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I am pleased to announce the release of the 2018 Private Bin reds. The 2018 vintage, like that of 2017, was the product of a dry and warm-to-hot summer. The drought conditions continued through most of the growing season, with short, sharp showers arriving seemingly at the time when we needed them most, giving us just enough moisture to get the fruit through to maturity without too much sunburn. The alcohol levels are a little lower than they were in 2017, but the wines have wonderful flavour, long, soft fruit and good acid.

We picked the first Shiraz for Vat 9 and Johnno’s on Monday 29 January 2018 and were essentially finished by 7 February. We are now in the wonderful position where we have enough fermentation space to hold all of the Hunter vintage at once, so we do not have to worry about picking too early or too late simply to fit the fruit into the

BRUCE TYRRELL’S VINTAGE REVIEW

fermenters. I believe this is as big a quality item for the reds as the basket press is for the Chardonnay. All of the fruit was in good condition, although the berries were a little smaller than normal, which gave us

great colour. The crop was between 1½ and 2 tonnes per acre, which is our ideal range.

We have a full range of reds this year, with the exception of Vat 6, which did not quite

make the grade. There are also a couple of new releases and a vineyard change. First, the 8 Acres, which was planted in 1892, will join our range of Sacred Sites. Second, we have a vineyard change with Stevens Shiraz; it will now come from the Glen Oak Vineyard and become a true partner to the Stevens Semillon with them both grown on the same vineyard. What you have known as Stevens Shiraz will now be named and released as ‘Old Hillside Shiraz’, preserving the integrity of that site.

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The rest of them are all wines that you will be able to drink young if you like, but will have the ability to go the distance in the bottle. They are beautifully balanced. My two favourite wines are probably Old Patch and Vat 9.

At the end of last year, we held a press function to celebrate the purchase of the Old Hillside Vineyard and focused our tasting for the day on every vintage of Old Patch that really showed the intensity of flavour that the vineyard can create. Last year, the 2017 Old Patch received 100/100 and Best Australian Red of the Year from international wine writer James Suckling. At the tasting, one of the journalists said, “I do not know what he is going to do this year, because the 2018 is better than the 2017.”

We had another good year on the wine show circuit, collecting 15 trophies and 42 gold medals, with the shows in Hobart and the Hunter Valley being our two best. The star wine of the year was the 2013 Belford Semillon, which received eight of the

trophies. In the Hunter Valley Wine Show, Stevens Semillon won ‘Wine of Provenance’ and Stevens Shiraz won the visiting overseas judge’s ‘Silver Bullet’ award.

Prices this year will rise marginally, with the exception of the Sacred Sites wines, which will go from $75 to $90 per bottle, befitting their rarity and quality.

We will be expanding our round of functions this year, with the 2018 Red Release tastings in May and 2019 White Release tastings in September, and we will also have the usual Seasonal Luncheons and Bring a Bottle dinners. I look forward to seeing you at as many of them as possible.

I cannot recommend these wines more highly to you. They are vineyard and region specific and will be great drinking all the way through their lives.

Regards,

Bruce Tyrrell, AMManaging Director

After 15 months of patiently waiting, the time to release the Private Bin red wines from the 2018 vintage is finally here. With Shiraz being the standout variety from 2018, I could not be happier with the selection of wines we have made this year, which is our largest ever. After the difficult vintages of 2015 and 2016, it is wonderful to have two great vintages back to back with 2017 and 2018.

It wasn’t long into the red-grape harvest that the winemaking and viticulture team knew that we had a special year on our hands. 2018 did not quite have the 40°C+ days that were the mainstay of the 2017 vintage; however, we had constant dry weather that was warm without being hot. Due to the continuation of the dry conditions across NSW, we began picking Shiraz quite early - 29 January to be exact - which was a similar starting date to the vintages in 2014, 2010 and 2007.

