There is something of a revolution happening in NSW wine at the moment.
Over the last few weeks, we've seen orange wines from Orange, fantastic Grüner Veltliner from Tumbarumba, wild Tempranillo blends from New England, juicy, vibrant nouveau Shiraz from the Hunter Valley and a whole lot in between.
The tapestry that is NSW wine has never been more colourful. The sense of exploration and experimentation coming from the new generation of NSW winemakers is palpable.
Below is something of a highlights reel of our favourite next-gen NSW producers at the moment.
Check them out!
Mada Wines
Mada wines sees ex-Eden Road operational winemaker Hamish Young venture out on his own for the first time.
Sourcing fruit from some great sites across the Canberra and Hilltops regions, his first releases were a smash hit and his star continues to rise.
His wines show a fresher and more modern side of NSW wine, all about vibrant fruit and ease of drinking. He looks for texture in his aromatic whites, freshness in his delightful red wines, each release sees him refine his own 'house style' a little more.
This is a Canberra producer to watch for the future. One of the new crop of Canberra which is shaking up the regional scene.
As Mike Bennie once said, "Mada Wines should be put on your list of wines to watch, or indeed to buy a bit of....then probably a lot of."
Shop Mada Wines
Vinden Estate
Young Angus Vinden is the owner/winemaker of this much-loved Hunter Valley winery.
Having taken the reins from his father just a few years ago, Gus is reimagining his family's wine label with a string of exciting, modern wines coming out of his cellar.
He sources fruit from some of the Hunter's greatest vineyards, focusing on Semillon and Shiraz primarily as well as turning out a very good Tempranillo.
He's one of the young guns of the Hunter Valley that should have a close eye kept on him. His wines are on the up!
Mallaluka
Mallaluka wines is a family affair in the Canberra district of NSW.
These estate-grown wines are made by second generation vigneron Sam Leyshon who has most recently learnt to ply his trade assisting Bryan Martin and Tim Kirk at Clonakilla.
These are modern wines that reflect the changing face of this exciting region. He makes wines with a wild side, they are made with minimal intervention and are insane value for money.
Under Sam's talented hands, Mallaluka are one of the rising stars of the region, bringing a unique light and shade to the Canberra district.
Swinging Bridge Wines
Swinging Bridge is one of Orange’s premier producers.
This producer has always served up extremely well-priced, classically styled wines, but recent years has seen the quality and variety go to another level.
Owner/winemaker Tom Ward has a vision for Swinging Bridge to be renowned for its premium Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and for innovation, and they're making great strides.
Their Chardonnay is already as good as any in the region; the Pinot Noir, while early days, is winning trophies and shows great promise, the innovative '# Series' is full of all sorts of deliciously quirky experiments.
An excellent producer and a leader for the future for Orange and NSW wine.
Nick Spencer Wines
Nick Spencer made a name for himself after a hugely successful decade-long stint as chief winemaker at Eden Road, before deciding in 2017 to take the plunge and start his very own label.
The Nick Spencer wines are, like Eden Road's, focused on the regions of the NSW High Country, in particular, Tumbarumba and Gundagai.
With Nick's access to some of the region's best fruit, his wines are all about balance, style and drinkability, with Nick's stamp of quality on top.
Tiny volumes made and an exciting producer to watch out for!
Jilly Wines
Jared Dixon is a lone ranger on his own mission in the New England wine region.
His wines are made from interesting varieties grown on unique vineyards, sites he classes as ‘undiscovered gems.’
His winemaking is extremely hands-off, allowing the full expression of the fruit to be the focus of every wine. They are fun, don't take themselves too seriously and have a distinct energy about them.
Jared is one of Northern NSW's most exciting and impassioned young winemakers. Where he takes his idiosyncratic label from here is anyone's guess.
See our full collection of exciting new NSW wines here!