodesian Ridgeback vineyard dogs, one of whom is proudly to featured the estate's label. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are varieties for which the Yarra Valley is renowned, and the wines Ridgeback makes from these varieties proves the point. Ridgeback Cabernet Sauvignons and Merlot are elegant and refined, exhibiting all the class and finesse for which these Bordeaux varieties are acclaimed.

New Chum Gully Estate, home to Ridgeback Wines, is situated in the cool-climate region of Victoria's Yarra Valley. The property is nestled on the back of a high ridge in an old gold-mining area dating back to the 1850s. New Chum Gully Estate, with its wide-sweeping views to the Dandenong Mountains, is within easy reach of Melbourne suburbs and just 45 minutes from the CBD. There are still remains of old mineshafts embedded in the clay soils. Ron and Lynne Collings established the vineyard in 1991, purchasing an old apple orchard, and gradually planted 10 acres of vines. Initially, they sold their top class fruit. Their own label was released for the 2000 Vintage.

Best viticultural practices, close planted vines, minimal cropping, a slow ripening season, hand-picking, French Oak and superb winemaking blend together to produce premium wines. The elegant and refined Chardonnays display citrus and creamy flavours, with just a touch of vanilla. Earthy Pinot Noirs, so typical of the region, ooze with chocolate, roasted coffee and "forest floor", with an overlay of plums and black cherries. Subtle aromas of blackcurrant, sweet vanilla and cigar box, with just a hint of mint, epitomise the Cabernet Sauvignons.

The crème de la crème, from the small block of Merlot, shows luscious plum and mulberry fruits with classic tealeaf earthiness. Full, rounded and silky smooth blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot shows all the trade marks of this beautiful blend. All will age beautifully, but equally, drink well now, either alone or accompanied by food.

A delicious dry Pinot Noir Rosé, made for Ridgeback by James Lance at Diamond Valley Vineyards entirely from fruit grown on ourthe Ridgeback estate. This wine is ideal for the Australian climate and to accompany al fresco dining and barbeques. Chilled Rosé! What could be better on a hot summer’s day? Ridgeback wines are still enjoying export success in the UK. Ridgeback have been featured at Balls Brothers winebars and restaurants in London, and from all accounts they have gone down extremely well.

Sales were successful and demand for wine high so Antonio decided to expand his business and start up a winery operation in 1968 at Tharbogang. The winery became known as House of Sergi’s. In 1972, the winery was granted an official liquor license and formally opened a shop front in an old fibro building on the winery premises. In 1975, a new shop front was built which still exists today. In 1979, the winery was officially named Warburn Wines. The winery continued to expand rapidly.

From the mid-1980’s, many changes took place in the Australian wine industry. The winery recognised the importance of both the domestic and export markets and the need to supply increasing volumes of quality varietal table wines made from such grape varieties as Chardonnay, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc

In 1989, Tony Sergi recognising this need for a reliable supply of high quality varietal grapes decided to buy surrounding rice farms at Tharbogang for the planting of large scale, highly technical, vineyards. This is now known as Ballingal Estate vineyard and is still owned by the Sergi family. In the same year the Company exported its first wines to United Kingdom. In 1989, Warburn Estate also launched its first cask, Kooba Estate which is still a favourite in many households. In 1994, Warburn Estate’s Warburn brand was launched.

In 1996, the company further invested $14 million in planting the 610 ha in Yenda vineyard which lies 17 kilometres to the east of Tharbogang. The vineyard which uses the latest technology including drip irrigation, EnviroScan soil moisture monitoring, mechanised pruning and harvesting and integrated pest and disease management makes it one of the most technically advanced vineyards in the region.

Domestic sales of Australian wine continued to expand in value rather than volume, reflecting a switch from cask or bulk wine consumption to higher priced bottled wine. As such, Warburn Estate’s restructured management team announced a five-year plan to shift the company’s emphasis from bulk wines to quality bottled and packaged wines. By the end of 1998, the Company was awarded 363 medals and 10 trophies in only 4 years of entering the wine show circuit.

Tim graduated in 1981, by which time he had been appointed assistant winemaker. The following year Tim was appointed winemaker, with responsibility for day-to-day operation of the winery, which then employed as many as 60 people. The first inclination to leave came in 1984, when local cooper Bill Wray suggested a partnership of the two families to make wine and small oak casks. The first wines under the Adams & Wray label were released in September 1986, by which time Tim had left the Stanley Wine Company. Mr Mick continued to offer encouragement and to consult at tastings, embracing Tim as his last apprentice.