CHRIS TYRRELL’S WINEMAKING REVIEW

With no pressure to pick and more than enough space in our new winery, the 2018 vintage was one of the easiest in recent times and we are all incredibly proud of the resulting wines. In our first classification tasting in May, most of the wines on the table all received the highest grade, which is a very nice position to be in. The wines all have better colours and greater concentration than their 2017 counterparts, with generally lower alcohols and better chemistry. These factors give us confidence that the wines will age very well into the future, while also looking great in their youth. There is a quote along the lines of “all great old wines were once great young wines” and I see a bit of that in these 2018 Shiraz wines, which remind me of the amazing 2007 vintage.

Dad (Bruce) has already mentioned the news about the new Stevens and Old Hillside Shiraz. Our other big piece of news

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is a new addition to our Sacred Sites line up: the 8 Acres Shiraz. The 8 Acres block was planted in 1892 and shares the same paddock as the 4 Acres at the bottom of our driveway. Historically, this block has always gone into the Vat 9 blend, but as was the case with 4 Acres (removed in 2004) and Johnno’s (removed in 2009), there was a time to release it on its own, and now is that time. This has meant that the Vat 9 style has evolved over the past 14 years, as we have gradually moved these blocks out rather than taking them all out in one hit. That has always been our intention and I firmly believe that Vat 9 Shiraz has also never looked better. The 8 Acres is now available to add to your allocations and as the other three Sacred Sites reds are fully allocated,

I have no doubt that this one will also fill up quickly and soon be sold out.

This 2018 release will be the first wines labelled and packaged in our new branding, which we feel reflects where we have been historically as a family and where we are going into the future as a

business. I hope you love this new direction as much as I do.

I hope you all get as much enjoyment from these wines as we have

had growing and making them, and I look forward to seeing you at our events throughout the year.

Chris Tyrrell

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Our Single Vineyards celebrate the best single blocks that produce wines of distinct character unique to that site and the Hunter. The redefinition of the vineyard source of our top wines has been the major change at Tyrrell’s over the past 25 years.

For most of our history, Tyrrell’s has produced its wines by blending wine from different vineyards. However, in 1983, HVD Hunter Semillon was created as our first formally recognised single-vineyard wine, although it would be another decade before we formalised our Single Vineyards.

STORY OF OUR SINGLE VINEYARDS

Throughout the mid-1980s, we continued to investigate how the location and soil of each individual vineyard impart unique flavours to the wines they produce within the same varietal.

In 1992, Bruce Tyrrell struck a deal with the Stevens family, sealing it with a handshake. This key move once and for all opened our minds to the intrinsic quality and uniqueness of the great single vineyards of the Hunter Valley and beyond. Since then, we’ve set out to lease, purchase or enter into grape-buying arrangements with the very best vineyard sites in the Hunter Valley.

The wines are:

Stevens Semillon, HVD Semillon, Belford Semillon, Belford Chardonnay, Mother’s Shiraz, Old Hut Shiraz, Stevens Shiraz, NVC Shiraz and Old Hillside Shiraz.

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Mother’s vineyard is situated adjacent to Chris and Tegan Tyrrell’s home and has always been known as Mother’s after Murray Tyrrell’s

mother, who lived there for her entire married life. This block was planted in 2010 with cuttings from 4 Acres, Johnno’s and Old Patch,

ensuring that our best Shiraz clones are preserved.

The last of the Shiraz for the 2018 Vintage was harvested on 7 February, before fermentation took place in stainless-steel tanks. After fermentation, the wine was matured in a single two-year-old French-oak

cask (2700L) for 15 months.

Vivid purple colour. As is the case with all of the 2018 Shiraz wines, Mother’s has a strong aromatic based on the typical red-fruit

spectrum. A fresh, juicy, medium-bodied palate with only a hint of oak that is incredibly drinkable even at this early stage of its life.

Alc. 13.7%Cellaring: 5 - 10 years

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A new wine to our Single Vineyard range, Stevens Shiraz is now sourced from the Stevens-family-owned Glen Oak vineyard. Glen Oak is located on Marrowbone Road, Pokolbin and is also the source vineyard for Stevens Semillon; the two wines bearing the Stevens family name are now sourced from their own family vineyard. The Tyrrell family has leased the

Shiraz blocks on Glen Oak since 2015 and only the best parcels were selected for this wine.

In the early hours of the morning on 6 February, when the fruit was at its coldest, the grapes were harvested by machine before fermentation took place in stainless-steel tanks. After fermentation, the wine was matured in older French-oak casks

(2500L) for 15 months.

