Almost vintage @ RIKARD: we’re just past veraison in our La Cloche vineyard.

The vast majority of the fruit have now developed some colour and are accumulating sugar. Despite the dry conditions, everything looks really healthy and we’re headed for a high quality harvest.

...This is MV6 clone of Pinot Noir. Known for its thicker skins and higher acid, in our region it provides sour cherry characters, fresh acid backbone and a bit of tannin structure. It’s one of 6 clones in our arsenal of components and we’re looking forward to #vintage2026

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Lab days @ RIKARD: the UV is high in the last ripening days of summer, so we’ve retreated to the lab.

A final look at the 2024 Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs and Malbec before preparing them for bottling. This is our last chance to make any micro adjustments... though the feeling in the room ...is that they’re spot-on and ready to go as is. We call this active decision making to do nothing - also known as #minimalintervention

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VINTAGE 2026 PREPARATION @ RIKARD: it’s looking like harvest will commence mid-February and we’re in full winery prep mode. Clearing space, emptying tanks by bottling wines, cleaning and tinkering - there’s much to do.
Winemaking is as much a science as it is an art and in these pics, our... assistant winemaker Tim, has made preparation look like art too.

#rikardwines #iconicsmallbatchwines #orangewineregion #orange360 #vintage2026

HAPPY NEW YEAR @ RIKARD: we’re loving these hot summer days bringing in the new year and so it this Riesling, looking very good for vintage 2026.

From tomorrow, 8th Jan, our tasting room at the winery is open from 2pm. Taste the 2023 RIKARD Riesling - newly released sparkling wines and ...full range of RIKARD wines including Black labels.

Book online, call ahead or show up! We’re looking forward to seeing you. 🥂

#rikardwines #iconicsmallbatchwines #orangensw #orangewineregion #orange360_allyearround

SUMMER IS FOR SPARKLING @ RIKARD: Happy New Year!
Introducing our second release of RIKARD Cuveé, a non-vintage utilising two different Chardonnay portions from the 2018 vintage and with approximately 30% museum, solera base wine.

At this point, the solera was made up of some of the... 2016 cuvee and approximately 75% Mariafeld clone Pinot Noir from 2017.

The base wines all had 10 to 12 months in old French Oak barriques for fermentation, with periodic batonage before blending. This approach is very much in the ‘grower’ style and adds a lovely savoury, nutty complexity to the otherwise bright fruit and acid.

A further five years en tirage adds more layers of textural interest, bringing pastry and nutty characters into the mix.

Colour is pale yellow and straw. The nose shows a lovely strong brioche and pastry characters intertwined with hazelnut. There’s a freshness to the fruit – citrus, ripe pear and red apple and a hint of white strawberries. Then other complexities - bruised apple, water-crackers and some minerality.

A lively acid line runs on the palate from start to finish which is tingly but not sharp. Saline and biscuity, it’s got minerality and drive. There’s a bit of nougat and praline also. Mid-palate comes from stone-fruit, honeysuckle and strawberry characters, a bit of apple. The finish returns to savoury with a lovely nutty aspect of hazelnuts and walnuts. Dry and precise.

Available online (link in bio) and at the cellar door.

#rikardwines #iconicsmallbatchwines #orangewineregion #rikardsparkling #orangensw

Festive break @ RIKARD: happy holidays!
We’re taking a short break and the winery is closed for tastings from 22nd Dec.
We’ll return on Thursday 8th Jan from 2pm.

Buy wines or book ahead your tasting online. Link in bio.

Wishing you all a safe and merry holiday, ...cheers to vintage 2026 ahead! 🥂

#rikardwines #iconicsmallbatchwines #orange360_allyearround #adropabove #orangewineregion

In the vineyard @ RIKARD:
A glorious day to be out on the vineyard for canopy management today. AKA ‘Wire-lifting’... a very gratifying job and essential for light and airflow into the bunches.

Also very happy to see Pinot Noir approaching pea-size, far from bunch closure.
...
Vines and growth are as it should be in the vineyard and shaping up very nicely for the vintage ahead.

#rikardwines #iconicsmallbatchwines #orangensw #rikardpinotnoir #rikardvineyard #orangewineregion #orange360_allyearround

SUMMER IS FOR SPARKLING @ RIKARD: introducing our 2021 RIKARD Blanc de Noirs.
Our first release of Blanc de Noirs - made from 100% Pinot Noir grapes grown at 950m above sea level in the ultra-cool 2021 vintage of the Orange wine region.

Fruit was hand picked and sorted before being ...gently whole bunch pressed to old, seasoned French Oak barriques.
A pale blush is all the extraction we got from the skins. Fermentation underwent naturally via wild yeasts, and the base wine stayed in oak for 10 months with intermittent lees stirring during that time.
Blending occurred in January 2022 and the wine tiraged shortly after.
Secondary fermentation occurred in bottle and it then spent 42 months on lees in bottle before being disgorged in November 2025 with zero dosage added.
Pale peach colour with a hint of pink blush. A fine bead.
A white peach tart on the nose, baked pastry aromas are mixed with some nuttiness and toast. A hint of quince. Complex, with a lovely balance between fruit and savoury tones.
A full and complex palate with plenty of weight to wrap around the intense spine of acid running through. Blood orange, white peach, strawberries and quince fill the fruit profile, a frame of phenolics that provides structural support. Very textural underneath all that fruit, with a fine grainy mouthfeel. Oatmeal and cream to finish, brightened by the tingle of the fine bead.

Available online (link in bio) and at the cellar door.

#rikardwines #iconicsmallbatchwines #orangewineregion #rikardblancdenoirs #rikardsparkling #rikardpinotnoir #orangensw #orange360_allyearround #adropabove

FESTIVE SEASON @ RIKARD: What a year!
As we roll up (rather quickly) to the end of 2025, we’re thankful for a great vintage and the first harvest from our home vineyard La Cloche, winning Young Gun of Wine - Vigneron of the Year and celebrating a DECADE OF RIKARD.

Black Friday ...calls for RIKARD Black Labels and in more exciting news, we’re releasing two new sparkling wines next week!
We can guarantee your festive season wines (the perfect gift) will be delivered before Christmas for orders made before 13th December! Link in bio.

Thank you for celebrating throughout 2025 with us! 🥂

#rikardwines #iconicsmallbatchwines #orangensw #orangewineregion