Brokenwood Wines

Brokenwood Wines was founded in 1970 as a partnership between lawyers and wine lovers, evolving into one of Hunter Valley's most important estates. Chief winemaker Iain Riggs joined in 1982 and produced the first Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz in 1983 — a wine that became Hunter Valley's most collected red. The Graveyard vineyard (named for its proximity to a local cemetery) is planted on Hunter's characteristic red volcanic soil: the deep, porous loam over clay that provides natural drainage and produces Shiraz of exceptional earthy depth and longevity. Brokenwood also produces exceptional Hunter Semillon and multi-regional Shiraz blends.

Brokenwood Graveyard Shiraz is consistently awarded 95-100 points by James Halliday (5 Red Stars), Wine Advocate, and Decanter — it is cited as Hunter Valley's most important Shiraz and among Australia's greatest red wines. The 1986 and 1998 vintages are considered national icons. Iain Riggs was inducted into the Australian Wine Hall of Fame in 2012 for his contribution to Hunter Valley's reputation as a serious fine wine region.