Our WinesMcKellar Ridge, owned by Brian and Janet Johnston, is a business producing high quality wines from specially selected parcels of Canberra District grapes. The winery is located on Point of View Vineyard, 2 Euroka Avenue, Murrumbateman. Grapes are principally sourced from Point of View Vineyard at Murrumbateman, but are also supplemented by other growers who focus on low yields, modern vine canopy management and disease control. Fruit is netted to protect from bird damage and to allow the time of picking to be determined by the best balance of sugars, acid and flavours, always with ripe seed tannins. The wines are all hand-made, using traditional open ferment/pigeage methods for reds, but ensuring the application of modern winemaking techniques such as careful pH management and protective handling of the wines, using CO2 during transfers. These techniques were learned at Charles Sturt University, where Brian has completed a post-graduate diploma in science, focussing on wine science and wine production techniques.
AwardsThe wines have won a number of medals when shown young - bronze and silver medals for the Cabernet Sauvignon and the Shiraz has been Highly Recommended by Winewise in 2004. At the 2006 Canberra Regional Wine Show the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc won a Gold medal and Acumen Alliance Trophy as the Best Cabernet and/or Merlot. The 2005 Shiraz-Viognier won a Bronze Medal. Our latest release wines, the 2008 reds have won numerous awards, including a Gold medal for our 2008 Shiraz-Viognier and a Silver medal for our 2008 Cabernet blend, Trio.
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Wines For Sale |
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2007 Basket Press Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet FrancAlso produced from a drought year, this is an intense Cabernet. It has a dark red colour and a full palate. It exhibits blackcurrant, blackberries and smoky oak characters from the French oak on the nose. Dark and brooding, with lovely tannins on the back palate and a very good Cabernet length. $24/ $22 by the dozen ReviewsTop Drops, Chris Shanahan, Sunday Canberra Times 1 March 2009 McKellar Ridge Canberra District Shiraz Viognier 2007 and Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc 2007 In a district of small makers, McKellar Ridge is a tiny winemaker, handcrafting batches of wine from Point of View Vineyard, Murrumbateman. It's not that easy making tiny batches as there's no big pot to tip the mistakes into. But if winemaker Brian Johnston makes mistakes, it's a well-hidden secret as the quality's been consistently good and the prices modest. Johnston's latest shiraz viognier's in the taut, fine Canberra style with an assertive vein of spicy oak biting through the very good fruit. There's nice fruit in the cabernet, too, but it's offset by the grippy tannins of the variety. They're attractive, elegant wines and should be even better in six to 12 months. Winestate July/August 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon and blends, 342 tasted, 179 recommended 3.5 Stars "Dark, meaty Bordeaux-like nose and firm, warm palate filled with spicy Blackberry flavours and extracted tannins."
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2008 Barrel Fermented ChardonnayThis wine was made from grapes from Point of View Vineyard. The grapes were basket pressed and the juice fermented in French oak barrel. The result is a pleasing one, with a nice smoky oak character complementing the chardonnay fruit characters on the nose, The palate is crisp and dry, with melon and peach fruit flavours complementing the lime. The wine has good length and intensity and finishes with a characteristic cool cliate spiciness. $22 / $20 by the dozen ReviewTop Drops, Chris Shanahan, Sunday Canberra Times 7 December 2008 2008 McKellar Ridge Chardonnay McKellar Ridge would have to be one of Canberra's smallest wineries with production of only 400-500 dozen bottles annually. Brian and Janet Johnson own the brand and they source fruit from Martin Susan's Point of View vineyard, Murrumbateman — home also of the winery and cellar door, now open on Sunday afternoons. Brian's first chardonnay from the vineyard is deliciously taut and zesty with melon-like varietal flavour, overlaid harmoniously with distinctive aromas and flavours derived from fermentation and maturation in oak barrels. But it's the fruit that leads the flavour from beginning to end. Available at cellar door or through www.mckellaridgewines.com.au.
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2008 Shiraz ViognierHand plunged, basket pressed and matured in qulaity French oak for 14 months. Made in the northern Rhone Valley style. Lovely deep blackberry fruit, a spicy wine with velvety tannins. Excellent flavour, depth and intensity. Drink now or cellar for up to 10 years. Gold Medal, 2009 NSW Small Winemakers Show $28 / $26 by the dozen Reviews"Capital Gains" Special Tasting : Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine Oct/Nov 2009 (Reviewed by tasting panel comprising Peter Bourne, Peter Forrestal, Huon Hooke and Nick Bullied, supported by Nick Ryan and Debbie Pearce) McKellar Ridge 2008 Basket Press Shiraz Viognier 92 points Is initially a bit closed on the nose, but opens up with a red-berry fragrance. "It's all about perfume and texture" said Huon Hooke. "Beautifully balanced berries and spiciness, with a touch of viognier showing. Glossy texture and perfect balance". The wine is medium bodied, alcohol providing weight without aggression, and the tannins are fine and polished. A well structured wine that's ready now and good for three years at least. (Nick Bullied)
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2008 Trio (Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc/Merlot)Made similarly to the Shiraz-Viognier. Deep blackberry and cedar oak aroma. Full ripe red berry fruits with great depth, with firm but ripe tannins and a spicy and long finish. Delicious Bordeaux style wine. Drink now or cellar for up to 10 years. Silver Medal, 2009 NSW Small Windmakers Show Bronze Medal 2009 Canberra Regional Wine Show $28 / $26 by the dozen Review Top Drops, Chris Shanahan, Sunday Canberra Times 17 January 2010 Trio Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc Merlot 2008 Brian and Janet Johnston's wines are vibrant and fruity with clear varietal character. The reds offer contrasting expressions of cabernet sauvignon and related varieties: Trio, the cabernet dominant blend, is elegant and fruity with solid but fine tannins of the variety.
