‘Moments bottled become memories poured’

The New England is unlike any other grape growing region in Australia, and much of this is due to the region’s diversity. Ranging from high altitude (1,000m ASL), cool climate vineyards along the spine of the Great Dividing Range, to the lower and warmer sites on the western edges of the New England Tablelands; the region offers up dramatic and unique conditions for viticulture.

Bolivia, NSW

Situated 35km south of Tenterfield, the farm is nestled amongst grazing properties and spectacular granite outcrops of the Bolivia district of Northern NSW. The rich granite soil and cold winters, warm summers and summer rainfall produces a wonderful example of cool climate wines.

Toppers Mountain Tingha, NSW

Toppers vineyard is just north of Tingha (between Armidale & Inverell) on the spine of the Great Dividing Range in northern NSW. It sits on the western edge of the New England Tablelands at an altitude of 900m ASL, high above the valleys of the McIntyre and Gwydir Rivers on deep, red volcanic soils called Krasnozems.

The unique story behind this vineyard starts with the owner/viticulturist Mark Kirkby, was flying over the region in a chopper with his brother. From the corner of his eye, he saw a mass of red dirt. They both immediately decided that regardless of what they planted on this unique piece of agricultural dirt, something special would come of it. In 1997, in a moment of inspiration, Kirkby planted a vineyard with some 27 varieties before grafting over the varieties that were the most suited; leaving the 14 that remain to this day.

The foundation of Jilly wines was built of the fruit that comes from this incredible piece of dirt.

Clunes, NSW

Planted in 2019 on a gentle slope facing the west, Jilly - the Lone Ranger - is pioneering Winemaking in the Northern Rivers, the first patch of it's kind in the area. An experimental fruit salad patch that sits just below the winery, with a view out to the Border Ranges.

History

The New England Australia wine producing area, although widely thought of as a new wine producing region is actually a re-emerging wine region with an interesting history that dates back as far as the first settlers. Squatters and settlers planted vineyards and made their own wine due to the difficulty in transporting alcohol from other major centres. The most famous of these was Mr George Wyndham, founder of award-winning Wyndham Estate winery. George established a 100,000-acre property “Bukkulla”, near Inverell the 1850’s.

Between 1870 & 1920 wines from the area won many awards at international wine shows. A prominent English wine judge of the time wrote of the Bukkulla wines.

“(They) have a character and quality above the average of most wine-producing countries. The lowest quality is better than a large proportion of the ordinary wines of Europe, while the best would not suffer in comparison to the finest known growths”.

As the New England area continues to prove itself as an ‘undiscovered gem,’ we begin a new chapter in History here in Clunes, NSW with an experimental patch; the first of it's kind in Northern NSW.

A direct reflection of the environment, we understand and appreciate that which provides for us. With a deep knowledge of viticulture and agricultural practices, the Winery was created to be completely off-grid, utlising the sun's energy as power, and composting all waste on the property, to in turn be used as fertiliser for the vineyard. We believe in continuing this narrative for many to come, and are folding this history into the land, and the soil.