A fine debut for the new Stevens Shiraz from a vintage that has produced some fantastic red wines. It is medium bodied, with the bright fruit character that is the hallmark of the wine. Soft, savoury tannin and bright acidity help give the wine length, with the oak only

adding structure, not flavour.

Alc. 13.5%Cellaring: 5 - 10 years

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The Old Hut vineyard is situated right next to 4 Acres. It was planted in 2003 with cuttings from the 4 Acres vines and features the same soils,

which are ideal for growing super-premium Hunter Valley Shiraz grapes.

In the early hours of the morning on 3 February, when the fruit was at its coldest, the grapes were harvested by machine before fermentation

took place in stainless-steel tanks. After fermentation, the wine was matured in older French-oak puncheons (500L) for 15 months.

An enticing nose of red berry fruits and spice. The palate is quite similar in style to that of the 4 Acres in the sense that it is medium-

bodied and fruit driven, with fine tannin, a soft acid structure and no influence of new oak.

Alc. 13.5%Cellaring: 5 - 10 years

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Formerly known as Stevens Shiraz. The Old Hillside vineyard on Marrowbone Road, Pokolbin was purchased by the Tyrrell family in December 2017. This

vineyard contains the ‘Old Patch’. The Old Hillside Shiraz comes from the younger vines on the vineyard, which have an average age of 50 years. It is a steep, east-facing block that sits right underneath the Brokenback mountain range, which

provides great protection. The block features darker, richer soils than those at our Ashmans property.

On 2 February and 6 February, the fruit was handpicked and sorted in the vineyard before fermentation took place in our open-top vats. After fermentation, the wine

was matured in newer French-oak casks (2500L) for 15 months.

Stylistically quite similar to the 2017, with a vibrant purple colour and wonderfully fragrant nose of rich, dark berry fruits and lifted French oak. The palate shows

darker fruits with a great length and a bright, fresh acidity.

Alc. 13.4%Cellaring: 10+ years

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The vines for the NVC Shiraz were planted in 1921 and their fruit had traditionally gone into Vat 5, a stalwart in our red offerings for many years.

After the long drought of the late 1990s and early 2000s, we decided that the vineyard needed more attention. We stopped making Vat 5 and spent the next 10 years working on the soil and vines to get them back to where they needed to be. We are delighted to be releasing wine from this great old vineyard again.

On 5 February, the fruit was handpicked and sorted in the vineyard before fermentation took place in our open-top vats. After fermentation, the wine

was matured in a single new French-oak cask (2300L) for 15 months.

The NVC vineyard always shows rich, darker characters and a beautiful balance between dark fruit flavours and clean, savoury spice. The soft tannins, French oak and bright acidity add to the wine’s complexity, resulting in a long,

seamless palate.

Alc. 13.4%Cellaring: 5 - 10 years

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STORY OF OUR SACRED SITES

The Hunter Valley is home to some of the oldest vineyards in the world. Our Sacred Sites wines are made only from vines that are more than 100 years old and on their own roots. The origins of most of these vines lie in the Busby Collection - cuttings brought to Australia from Europe by James Busby and planted in the Hunter Valley in 1832.

These sacred sites are some of the most distinguished pockets of vineyard land in Australia, having survived the test of time and consistently making exceptional wines that have their own distinct character and unique qualities. In 2004, we decided to bottle these wines on their own and today they’re among the rarest in the wine world, often available only on allocation.

The wines are:

Johnno’s Semillon (planted 1908), HVD ‘Old Vines’ Chardonnay (1908), Johnno’s Shiraz (1908), 4 Acres Shiraz (1879), 8 Acres Shiraz (1892) and Old Patch Shiraz (1867).

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Planted in 1879, 4 Acres is the oldest block of Shiraz on the Ashmans property, sitting on the right-hand side of the driveway that leads up to the winery. This vineyard

produces fruit that has its own unique style and structure, and the wine is only ever produced in outstanding vintages.

On 30 January, the fruit was handpicked and sorted in the vineyard before a natural fermentation took place in our open-top vats. After fermentation, the wine was

matured in a single four-year-old French-oak cask (2500L) for 15 months.

