About Briagolong Estate

Briagolong, the aboriginal word for the land of the rising sun, is an estate that was planted to vine in 1975. The vines of choice were Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and an additional planting of Sauvignon Blanc was made, then subsequently removed.

Later still, they experimented with Shiraz, uncommon to Gippsland, and also re-planted the Sauvignon Blanc. These last two varieties have not yet been released.

The wines are hand-made at Briagolong Estate, with careful attention given to every detail of the winemaking process. They use the finest French oak barrels to ferment their Chardonnay; indeed, they were one of the first in Australia to do so. Both the Chardonnay and the Pinot Noir display distinctly French characteristics. The Pinot has not been filtered and now this method is to be used in the Chardonnay, too. They feel that the ‘slight loss of brilliance is more than made up for in flavour.’

They do not use irrigation for the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, even though the area has had many droughts. It means that the volume is small and sometime irregular, but the quality is very high. In 2002, there was a total loss of crops due to a violent hail storm. But they have bounced back and, like all good winegrowers, carry on as if nothing had happened.

Their wines are released under the names of Briagolong Estate, Foothills of Gippsland and Freestone Creek. They are sold locally and also in many restaurants in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. There’s is a small production and their wines are usually not available at wine outlets. Wine lovers can order from their web site.

Visitors can also come to their Cellar Door, where they can sample some of their superb wines, including Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Shiraz. Be sure to make an appointment first, to be sure of receiving their fullest attention.