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2008 Merlot Cabernet Franc(A new wine made in a small batch for the first time) Made the same way as our Shiraz-Viognier and Trio wines, the nose opens to plummy fruits and cedar oak. The palate has deep plum and cherry flavours, with nice complexity provided by the French oak. Juicy, with soft tannins and a long finish. A wonderful St-Emilion style wine. Drink now or cellar for up to 10 years. $28 / $26 by the dozen Reviews"Capital Gains" Special Tasting : Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine Oct/Nov 2009 (Reviewed by tasting panel comprising Peter Bourne, Peter Forrestal, Huon Hooke and Nick Bullied, supported by Nick Ryan and Debbie Pearce) "Emulates the Right Bank Bordeaux blend and does it successfully", Nick Ryan noted. "Plums and violets, juicy fruits and a plump, lush texture. Fine-knit, lightly warm tannins". I liked the suppleness and the fully ripe flavours and tannins. There's a well-judged touch of vanillin from new oak, too, and distinct acidity freshens the finish. The result is a fleshy, well-developed structured wine that's drinking nicely already and which should develop more complexity over four years. (Nick Bullied) McKellar Ridge Merlot Cabernet Franc 90 points Top Drops, Chris Shanahan, Sunday Canberra Times 17 January 2010 Merlot Cabernet Franc 2008 Brian and Janet Johnston's wines are vibrant and fruity with clear varietal character. The reds offer contrasting expressions of cabernet sauvignon and related varieties; the merlot dominant blend is fragrant and plummy with a little less body and very fine, dry tannins.
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2009 Sauvignon BlancMade to be fresh and dry in the Loire Valley style. The wine has a herbaceous, grassy nose with a hint of passion fruit. The palate has citrus and lime and finishes crisp and tangy. Great on the deck in summer. Drink 2009-2010. $18 / $16 by the dozen ReviewsTop Drops, Chris Shanahan, Sunday Canberra Times 17 January 2010 McKellar Ridge Canberra District Sauvignon Blanc 2009 Brian and Janet Johnston's wines are vibrant and fruity with clear varietal character. A little sulphide quickly breathes off the sauvignon blanc, revealing a fresh, dry white expressing a little of each of the variety's herbal and tropical-fruit characters in a full-flavoured, firm way. "Top 100 New Release : Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine February/March 2010"
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2009 Shiraz RoseEarly-picked Shiraz from Point of View Vineyard, de-stemmed, crushed and held on skins for 24 hours. Made to be refreshing, it has strawberry and cherry aroma, beautiful colour, a full, fresh middle palate and a crisp dry finish. — "Summer" says it all. Drink 2009-2010. Bronze Medal 2009 Cowra Wine Show $18 / $16 by the dozen
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Previous Vintage Wines - (sold out) |
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2005 Shiraz-ViognierA beautifully soft and aromatic Shiraz-Viognier, made using traditional hand plunging and basket pressing, matured for 12 months in French oak. ReviewsCampbell Mattinson |
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2005 Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet FrancA wonderfully aromatic, deep and complex Cabernet, made using traditional hand plunging and basket pressing, matured for 12 months in French oak. ReviewsTop Drops, Chris Shanahan Every wine district has theories as to why certain varieties should or shouldn't excel in the local environment. Finally, the only test that counts is in the glass. And that's not a test that's ever determined by one tasting, but rather by cumulative opinion of many people over a great period of time. By that measure cabernet sauvignon struggles in our region. However, we see occasional highlights like this delicious McKellar Ridge 2005, a trophy winner at last month's local show. It has a satisfying depth of varietal flavour and the taut structure of the variety. Released October 12, phone Brian Johnston 6258 1556. Campbell Mattinson
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2006 Sauvignon BlancCrisp, dry wine with good citrus flavours, some light oak overtones and a spicy finish. ReviewJames Halliday Grass, herb and lemon aroma lead into a similar range of flavours, plus slightly sweeter, more tropical fruit; good length.