With intense purple colour, the wine shows a complex nose of red fruit, some confectionary and a Grenache-like spice that is characteristic of the great vintages from

this vineyard. The palate is intense, with vibrant summer fruits and has the amazing concentration and length that only come from old vines. The tannin structure is powerful but sits perfectly with the acidity, which gives the wine great balance.

Alc. 13.8% Cellaring: 10+ years

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The inaugural release from this ancient block. The 8 Acres vineyard was planted in 1892 and sits just below the 4 Acres vineyard beside the driveway

up to the winery. Vine orientation is north-south, which is the opposite to 4 Acres, which runs east-west and produces a different style of wine

altogether. Historically, this block has always gone into the Vat 9 blend, but we always planned to add it to our Sacred Sites when the time was right. The 2018 vintage was the perfect opportunity to release this wine on its own and

highlight its unique character and personality.

On 1 February, the fruit was handpicked and sorted in the vineyard before fermentation took place in our open-top vats. After fermentation, the wine

was matured in a two-year-old French-oak cask (2700L) for 15 months.

The 8 Acres Shiraz is vivid purple and is a modern, medium-bodied style with bright, complex aromatics and a powerful fruit intensity.

Alc. 14.0% Cellaring: 10+ years

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The Shiraz on Johnno’s was planted in 1908 on sandy alluvial soils, in contrast to the 4 Acres and Weinkeller vineyards, which are on deep, red volcanic clay. This

difference is reflected in the wine that the vineyard produces, which sits apart from those that come from our other super-premium blocks.

On 29 January, the fruit was handpicked and sorted in the vineyard before a natural fermentation took place in our open-top vats. After fermentation, the

wine was matured in a single new French-oak cask (2700L) for 15 months.

Incredibly bright, attractive purple colour with an inviting nose of red fruits and violets, with just a hint of oak. The palate shows wonderful intensity yet still

remains light on its feet; the fruit is the dominant character, nicely complemented by supporting oak, acid and tannin, which sits well within the wine.

Alc. 13.8%Cellaring: 10+ years

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Sourced from the ‘Old Patch’ on the Old Hillside vineyard on Marrowbone Road, Pokolbin which the Tyrrell family purchase in December 2017. The Old Patch sits in the middle of this block and was planted in 1867, making it the oldest vineyard in NSW and

one of the oldest in the world. It is a steep, east-facing block that sits right underneath the Brokenback mountain range, which provides great protection. The block features darker,

richer soils than those at our Ashmans property.

On 2 February, the fruit was handpicked and sorted in the vineyard before a natural fermentation took place in our open-top vats. After fermentation, the wine was matured

in a one-year-old French-oak cask (2700L) for 15 months.

The most electric, vivid purple colour of all of the 2018 red wines, this year’s Old Patch lives up to the vineyard’s status, showing a wild array of aromatics that leads into a dense, powerful palate that is still classic Hunter Valley. A tightly coiled core of sweet fruit slowly unravels with a wonderful texture and velvet tannins that give the wine impeccable length

with wonderful freshness on the finish.

Alc. 13.5%Cellaring: 10+ years

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STORY OF OURWINEMAKER’S SELECTIONS

Murray Tyrrell created the Winemaker’s Selection range in 1965, when, with the assistance of Len Evans, he set out to determine the best wines of each vintage. He named them after the cask in which they were matured; for instance, the first Chardonnay we made was fermented in cask number 47, so it became Vat 47 Hunter Chardonnay, or Pinot Chardonnay as it was then called. In those days, the fermentation and storage of both white and red wines took place in large old oak barrels. Over the years, the barrels have been updated, but the original numbers have endured.

In 1974, there was a consolidation of Vat numbers as we had up to six casks from

the same vineyard block that all tasted much the same. This consolidation reduced the selection to about 12 wines in total - a mixture of whites and reds.

The early 2000s saw a further consolidation with the inauguration of the Sacred Sites range and the expansion of our Single Vineyard program. Today, the Winemaker’s Selections are estate-grown on the various blocks that form the wines that we believe best represent our land and preferred style.

