Description In 1967 Robert Ritchie, third generation beef and prime lamb farmer at Delatite, went on a ski holiday at Mt Buller, with Jim Irvine, “The Master Merlot Maker”, from the Barossa Valley. One can only imagine what they discussed, but twelve months later, to everyone’s surprise, 500 vine sticks were left at the bottom of their drive. His wife Vivienne planted them in her vegetable garden and in the spring of 1968, with the help of their friends, they planted their first vineyard. For the next ten years they worked in collaboration with Peter and John Brown from Brown Brothers, growing varieties and developing wine styles suited to their climate. The wine has layers of flavour on the palate initially it has some lemony tartness but then bursts out with rich tropical fruits, apricot with musk and rosewater, with a pleasing dry finish. A wine that would be perfect with spicy Asian dishes.