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2006 Shiraz-ViognierA great Canberra District Shiraz, with 2.5% Viognier to provide floral aromas and a lucious mouthfeel, finishing long with red berry fruits and a lovely spicy finish. ReviewsEat and Drink Magazine Canberra reds have been led by Clonakilla for several years but other high quality wineries are now showing similar style wines. One such is McKellar Ridge with very good shiraz and cabernets from recent vintages. The 2006 shiraz viognier continues the success with a very tidy wine. Australian shiraz is a wonderful beast with rich Barossa, spicy Coonawarra, earthy Hunter, Rhonish Margaret River and elegant yet powerful wines from Canberra. Despite its youth, this shows pristine shiraz dark cherry fruit, some oak spice and a silky palate that belies both its lack of age and fine structure. It's far to easy to drink now but should be kept for at least a year or two before indulging; but ten years cellaring will also be a benefit. Chris Shanahan Brian and Janet Johnston's McKellar Ridge is a tiny operation focusing on small parcels of high quality Canberra District fruit. The wines have always been good. But this latest release, to my taste, does away with a few little blemishes that kept earlier vintages out of the top ranks. In the past I thought the oak intruded slightly on what were otherwise very fine-boned wines. But what we see in 2006 is the pure, lovely fragrance and flavour and supple, smooth texture of cool-grown shiraz. Brian sourced the grapes from Martin Susan's Murrumbateman vineyard and made the wine using traditional techniques.
Huon Hooke, Good Living Nick Stock The Penguin Good Australian Wine Guide 2009 2006 Shiraz Viognier "Brian and Janet Johnston have played into the regional strength of this Rhone inspired blend, plenty of ripeness and dark brambly fruits, youthful and lightly spiced. The palate packs dense sweet dark berry flavour into juicy tannins — shows promise. **** Score 90" |
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2006 Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet FrancA follow-up to the multi-award winning 2005 wine. This wine has an even deeper cabernet structure with lovely aromas of cedar oak and dark berry fruit. The palate is luscious and the wine finishes with beautiful fine tannins. ReviewsEat and Drink Magazine Canberra area has gained fame for its shiraz (often with a dash of viognier) but this shows that cabernet can shine here too, perhaps with its oft-maligned cousin franc. Loads of blackcurrant with some hints of red fruits and herbs but very fragrant and enticing. The palate is quite firm yet ("give me a break", it cries, "I'm barely in bottle") but with lots of fruit, liquorice and underlying oak that will integrate and improve in the short term and develop for many years. A lovely Bordeaux-ish style red of real integrity. Top Drops This is the second outstanding vintage in a row from Brian Johnston's McKellar Ridge. With grape grower Martin Susans (Point of View vineyard, Murrumbateman), he's produced an elegant, ripe and delicious medium-bodied cabernet blend. It's not green, it's not hard, it's not hollow and it's not overoaked - problems that've made Canberra cabernet a poor cousin to shiraz. Johnston says Susans' work in the vineyard delivered the lovely ripe-berry varietal flavour - characteristics captured well by Johnston's winemaking and sympathetic French oak maturation regime. The cabernet franc component, from Mount Majura vineyard, subtly fleshes out the mid-palate. Campbell Mattinson, The Big Red Wine Book
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2007 Basket Press Shiraz-ViognierThis wine was produced from low yielding vines from a drought year. The colour is intense purple/red and the wine fuller bodied than last years, with intense blackberry fruit, smoky oak from fine French oak and very fine tannins. The viognier is minimal at 2.5% and provides a subtle floral lift to the aroma and a full round palate, with very good length. An intense Canberra District shiraz. $24/ $22 by the dozen ReviewTop Drops, Chris Shanahan, Sunday Canberra Times 1 March 2009 McKellar Ridge Canberra District Shiraz Viognier 2007 and Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc 2007 In a district of small makers, McKellar Ridge is a tiny winemaker, handcrafting batches of wine from Point of View Vineyard, Murrumbateman. It's not that easy making tiny batches as there's no big pot to tip the mistakes into. But if winemaker Brian Johnston makes mistakes, it's a well-hidden secret as the quality's been consistently good and the prices modest. Johnston's latest shiraz viognier's in the taut, fine Canberra style with an assertive vein of spicy oak biting through the very good fruit. There's nice fruit in the cabernet, too, but it's offset by the grippy tannins of the variety. They're attractive, elegant wines and should be even better in six to 12 months. |
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2008 Sauvignon BlancThe growing conditions for these grapes at Shadows Hill were much kinder in 2008, compared to 2007. They were harvested in two pickings to provide both herbaceaous and floral characters to the wine. A small perentage of viognier was also included to lift the fruit profile. The outcome is a fresh crisp wine exhibiting lime, citrus, and herbaceaous characters on the nose, with light floral notes provided by the viognier. Dry and refreshing on the palate with good fruit expression of lime and grassy characters, the wine has a nice spicy finish. |
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Last updated on: 3 February 2010