These wines, along with those from the Sacred Sites and Single Vineyards, are only bottled in years when we believe that the quality is high enough to meet our standards.

The wines are:

Vat 1 Semillon, Vat 47 Chardonnay, Vat 63 Chardonnay Semillon, Vat 6 Pinot Noir, Vat 9 Shiraz and Vat 8 Shiraz Cabernet.

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Vat 9 Shiraz is sourced from the oldest and best blocks on the Ashmans property, with the oldest vines dating back to 1892. Weinkeller and the Short Flat make up the majority of the Vat 9 blend. All of these blocks feature soils

ideal for growing super-premium Shiraz.

Handpicked and sorted in the vineyard over the last few days of January, the grapes from the different blocks were all kept separate and fermented in our

open-top vats. The individual wines were then matured in new and one-year-old French-oak casks (2700L) until the Vat 9 blend was assembled in December

2018. The blend was then matured for a further five months before bottling.

Intense purple in colour, lifted spice and a pretty red-berry nose with a subtle oak lift. The palate is medium-bodied, showing soft, sweet fruits. Subtle oak

enhances the mid-palate, which is complemented by the fine, clean acid structure and long tannins. A classic Vat 9 that will have a long life in the cellar.

Alc. 13.5%Cellaring: 10+ years

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The Vat 8 Shiraz Cabernet is sourced from Shiraz grown on the Ashmans property and Cabernet Sauvignon grown on Pokolbin Hills Vineyard. The

2018 vintage blend is 90% Shiraz and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.

After fermentation in stainless-steel vats, both parcels were matured separately before blending in November 2018. The blended wine then

finished its maturation in French-oak barriques until bottling in May 2019.

A modern style of Australian red that also respects the tradition of using varietal blending to make a more rounded wine. The wine shows

intense plum fruit sweetness from the Shiraz with dark berry and chocolate characters. The Cabernet component adds to the length and

fullness of the wine.

Alc. 14.0%Cellaring: 5-10 years

MAY

2018 RED RELEASE TASTINGS

2019 MEMBERS’ EVENTS

HUNTER VALLEY 11am, Saturday 18 May 2019

Tyrrell’s Vineyards1838 Broke Road, Pokolbin

MELBOURNE 6pm, Thursday 23 May 2019

Alfred Place by Rockpool7 Alfred Place, Melbourne

CANBERRA 6pm, Tuesday 28 May 2019 QT Canberra Eureka Room1 London Circuit, Canberra

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NEWCASTLE 6pm, Wednesday 22 May 2019

The Newcastle Club40 Newcomen Street, Newcastle

SYDNEY 12.30pm & 6pm, Monday 27 May 2019

International Convention Centre14 Darling Drive, Sydney

BRISBANE 12.30pm & 6pm, Thursday 30 May 2019

The Queensland Club19 George Street, Brisbane

Winter Seasonal Members’ Luncheon - SOLD OUT

12pm - 5pm, Friday 21 June 2019 Tyrrell’s Vineyards

1838 Broke Road, Pokolbin$250 per person

Hunter Valley Bring a Bottle Dinner6.30pm, Thursday 27 June 2019

Eremo, Spicers Guesthouse57 Ekerts Road, Pokolbin

$135 per person

JUNE

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2019 MEMBERS’ EVENTS

NEWCASTLE 6pm, Tuesday 10 September 2019

Merewether Surfhouse5 Henderson Parade, Merewether

BRISBANE 12.30pm & 6pm, Thursday 12 September 2019

The Queensland Club19 George Street, Brisbane

CANBERRA 6pm, Tuesday 17 September 2019

QT Canberra Eureka Room1 London Circuit, Canberra

SEPTEMBER

2019 WHITE RELEASE TASTINGS

NOVEMBER & DECEMBER

HUNTER VALLEY 11am, Saturday 7 September 2019

Tyrrell’s Vineyards1838 Broke Road, Pokolbin

MELBOURNE 6pm, Wednesday 11 September 2019

Alfred Place by Rockpool7 Alfred Place, Melbourne

SYDNEY 12.30pm & 6pm, Monday 16 September 2019

International Convention Centre14 Darling Drive, Sydney

Spring Seasonal Members’ Luncheon 12pm - 5pm, Friday 1 November 2019

Tyrrell’s Vineyards1838 Broke Road, Pokolbin

$250 per person

Summer Soirée3pm - 8pm, Saturday 7 December 2019

We invite you and your family to join our family to celebrate the year that was in Tyrrell’s style.

