The John William Shiraz
John William - better known to his friends as JB has had a hand in this vineyard, one way or the other from the very beginning. In 1994 it was a father, son and dog team (Good old Schultz) that pruned the one-year-old vines.

JB helped us pick our very first vintage, he drove from Wollongong every weekend for years to make sure the vineyard – in fact the entire estate was in the best of care.

Shiraz and the Hunter, like JB and I have a long history of friendship, in fact John William in many ways is like the vines he has tended – strong in character, individual, gives enjoyment to others, never lays down and is maturing gracefully.

John William has done many things in his life but I’d like to think that sharing a bottle or two of shiraz with family and friends over a good meal is at the top of his list.
Here’s to you JB – Thanks.

The Bettina Chardonnay
Bettina – known to many as Bettie, is my mother and has seen our small vineyard grow and take shape from the beginning. When we first bought the property there were thousands of small rocks everywhere in the vineyard and the more we ploughed the dirt the more we increased the number of rocks. Now rocks are a good thing to have as part of your vineyard make up, but we had too many. Bettie took on the role of eradicating unwanted rocks. She worked every weekend for months carting rocks from the vineyard.

Bettina’s discipline proved a winner; this little patch of chardonnay has a reputation for producing some of the best chardonnay in the valley. Bettina’s discipline and determination has stood her well in life, add to that her generosity and love of a good time and that’s a recipe for a great life.

The Bettina Sparkling Chardonnay is just like the lady herself, generous and full of life.
Rock On Bettina.

The Vivian Laurie Merlot
Enjoy this merlot and celebrate the life of Vivian Laurie. Mother, grandmother and great grandmother but to all she knew, most of all a great friend.

Vivian Laurie single handily raised two young boys and kept their small farm running during the second world war in northern NSW.

Vivian Laurie loved to play golf; she had a beautiful voice and sang in the church choir. I can still remember as a young boy standing beside her in church wanting to hide under the pew as she sang an octave higher than everyone else and three times as loud. I knew it was different when the congregation started to give me that look, you know the one.

But that really sums up how Vivian Laurie led her life, honest, full of fun, straightforward and always generous. Vivian Laurie was loved by many – they were lucky – but I was the luckiest, you see I was her favourite grandson she used to tell me all the time. The fact that I was her only grandson never really entered the equation.

Our very first vintage merlot won a medal at the Hunter Valley Wine show and in fact received the highest score of any other Merlot in that year, I wasn’t surprised, after all, it was the Vivian Laurie.
So raise your glass and toast this sweet lady – Vivian Laurie.

The Gym Sparkling Merlot
The experts say you should exercise 3 to 4 times a week, but we dont always get to do that, do we?

In fact some of us dont do it at all.

Well, you should, so we at The Vineyards Estate have put together a wonderful exercise program. Think of us as your personal trainer.

This luscious Sparkling Merlot is so good you can drink it at least 3 to 4 times a week.

So the next time you're feeling guilty when the subject of exercise comes up, now you can say without any feelings of guilt, "I visit The GYM 3 to 4 times a week, plus I drink red wine which is also good for the heart."

I'll bet you're feeling better already - better head off to The GYM.

Possibility Sparkling Chardonnay
Wine, like life, is full of Possibility.

Will it be a great vintage? - It's a Possibility !

Will it be a good harvest? - It's a Possibility !

Will it be a great wine? - It's a Possibility !

In life, like wine, if you think you can, you can.

The world is moving so fast the man who says it's not possible is generally interupted by someone making it possible.

Always begin with the end in mind, a glass of wine,
and life is full of Possibility !