THE ESTATE, WINE RANGES AND TASTING NOTES WESTERN AUSTRALIA

THE ESTATE, WINE RANGES AND TASTING NOTES WESTERN AUSTRALIA

a garden of Eden slumbering in a pristine enchanted valley. This is the very soul of northern Margaret River

THE RENAISSANCE OF RIVENDELL

Welcome to Rivendell Estate, one of Margaret Rivers oldest, most beautiful and enchanting vineyard estates. Established in 1987 the Estate features acres of glorious, manicured gardens and lawns, providing a magical haven for two of the regions oldest Cabernet vineyards. These hallowed vineyards will form the cornerstone of a renaissance of the Rivendell Estate brand under the stewardship of the Howling Wolves Wine Group which took over the cellar door and restaurant in 2012 and has since undertaken extensive renovation of the rustic main building housing the cellar door and acclaimed Rivendell Restaurant and surrounding grounds. Swathed in lush ivy and greenery, the wooden Cellar Door, Bar and Restaurant is perched high on a rolling ridge, overlooking the enchanting manicured gardens and forested hills and valley, rising in the near-distance. Here visitors can relax, soak up the glorious, peaceful natural environment and take time out to experience the Estate s premium Margaret River wine ranges.

Then culinary journey first unfolds at Rivendell s acclaimed restaurant, now under the stewardship of owners David Irvin and Carol Bull; and celebrated chef Matt Hamilton. The restaurant is now recognised amongst the finest in the northern Margaret River region. Here Matt combines exceptional fresh local produce, truly creative and inspired cooking with his own superb blend of international and Margaret River cuisine. Revel in the flavours of our fresh housemade gelato (using fruits and produce from our own gardens) along with our famous fresh-baked scones and Rivendell jams all enjoyed with relaxed al fresco dining, high on the sprawling garden-view deck, sheltered inside the bright rustic main restaurant or chilling out amongst the botanicals in the adjacent Garden Bar.

During spring, summer and autumn, Rivendell rocks with live blues and roots, rock and roll, jazz and even classical sundowner concerts in the estates natural garden amphitheater. These are family friendly events designed to foster community as well as entertain and there are always activities for the children to enjoy. Come Christmas we host a wonderful Carols in the Gardens, an event not to be missed.

Rivendell Estate also offers a variety of superb accommodation options from the luxurious 5-bedroom Lodge perched high with sweeping views across the valley, to intimate chalets secreted amongst the surrounding forest all with access a modern tennis court and the Rivendell grounds. Details and bookings at www.rivendellwinery.com.au

OUR VINEYARDS AND WINES

Our wines are made exclusively from fruit grown in the world-renowned appellation of Margaret River. The fruit is drawn from our estate vineyards at Rivendell, and selected partner vineyards from Yallingup, Treeton and Willyabrup in the north, to Wallcliffe and down to the cool climate and extraordinary gravelly loam soils of Karridale, to the far south. We have crafted our wines in the same state-of-the-art 5-star James Halliday rated winery since 2004, employing the resources and winemaking talent to fully express the fruits of this great terroir. We vintner only premium and super-premium ranges of exceptional quality, with our wines made to be always varietally correct and unmistakably Margaret River.

The Rivendell vineyards were established in 1987 with the super- premium, dry grown Cabernet Sauvignon vines now over 30 years old and producing exceptional fruit at less than 4 tonne to the hectare There are two Vineyards on the estate. The old-vine Cabernet Vineyard is situated in a sheltered valley high up on the Leeuwin- Naturaliste ridge

The old-vine Cabernet Vineyard is situated in a sheltered valley, high up on the Leeuwin- Naturaliste ridge, protected from the strong winds and capturing the morning sunlight with the northeast exposure allowing early ripening. This, combined with free draining granite and laterite gravel soils creates a perfect microclimate for ripening of premium grapes to their fullest flavour. The second vineyard is located lower in a protected, sun-drenched valley adjacent to the entry to the estate. It was established on rocky ground with granite and gravelly soils - the perfect terroir for growing premium Cabernet Sauvignon.

With patience and care this hallowed ground promises to produce some of the finest Cabernet fruit in Margaret River

The vineyard is currently under renovation and with patience and care this hallowed ground promises to produce some of the finest Cabernet fruit in Margaret River. All destined for our new super-premium Rivendell Estate Grand Reserve and North Bank Bordeaux blend range under the The Dark Night label, first released in 2014 to great acclaim.