In May 1987 the Adams & Wray partnership was dissolved, Pam and Tim took full control of the renamed Tim Adams Wines. In late 1987 they purchased the existing winery site and opened the cellar door in January 1988. The first crushing of first grapes occurred on-site several months later.

Tim Adams has come a long way since 1985, when just 10 tonnes of grapes were vinified. The winery now crushes about a thousand tonnes annually — about 850 tonnes for the Tim Adams Wines label, the rest under contract to other Clare labels. The fruit is sourced from 13 local growers as well as from two leased vineyards and two estate vineyards. Riesling, semillon, viognier, pinot gris, malbec, tempranillo and shiraz is grown at the Sheoak Vineyard. The estate's Ladera Vineyard, established in 2004, is planted to pinot gris and tempranillo.

Tim Adams focus is on making wines exclusively from Clare Valley grapes selected for their authentic varietal and regional characters. Tim Adams regards it as the greates privilege to have regular, long-term access to the unique Aberfeldy Vineyard which so succinctly encapsulates and concentrates everything that’s good about Clare Valley shiraz. Aberfeldy was established in 1904 by the Birks family, of Wendouree fame, about five kilometres south-east of Clare township on a site nestled at the bottom of the easternmost hills of the Clare Valley. Many of the shiraz vines planted by A.P. Birks and his brother William are still bearing fruit and it’s those gnarled centurions that give Aberfeldy Shiraz it's enormous depth and strength of flavour.

The Aberfeldy Vineyard, which was expanded by another acre of shiraz in the late ’80s and early ’90s, is text-book red-grape terroir. At more than 400 metres, it’s quite elevated and the fruit is inevitably among the latest to ripen, which is what gives the wines real elegance as well as power. The soil is classic — red loam over limestone subsoil — though it varies quite markedly in depth. There are pockets in the bottom of the valley where topsoil has accumulated due to run-off from the hills and is so deep that the vines have had to be retrellised and retrained to keep them sufficiently above ground.

Great wine is made first in the vineyard, no stone is left unturned in growing the best possible fruit. Fraser Gallop aim to achieve elegance in their wines, wines that are interesting, complex, and layered – wines that keep you discovering. Through minimal intervention and the use of traditional techniques, as well as the latest technology, wines are created that show balance and finesse upon release, and have the structure and pedigree to thrive with careful cellaring.

Terroir is enormously important at Fraser Gallop Estate. It relates everything you taste, smell and see in a wine to the influence of its geographic origin, topography, soils, and vineyard/canopy management. To produce the best quality wines means to take care of every detail and make quality decisions at the micro level. Decisions at the micro level which lead to a tremendous experience at the macro level. In essence, the attention to detail from planting through to bottling, is unsurpassable.

Wilyabrup is a micro climate where cabernet in particular gives consistently great flavours. The selection of the property which would become Fraser Gallop Estate was undertaken between January and August 1998. Since first requirement was that the area produce outstanding cabernet, it was clear that the vineyard needed to be in the Wilyabrup region, home to producers like Moss Wood, Cullen, Pierro and Vasse Felix. The soils are rich, gravelly loams with clay sub-strata. These provide the attributes necessary for an un-irrigated vineyard.

Since Bordeaux style cabernets are the passion at Fraser Gallop, 17 acres cabernet sauvignon, one acre merlot, one acre petit verdot, one acre cabernet franc and one acre malbec were planted. The area has also produced wonderful chardonnay, so 18 acres were planted. The clones are massively important, Houghton clone cabernet was selected along with Gin Gin chardonnay. Eight acres of semillon were planted in September 2007.

The winemaking philosophy at Fraser Gallop Estate is essentially about wine quality. All vines are dry grown from planting, cane pruned, low yielding (three tonnes/acre reds, two tonnes per acre chardonnay), shoot thinned, leaf plucked, bunch thinned and hand picked. An intensive approach, but one that is reaping rewards. When the grapes are handed over to the winery, they are of a truly high standard. It is paramount that the fruit's qualities are showcased in the final glass. This means minimal handling of the grapes and treating the grapes with kid gloves. This includes hand picking, gravity feeding the press and minimal pumping of the wine.