Description

‘Someone asked me the other day something to the tune of ‘who are the next generation of newer generation producers who will truly create a legacy in Australian wine … I would put Ravensworth and Bryan Martin firmly in the list. No misses from him. Building a formidable argument to prestige.” Mike Bennie, The Wine Front.

“As a talented food writer, cook and forager, Bryan Martin thinks deeply about textures and flavours. This combined with over a decade’s experience at Clonakilla, has resulted in a suite of distinctive Ravensworth wines.” Huon Hooke, Gourmet Traveller Wine.

Bryan Martin was assistant winemaker and ‘right hand man’ to Tim Kirk at Clonakilla. However Ravensworth has been he and wife Jocelyn’s passion since 2001. Finishing up at Clonakilla in 2019 he focus’s solely now on Ravensworth in Murrumbateman in the Canberra district.

Martin’s approach is deliberately unconventional – he produces a range of brilliant, regionally classic wines, offset by a decent smattering of genre-bending experiments. Shiraz is the main crop on the Ravensworth Estate, followed by Riesling and Sangiovese. Then there’s Rhône white varietals, Gamay and Nebbiolo. Not only does Martin use a wide range of varieties, but clonal differences across these are also utilised for complexity and tonality.

Everything at the Estate is grown with organic principles and the vineyard is consciously farmed as an element of a wider ecosystem in balance with other flora and fauna so it can develop to its greatest potential. This balance limits any chemicals or other nasties. A little old Italian tractor is employed rather than heavy machinery, and likewise in the cellar, the winemaking uses a light touch. There’s no recipe—a range of techniques and vessels are used, always dependent on what the vintage presents.

Clonakilla has often been thought as the leading winery in the region but Ravensworth has gained much success and critical praise including winning the International Riesling Challenge in 2012 and in 2015 he was runner up Winemaker of the Year for Gourmet Traveller Wine.

The catastrophic events of 2020 led Bryan Martin to go in search of fruit from all corners of Australia, and the creation of his Long Way Around range sourced from far flung regions like Margaret River, Swan Valley, Tamar Valley and SA Riverland.

“From over 5000km they came – across both the Nullabor and Bass Strait – five trucks, one train and a boat carrying eight varieties, from five regions to finally reach home, Murrumbateman. You might say the long way around. We knew early our fruit was toast from bushfires. Many friends from far away offered us fruit and processing space so we scratched together an eclectic mix of esoterica.” Bryan Martin.

This wine is sourced from top quality sites and like-minded friends in Margaret River, Canberra and Hilltops. This is 50% Malbec, 25% Cabernet Franc and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon. There is a mix of whole berry and carbonic fermentation, followed by 2-3 weeks on skins. Pressed to new and used puncheons. This fine red has a beguiling fragrance… more dark fruit, weight and density with some moorish tannins and yet retains signature vibrancy and juiciness. Yum !

“A pretty unique blend of Margaret River Malbec with some local Cabernet’s Franc and Sauvignon.

An all new wine to sink you teeth into. Blends based of Cabernet, merlot, malbec etc have always been a little elusive but when we were offer some Margaret River Malbec, all the ducks were lined up to create new wine under our Long Way Around range. Pretty intense and serious, Malbec is the secret weapon that Marg’s producers use to add complexity and richness to Cab based blends.” Bryan Martin

RRP $42 Our Special Price $36.99 when you buy 6 or more of this wine. *SPECIAL PRICING FOR LIMITED TIME!*