VINTAGE AND WINEMAKING

After a year of passion and toil in the terroir of vineyards it all comes down to this The once-a-year event simply known as Vintage. A few short weeks, with the whites in the north around the Yallingup sub-region starting in late February and the reds, slower to bear the fruits of a wonderful warm and dry summer, harvested through April. Harvesting is carried out in the cool of the night by modern machinery except where whole bunch pressing will enhance the wine style. Quick delivery to the winery, in most cases less than twenty minutes away, maintains the high quality of grape juice, imperative to the winemaking process. Our wines are exclusively made at one of the largest independent wineries in Western Australia. This is a modern, state-of-the-art winery with a capacity and the resources to crush over 1,600 tonnes of fruit and vintner over 1.7 million litres of premium wine per vintage producing over 1.5 million cases. The winery employs the latest winemaking technology and a fully equipped laboratory. The CRAFTED AT A RATED JAMES H A L L I D A Y WINERY winemaking team is bestowed with a charter from Rivendell Estate to ensure that all wine produced is of the very finest quality - fully expressing the potential of the grapes and the vintage.

Each stage of production is computer monitored and sensory evaluated to ensure the winemaking aims are achieved using the latest techniques. All winery equipment is state-of-the-art and plant is constantly updated to reflect the innovative nature of the Western Australian Wine Industry and the winery s leading research and development role. Unwooded white wines are bottled within three months of harvest to maximise varietal fruit aromas and flavours in the

wine and capture subtle ferment esters. Barrel fermented whites are aged for up to twelve months in French and American oak to ensure seamless integration of oak and maximum complexity. Red wine ferments are managed according to the wine style required, techniques employed include the use of enzymes for maximum colour and stability, cold soaking, extended maceration and variations on the length and type of pump-overs, which occur every 6 hours.

Under the watchful eyes of the Rivendell Estate team, the winery s winemakers perform maturity sampling and juice sensory evaluation of the grapes in the vineyards. This ensures that grape harvesting occurs at the precise time for the targeted wine style. At peak times, the winery employs up to four winemakers.

Free-run shiraz juice destined for Howling Wolves

MARGARET RIVER, THE GLAMOUR QUEEN OF AUSTRALIAN WINE REGIONS Some 300 kilometers southwest of Perth, the capital city of Western Australia, Margaret River is renowned as one of the world s most picturesque wine regions. It sprawls along a spectacular coastline featuring some of the greatest surf breaks in the world and is bordered by towering Eucalypt and Marri forest and thousands of acres of rolling vineyards and pastureland. Swathed by the Indian Ocean on three sides, Margaret River is often compared to Pomerol and

St Emillion in Bordeaux, France in a warm vintage, with similar maritime and micro climatic influences now producing world class wines, particularly the cabernets, chardonnay and classic Bordeaux blends with cabernet merlot and semillon sauvignon blanc. So it s little wonder the Cabernet and Merlot is so damn good. Although the region s wineries produce less than 4% of Australia s wine output, they account for more that 25% of the premium wine produced. Speaks for itself really.

At Rivendell Estate our ranges are dedicated to fully reflecting the outstanding terroir of the region and the sub-regional nuances. Our wines feature a wide variety of winemaking styles across our superpremium ranges, each with its own unique style and fingerprint, often determined by the selection of sub-region and site, more so than winemaking. All reflect peerless Margaret River credentials and Rivendell Estate s charter to maximise the potential of the outstanding fruit with exceptional winemaking talent and facilities.

GRAND ESTATE RESERVE CABERNET FRANC PERFECT WITH BRISKET PIZZA BEEF STILTON ROAST DUCK VARIETALS Cabernet Franc 100% VINTAGE REPORT 2014: Our 8th cracker vintage. The terms warm, sunny, mild with ocean breeze typify the regional conditions. This has yielded truly exceptional white fruit showing intense varietal flavours. With the red vintage all varietals showed vibrant fruit-ripe intensity, great colour and beautifully balanced tannin profiles resulting in wines of weight, concentration and texture pure and silky with ripe dark berry flavours. MARGARET RIVER WESTERN AUSTRALIA Despite its size, the Margaret River wine region produces just 3% of the nation s grapes but is the source for production of more than 20% of Australia s premium wines. Cabernet Franc TASTING NOTES The wine displays a signature lively brick red colour showcasing intense aromas of tobacco spice and rosehip with beautiful red berry undertones and a sublime peppery perfume. The palate is a triumph, brimming with rich, ripe blackcurrants, raspberries and dark juicy plums. 12 months on French oak has produced the well developed, yet restrained tannins and the long, lingering pepper on the finish for which the variety is famous, along with a lively acidity leaving a delightfully savoury aromatic overall impression. SUB REGION YALLINGUP Fruit RIVENDELL ESTATE MARGARET RIVER TOWN ALC VOL: 13.5% Cellar 8 + years www.rivendellwinery.com.au

