Mitchelton Celebrating 50 Years

In 2010 Gerry Ryan, a thoroughbred horse breeder and business magnate, became intrigued by the ailing Mitchelton winery and sizeable vineyard on a bend of the Goulburn River, near Nagambie. The striking observation tower, designed by renowned architect Robin Boyd, was a landmark in the region and contrasted brilliantly with the nearby 19th Century Chinese tower at Tahbilk. At the time the business had transferred into the hands of Lion Nathan’s Fine Wine Partners, which had absorbed the Petaluma Group some years before in 2004. Initial enquiries into its possible sale were met with disinterest, but within a year corporate shuffling resulted in the winery being offered for sale once again. The rationale was that owning vineyards fitted poorly from ‘a brewer’s accounting perspective.’ This outlook was a theme of corporate winery and vineyard ownership in Australia since time immemorial. Return on capital has always been uneven and when boom times are over vineyard assets are often disposed of to achieve profitability. But when decisions are made to offload valuable vineyard land, it can signal a decline in fortunes.

After the acquisition of Mitchelton was finely completed in 2012, Gerry Ryan and his son Andrew envisaged new directions that would resuscitate the estate’s fortunes and bring more wealth into the Nagambie Lakes/ Strathbogie region through wine tourism and hospitality. Asides from investing in a new Hecker Guthrie-designed 60 room hotel (which was inaugurated in 2017), they began to rework the vineyards and reinvigorate ambitions for Mitchelton Estate. An art gallery specialising in the best examples of aboriginal art was also opened. The following years would begin a new period of optimism, family ownership and stability, but not without the challenge of the COVID years and major flooding in 2022. When the Goulburn River broke its banks, vineyards belonging to both Mitchelton and neighbouring Tahbilk were inundated causing widespread, but not irreparable damage to the vines. Unfortunately, the underground Art Gallery was not so lucky with many significant Aboriginal artworks destroyed. But heroics also saved many as well.

Meanwhile Gerry Ryan brought in Charles Sturt-trained winemaker Natalie Cleghorn to realise the estate’s potential. A former track rider for racehorse trainer Peter Hayes at Angaston in the Barossa, she had risen through the ranks of Yalumba to become one of the company’s most senior winemakers. After the dramatic mothballing of Accolade’s Katnook winery and vineyard in Coonawarra (where she had become head winemaker), the opportunity to reimagine the future of Mitchelton‘s wines in early 2023 highlighted the sliding doors of an industry in transition and long term outlooks of family-owned wine companies.

Mitchelton’s chequered history of major successes and setbacks highlights the challenges of winegrowing and wine business, but the stability of a committed owner and new visions promise a golden period. Although the Australian wine industry is faced with enormous challenges, it needs investors like Gerry Ryan to help establish a fresh and exciting narrative. His can-do approach, team-building spirit and willingness to take the extra mile have already created an atmosphere of creativity and productivity. The Mitchelton Estate is a brilliant foil to the aspirations of the 19th Century Victorian wine industry. While the neighbouring Tahbilk winery and environs exemplifies the economic power of land theory of those times, Mitchelton portrays, through its architecture, the ideals of mid-20th Century optimism and technological advancement. The two wineries represent the best of these ambitions and offer the quintessential ambitions of the 21st Century Australian wine industry where the efforts of previous generations are combined with the latest in technology, sustainable practices and governance.

With memories of ambitious horizons, great winemakers (notably Colin Preece and Don Lewis), a Jimmy Watson Trophy winning wine, and the decades of highs and lows, a tasting of previous vintages was a moment of reflection to celebrate 50 years. Although it's early days under the leadership of Natalie Cleghorn, Mitchelton is in extremely good hands with an experienced team, great ambitions and strong financial backing. It is a prized estate, well-regarded brand and tourist destination. Located in the heart of central Victoria, Mitchelton is a wonderful place to soak up the heritage of the Nagambie Lakes wine region and enjoy the beautiful landscape and wildlife of the Australian bush. A return to estate-grown reds is probably on the cards, but the next chapter is yet to be revealed. Exciting times ahead.

2023 Michelton Blackwood Park Riesling, Nagambie Lakes - Victoria

Pale colour. Fresh camomile, hint lime aromas with ginger and tonic water. Fresh lime cordial, touch honey, camomile, jasmine flavours, underlying ginger/ tonic water notes, fine slinky textures, very attractive mid-palate volume and pure long indelible/ crunchy acidity. Very precise with a touch of phenolic twist at the finish. Lovely density, definition and mineral length. Screw cap. Drink now – 2032 12% alc 95 points

2017 Michelton Blackwood Park Riesling, Nagambie Lakes - Victoria

Pale colour. Classic oilskin, lime, hint butterscotch aromas with floral hint bush garrigue lift. Generous, supple and richly flavoured with developed lime, lemon curd, oilskin flavours, slinky/al dente/ bittersweet textures and a runnel of fine loose knit mineral acidity. Finishes long with toasty notes. Fresh and complex wine at its peak of development. Cruising altitude from now on. Delicious. Screw cap. Drink now – 2028 12.5% alc 94 points

2013 Michelton Blackwood Park Riesling, Nagambie Lakes - Victoria

Pale colour. Fragrant herb garden, mineral/ gravelly, lemon rind aromas with honeyed notes. Richly flavoured and vigorous with developed lemon curd, oilskin, herb garden flavours, fine sappy firm textures and pronounced acidity. Muscular with energy and volume. Touch of earthiness coming through. Interesting wine with torque and lasting presence. Screw cap. Drink now – 2032 12% alc 91 points

