The winery being built in 1986.
David and Helen Paterson bought 40 acres of land in Pokolbin in 1979 and began planting the vineyard & building a house. David was the driving force with a strong vision for the design of the property. He was a journalist, wrote many books about Hunter Valley wine & was the presenter of a music program on ABC Radio in Newcastle. The initial joy and celebration was harvesting the first vintage of Shiraz in the back of his HX Holden Ute in 1984, the result was a mix of table wine & vintage port. He made those first wines with help from friends and advice from locals like Len Evans, Max Lake, Iain Riggs and Don Francois. As the 80's progressed, wines such as Gewurztraminer & Malbec were added to the range.
David in the newly planted DJP Vineyard, 1982.
After David's death in 1993, his son Nick took over the vineyard management and winemaking. Since that time the vineyards and winemaking have continued to evolve. The vineyards are managed with a focus on soil & vine health, with most of the work being done by hand. All fruit is picked by hand in the cool of morning with the intention to process at the best temperature.
Wines are fermented & aged in French oak barrels of multiple size formats, giving scope to complexity. The flagship wine is the DJP Shiraz (David John Paterson) which is produced from the original 1981 plantings. The Old Pokolbin Vineyard Shiraz is produced from vines now well over 50 years old. The Semillon, Marsanne Roussanne and Chardonnay are all basket pressed.
Visiting the winery is a unique tasting experience and by appointment - please text or call 0458 152 073. During harvest, late Jan to April, a response will made as soon as possible.
If you would like to request a tasting or would like specific information about cellaring guidelines, please get in touch via the below link.