Tyrrell’s Vineyards1838 Broke Road, Pokolbin

$80 per person

2018 VAT 1 SEMILLON Already a winner of two gold medals at the Adelaide and Hobart Wine shows. 2018 Vat 1 Semillon has an approachability as a young wine which is the result of the warm vintage, however it has the power, depth, and complexity that only comes from great vineyard sites in good vintages.

2018 STEVENS SEMILLON Winner of the Best Current Vintage Semillon Trophy at the Hunter Valley Wine Show, along with gold medals at the Perth and Hobart Wine shows, the 2018 Stevens Semillon is the best since the famed 2011 which finished with six trophies and 17 gold medals. Bursting with citrus flavours and the typical Stevens mineral and sherbet characters, this wine is definitely built for the long haul in the cellar, and it is also very approachable now.

2018 HVD SEMILLON Sourced from the ancient ‘Sign Post’ block which was planted in 1908. Vivid green colour; the nose is complex with an almost savoury element that sits well with the riper citrus characters. The palate is full and soft, as is typical of the vineyard, with a fine-boned acidity and an almost chalky finish.

2018 WHITES AVAILABLE

2018 BELFORD SEMILLON The most similar in style and weight to our Vat 1 Semillon, the Belford vineyard is located about 10km northwest of the winery and was planted in 1933. The palate is full and rich with a density that is often a hallmark of Belford, balanced by a lovely, soft acid profile.

2018 VAT 47 CHARDONNAY Sourced entirely from our Short Flat vineyard, where the original Chardonnay vines were planted by Murray Tyrrell during the late 1960s. The palate is where the power of the Short Flat vineyard comes to the fore, exhibiting an intensity and length not often seen in other Chardonnays.

2018 HVD ‘OLD VINES’ CHARDONNAY The oldest producing Chardonnay vineyard in the world, planted in 1908. Almost Chablis in style, as opposed to Vat 47 which is stronger and more robust in its fruit profile. The 2018 is a fine balance between power and elegance, with a quiet confidence. Medium bodied but built for the long haul in the cellar.

Please note: the 2018 Johnno’s Semillon is sold out and

2018 Vat 63 Chardonnay Semillon was unavailable for

the vintage.

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VINTAGE CHART – WHITES

Semi-mature. Drinking well, but will continue to cellar (5 years +)

Fully mature. Drink now & enjoy. Needs further cellaring.

(10 years +)

Blank spaces indicate wine was not produced. For further cellaring information, see overleaf.

KEY

White Wines 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004

Vat 1 Semillon

Johnno’s Semillon

Stevens Semillon

HVD Semillon

Belford Semillon

Vat 63 Chardonnay

Semillon

Vat 47 Chardonnay

HVD Chardonnay

Belford Chardonnay

VINTAGE CHART – REDS

Needs further cellaring. (10 years +)

KEY

Denotes wine under cork.

Semi-mature. Drinking well, but will continue to cellar (5 years +)

Fully mature. Drink now & enjoy.

Red Wines 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004

Vat 6 Pinot Noir

Vat 9 Shiraz

Vat 8 Shiraz and Shiraz Cabernet

Old Patch Shiraz

4 Acres Shiraz

Johnno’s Shiraz

NVC Shiraz

Stevens Shiraz

Blank spaces indicate wine was not produced.

A NOTE ON CELLARINGPlease use the Vintage Chart as a guide only. The variability of care and cellaring conditions, along with personal taste, make it impossible for Tyrrell’s Vineyards Pty Ltd to guarantee when your wine has reached the peak of its development. Correct

storage conditions will add to the cellaring of your wine. We recommend a cool, dark, variation free environment.

Please note, the 2018 white release wines are limited in quantity and will be available to Private Bin & 1858 club members until 31 August 2019, unless sold out prior.