GRAND ESTATE RESERVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON PERFECT WITH VARIETALS Cabernet Franc LAMB CASSEROLE KEBABS STEAK & MUSHROOM GOURMET BURGER BEEF ROAST 100% VINTAGE REPORT 2014: Our 8th cracker vintage. The terms warm, sunny, mild with ocean breeze typify the regional conditions. This has yielded truly exceptional white fruit showing intense varietal flavours. With the red vintage all varietals showed vibrant fruit-ripe intensity, great colour and beautifully balanced tannin profiles resulting in wines of weight, concentration and texture pure and silky with ripe dark berry flavours. MARGARET RIVER WESTERN AUSTRALIA Despite its size, the Margaret River wine region produces just 3% of the nation s grapes but is the source for production of more than 20% of Australia s premium wines. Cabernet Sauvignon TASTING NOTES A luminous, deep red in colour with an alluring crimson hue, this wine displays enticing hints of black currant, wild berries and rich dark chocolate on the nose. The palate is signature Margaret River Cabernet at it s finest, lush with ripe dark fruit flavours, mulberry, cassis and hints of lavender. Maturation in French oak barriques has created a concentrated and complex wine with lovely layers of vanilla and hints of chocolate rounding off a long sublime finish. A truly noble wine that will cellar well for 8+ years. SUB REGION YALLINGUP Fruit RIVENDELL ESTATE MARGARET RIVER TOWN ALC VOL: 14.0% Cellar 10 + years www.rivendellwinery.com.au

THE DARK KNIGHT MERLOT CABERNET FRANC CABERNET PERFECT WITH PORK DUCK CHEESE TUNA CURRY BEEF PASTA VINTAGE REPORT 2014: Our 8th cracker vintage. The terms warm, sunny, mild with ocean breeze typify the regional conditions. This has yielded truly exceptional white fruit showing intense varietal flavours. With the red vintage all varietals showed vibrant fruit-ripe intensity, great colour and beautifully balanced tannin profiles resulting in wines of weight, concentration and texture pure and silky with ripe dark berry flavours. VARIETALS Merlot 53% Cabernet Franc 38% Cabernet 9% MARGARET RIVER WESTERN AUSTRALIA Despite its size, the Margaret River wine region produces just 3% of the nation s grapes but is the source for production of more than 20% of Australia s premium wines. Merlot TASTING NOTES With Margaret River likened to St Emilion in France in a warm vintage, it s no wonder the Bordeaux style blends are so damn good. In this case premium merlot blended with cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon to enrich the experience. It shows a bright ruby red colour while exhibiting lovely plum and cassis nose with a palate choc-full of ripe dark cherries, forest fruits and a lovely soft acid finish that comes from the judicious French oak maturation. SUB REGION YALLINGUP Cab Franc RIVENDELL ESTATE WILLYABRUP Cabernet TREETON Merlot MARGARET RIVER TOWN ALC VOL: 13.5% Cellar 8-10 years www.rivendellwinery.com.au

HOWLING WOLVES CANE CUT PORT PERFECT WITH BRIE BEEF RAGU STILTON DRIED FRUITS DESSERTS VINTAGE REPORT Each 375 ml bottle is hand filled, direct from the barrel at our Margaret River Cellar Door. It is then hand sealed, signed and numbered before being registered to the purchaser in our Old Vine Cane Cut Port Register. TASTING NOTES A mysterious deep Garnet in colour, the wine shows intriguing aromas of rich fruit cake, ripe plums, caramel, coffee grinds, nutty spice and Madagascan vanilla beans layered in golden syrup, topped with a touch of star anise. Whilst the alcohol has a slight burn, the depth and complexity of this wine is simply astounding. The palate displays an incredible contrast - a clean, dark, fruit loaded table wine, seems to ascend to another level, with a rich, spice-infused vanilla pod, dark fruit medley. The alcohol finish is wonderfully warming creating a delightfully dry finish and a clean in intensity. VARIETALS Grenache 58% Shiraz 42% MARGARET RIVER WESTERN AUSTRALIA Despite its size, the Margaret River wine region produces just 3% of the nation s grapes but is the source for production of more than 20% of Australia s premium wines. SUB REGION YALLINGUP RIVENDELL ESTATE TREETON MARGARET RIVER TOWN Grenache ALC VOL: 14.0% Cellar 15 + years www.rivendellwinery.com.au

www.rivendellwines.com.au 1172 Wildwood Road, Yallingup Siding Western Australia 6282 P: +61 8 9755 2611 Hello@rivendellwines.com.au