2010 Michelton Blackwood Park Riesling, Nagambie Lakes - Victoria

Pale colour. Fresh candle waxy, lemon curd, herb garden aromas. Generous lemon curd, grapefruit, touch oilskin, waxy flavours, lovely core of sweet fruit, fine chalky textures and fresh cutting acidity. Finishes minerally and long with some sappy notes. Impressively balanced for a wine of this age. Screw cap. Drink now – 2030 12% alc 95 points

2003 Michelton Blackwood Park Riesling, Nagambie Lakes - Victoria

Fresh grapefruit, lemon curd, tropical fruit, wax polish aromas with mineral notes. Well-developed and surprisingly animated with deep set lemon curd, grapefruit flavours, some flinty, wax polish bittersweet notes, very good mid palate viscosity and long crunchy acidity. In very good condition with lovely presence, buoyancy, and mineral length. Drink now – 2026 13% alc 96 points

2000 Michelton Blackwood Park Riesling, Nagambie Lakes - Victoria

Brassy gold colour. Intense grapefruit, toasty, tobacco aromas with creme brulée notes. Well-developed and advanced with sweet grapefruit, marzipan, liquorice all sorts flavours, fine supple textures and integrated fine acidity. A touch hot at the finish. More of a curio now. But it still has volume and attack. Drink now – soon 13% alc90 points

1996 Michelton Blackwood Park Riesling, Nagambie Lakes - Victoria

Brassy gold colour. Intense grapefruit glacé, lemon curd, camphor aromas. Still holding up with generous but advanced grapefruit glacé, lemon curd, honey flavours, attractive mid plate viscosity, lacy textures and fine slaty acidity. A lovely old thing with energy still in its creaking bones. Drink up – soon 13% alc 92 points

2023 Mitchelton Shiraz, Heathcote - Victoria

Deep crimson. Lifted raspberry, cranberry, black cherry aromas with hint of marzipan/ ginger. Generously flavoured with raspberry pastille, black cherry fruits, fine slinky textures, very good mid plate generosity and fine slinky tannins. Finishes firm with touch of acidity. Still elemental showing its parts rather than its sum. Drink 2028 – 2038 14.2% 94 points

2019 Mitchelton Print Shiraz, Victoria

Medium deep colour. Liquorice all sorts, blackberry, graphite aromas with hints of roasted chestnut/ vanilla. Expressive blackberry, strawberry, liquorice, marzipan flavours, fine chocolaty textures, beautifully integrated new oak notes and fresh long acidity. Finishes claret firm with aniseed notes.  Drink 2026 – 2038 14.8% alc 95 points

2015 Mitchelton Print Shiraz, Victoria

Medium deep crimson. Intense blackberry, capsicum aromas with marzipan vanilla, hint cigar box and pepper notes. Chocolaty textured wine with ample blackberry, black cherry fruits, fine slinky firm touch soupy tannins, attractive inky density and underlying roasted chestnut, tobacco leaf notes. Finishes firm with al dente/ sapid notes. Drink now – 2030 14.5% alc 93 points 

2013 Mitchelton Print Shiraz, Victoria

Medium deep crimson. Intense black forest, black cherry aromas with mocha hint tobacco leaf/ capsicum notes. Inky deep and generous with plentiful black cherry, dark chocolate, espresso flavours, loose knit grainy tannins and well - integrated marzipan oak notes. Finishes chocolaty and crunchy with some tobacco leaf. Acidity sits on top of the wine. Drink now – 2028 93 points

2004 Mitchelton Print Shiraz, Victoria

Medium deep crimson. Complex and developed wine with intense strawberry, blackberry, espresso aromas with dark chocolate. Generously concentrated and well developed under cork. Rich strawberry pastille, blackberry fruits, espresso/ roasted coffee complexity, fine loose knit chalky tannins and underlying marzipan, capsicum, tobacco leaf notes. Finishes chocolaty and long. Drink now – 2030 14.5% alc 94 points

1998 Mitchelton Print Shiraz, Victoria

Medium deep crimson. Slightly stale dark berry, iodine/ seaweedy aromas with crème brulée notes. Richly flavoured and supple with ample dark berry, dark chocolate, caramel flavours, fine grainy firm/ grippy tannins, and underlying roasted chestnut/ walnutty notes. Finishes firm with a whip of acidity. Would have been better under screwcap. Drink now – 2028 14.5% alc 91 points

1996 Mitchelton Print Shiraz, Victoria

Medium deep crimson. Blackberry, chinotto, tobacco leaf aromas with earthy/ saline notes. Fresh slightly metallic wine with amole black and blueberry fruits, some cola notes, fine sinewy tannins and well-integrated mocha oak. Finishes claret firm with pronounced acidity. The acidity will always shape this wine. Drink now – soon. 13.5% alc 89 points

1993 Mitchelton Print Shiraz, Victoria

Medium deep crimson. Fresh dark berry, liquorice humbug aromas with mint dark chocolate notes. Well concentrated dark chocolate, dark berry, minty aniseed flavours, fine looseknit slinky bittersweet tannins. Finishes firm with persistent acidity. Cylindrical in shape with underripe notes, Drink now – 2028 13.8% alc 91 points

1990 Mitchelton Print Shiraz, Victoria

Medium crimson. Fresh dark cherry pastille, strawberry, roasted coffee aromas. Supple and loose knit with attractive inky dark cherry, strawberry, espresso, roasted chestnut flavours, fine lacy textures, lovely mid palate richness and integrated fine acidity. Finishes chalky, touch earthy with a fine tannin plume. 1991 Jimmy Watson Trophy. Drink now – soon 13.5% alc 95 points