Mudgee’s Robert Stein Wines has released two new vintage wines, the 2016 Robert Stein Reserve Chardonnay ($40) and 2014 Robert Stein Shiraz ($25).
The Robert Stein vineyards were planted on the slopes of Mount Buckaroo in 1976 with the first varieties planted comprising chardonnay, shiraz, riesling and gewürztraminer.
Jacob’s Grandfather Robert Stein planted the vineyard having taken inspiration from his ancestor Johann Stein who travelled to Australia from his German homeland on the ship ‘Kinnear’ in 1838 to work for the Macarthur Family as their ‘vine dresser’.
The grapes for the new 2016 Robert Stein Reserve Chardonnay are from this original planting. The chardonnay was hand picked, whole bunch pressed and fermented with indigenous yeasts in 50 per cent new French oak hogsheads with partial malolatic fermentation.
“Each component of our winemaking is to extract the best out of our fruit and add layers of complexity without overshadowing the true expression of our vineyard,” explained winemaker Jacob Stein.
“Our first vintage of chardonnay was in 1981. We have expanded our vineyards since then, however the Reserve Chardonnay continues to be made from this small 40 year old block.”
The new 2014 Robert Stein Shiraz was made from a range of blocks of Shiraz across the vineyard. Hand picked, the grapes were then fermented in traditional open fermenters. From there the components were racked into a combination of new and seasoned oak hogsheads, with the wine matured for a further 14 months.
“Mudgee is known for its earthy, rustic tannins,” continued Jacob. “We work hard in the vineyard to ensure they are ripe and balanced by the generous body and varietal fruit flavours. These are wines that will continue to develop in the bottle over the next decade.”