Warrumbungle Wines

With the assistance and encouragement of Dick (Dr Richard) Smart the Trickey family began to convert a hilltop grazing paddock into a 10ha vineyard in 1998. Chambourcin, merlot, petit verdot and shiraz were the first varieties planted, tempranillo and viognier more recently, and not yet yielding. While Coonabarabran is in the northwest of NSW, the 600m altitude of the vineyard results in cool to cold nights (fleece and beanies at Australia Day bbqs) with a climate not unlike that of the Granite Belt. The red volcanic basalt over sandstone soils derived from the Warrumbungle Mountain Range (bringing childhood memories of September holidays spent at a sheep station at Gulargambone, which also looked out to the Warrumbungles) makes ideal vineyard soil. Gareth, Cameron and Susanne Trickey are all involved in the venture, organising hand-picking of grapes at night to take advantage of the cool temperature (perhaps the only winery in Australia to do so) and assist winemakers Ken Borchardt and CP Lin (blind since two years old, but with a very long career in winemaking both in Australia and NZ) at Red Earth Estate, near Dubbo. In a further determination to be different, the brands are Bluebottle, a premium red blend in a blue coloured bottle; Greenbottle for the premium white blend; Blowfly for the premium red varietals of chambourcin, merlot, petit verdot and shiraz. Small quantities of Dominus Muscidae (reserve red) and Maelstrom (Amarone style red wine) are also made for direct sale through the cellar door or mail order. -JAMES HALLIDAY