Our 2022 RIKARD Chardonnay has received a glowing review from Huon Hooke @therealrvw

Quite the popular drop and the perfect summer wine, buy online or taste for yourself at the Cellar Door one weekend!

#rikardchardonnay #rikardwines #iconicsmallbatchwines #orangensw ...#orangewineregion #chardonnay

In only a few weeks since we released the 2022 RIKARD Shiraz, it’s already become a firm favourite.

Our Shiraz is made to reflect it’s cool climate roots and to always be elegant, medium bodied and fragrant. Our approach is traditional, minimal intervention winemaking technique in the ...winery to build complexity.
We are careful with our use of new oak and focus on creating a wine that is serious, structured, elegant and fine.

Our Shiraz comes from two different vineyards in 2022. The first pick was from Annangrove Park, at approximately 750m ASL.
In such a cool year as 2022, we thought it imperative that we source some fruit from warmer sites to add body and weight to the final wine. Annangrove Park is perfectly suited for this, and the fruit contributes dark berry notes and lovely chocolatey tannins.

The second portion of the wine comes from Amboseli vineyard at 900m. This provides elegant acid structure, red fruits and gorgeous aroma. A lovely combination.

We also furthered the complexity by fermenting fractions of each parcel with whole clusters plus a small tank of carbonic maceration.

All fruit hand picked and hand sorted. Matured in French oak barriques for 10 months, 20% new.

The 2022 RIKARD Shiraz is a fragrant, elegant and structured cool climate Shiraz made in extremely limited quantities.
Buy online now - link in bio - or visit us at the weekend at the cellar door to taste.

#rikardwines #iconicsmallbatchwines #orangensw #orangewineregion #rikardshiraz

One half of the RIKARD team, shoot thinning and loving every minute of this glorious October weather.

#rikardwines #iconicsmallbatchwines #orangensw #shootthinning #rikardvineyard #orangewineregion

RIKARD @ CHARRED Sat 14th or Sat 28th October.

Join us for our annual wine festival lunch at Charred Kitchen & Bar, showcasing our new and current release wines.

Hosted by Will Rikard-Bell and perfectly paired with a four course seasonal menu by chef Liam O’Brien.

...Saturday 14th and Saturday 28th October 2023 at 12pm (Midday).

A few tickets remain - book now: rikardwines.com.au/events

#rikardwines #charredkitchenandbar #orangewinefestival #orangensw #orangewineregion #orange360_allyearround #rikardatcharredlunch

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!
We’re in the vineyard, buds are bursting and there are beautiful and beneficial native insects all around to keep our vineyard healthy.
A healthy vineyard = healthy ecosystem = increased biodiversity.
Welcoming back Jackie the lizard to ...this vintage and a show of Riesling bunches forming on some cuttings.
Cheers to the season ahead!

#rikardwines #iconicsmallbatchwines #orangensw #vineyarddaysarethebestdays #budburst #vintage2024 #orangewineregion #orange360_allyearround

Spring is almost upon us, let’s bring it in with our new release 2022 RIKARD Chardonnay.

We had a wealth of vineyard options and picks to choose from in the making of our Chardonnays in 2022, and quality was excellent across the board.

We individually fermented parcels selected ...from four separate vineyards across the Orange region, ranging between 850 to 1000m ASL. Each was handpicked and treated gently in winery, with care made to not intervene in the natural winemaking process.

Wild yeast ferments, minimal use of sulphur, natural malolactic fermentation, zero use of fining agents or winemaking additives – all these processes were utilised to express the terroir of each site and of the vintage.

The RIKARD (blue label) Chardonnay is made from a selection of these different vineyard parcels which we thought best suited the style of the label. Slightly warmer sites, later, riper picks, yellow fruited clones of Chardonnay and components with good phenolic structure.

Nose is showing roasted lemon, Mirabelle plum, white nectarine and a hint of ginger. There’s are lovely shortcrust pastry aroma, with sweet caramel oak hints and popcorn.

A complex, well weighted palate with plenty of interest and layers. Tropical fruits and white peach fill the mid-palate, with lemon curd and hazelnuts interplaying.
Texturally, it’s grainy and with good grip which helps hold things together. Oak tannin is supportive only, adding a nice timbery, caramel note.
The finish remains light and long – the acid profile zesty throughout.

Available now to buy online or join us at the winery to taste.
Link in bio.

#rikardwines #iconicsmallbatchwines #orangensw #rikardchardonnay #orangewineregion #orange360_allyearround #lovechardonnay #coolclimatewines

Winter is feeling long…. So we’re looking forward to spring and invite you to join us for dinner for an evening to mark the changing of the season!

Share a table with us in the dining room of the beautiful, award winning Byng St Boutique Hotel @byngstreet_hotel where resident Chef ...Holly Wright, has designed a spring menu to perfectly pair with our new and current release RIKARD wines.

6.30pm - Friday 1st September.

Bookings are essential as seating is limited. Link in bio.

#rikardwines #byngstreethotel #orangensw #orangewineregion #orange360_allyearround

The barrel room is open this weekend (and all weekends) for a wine tasting experience at RIKARD. Join us in the place we make our wine, hosted by the team who make our wine.

Open Saturday and Sunday 11am to 5pm. Book ahead online or call if you’re nearby.

#rikardwines ...#iconicsmallbatchwines #orangensw #orangewineregion #rikardwinetasting #orange360_allyearrounnd

Introducing our 2021 RIKARD Merlot Malbec, recently released and already a firm favourite.
Our ever evolving Orange label red blend seeks to show the diversity that the Orange Wine Region can produce across its range of elevation.

In 2021, the season was long and very cool – ...affording the vines plenty of time to accumulate flavour. Ripeness was difficult to achieve in the later ripening varieties, so we took the decision to utilise Merlot and Malbec only for the blend this vintage, which tend to ripen midway through the season. Fruit comes from the Kywarra vineyard at 850m above sea level.

As a pairing, these two varieties complement each other nicely. Structure and grainy tannins are provided by the Malbec component, along with a dark cherry fruit spectrum and savouriness in the mid palate. Merlot then brings juicy plushness, some spice, herbal characters and lovely acid profile. Together they marry extremely well.

Handpicked and sorted into small, open fermenters. A long, cool fermentation before maturation in French oak barriques for 12 months. Extended elevage in tank to settle and clarify before bottling. No fining or filtration

The colour is a dark crimson red. Nose is black cherries and plum at first, then some aniseed and chocolate characters coming through. Oak is well integrated and adds some caramel and a hint of char.
Bright fruits dominate the palate, it is medium bodied and with a lovely, fresh acid line. There’s a bit of savoury complexity to the wine which is ultimately plush and moreish. Structure comes from the Malbec to hold it all together, with charcuterie after and a slight char to finish.

It’s more than a bit perfect for these cooler months, buy online (link in bio) or taste and buy at the cellar door - open Saturdays and Sundays.

#rikardwines #iconicsmallbatchwines #orangensw #rikardorangelabel #orangewineregion #orange360_allyearround #coolclimatewines