Combining a love of the land, family and of course, wine
Max & Bernadette Tolson
Boutique wines from the Hunter Valley.
All online purchases include free postage to NSW, ACT, Victoria, Adelaide and Brisbane. Shipping calculated at checkout.
“A project of love and endless wire”
With 40+ years of viticulture and agriculture experience, Max has spent the last 4 years nurturing these vines back into healthy production, including re-trellising many of the vines. With help from many friends and family, the Tolson family are very proud to share these wines with you.
Our Wines
Chardonnay
At its peak, the Broke Estate Chardonnay vineyard produced wonderful, award-winning wines and Max has slowly nurtured the vines back to near full production. Four years of dedication and hard yakka re-trellising and re-training the vines have certainly paid off.
This New World Mendoza clone performs exceptionally well, delivering a full figure, fruity wine with the whiff of green apple it is known for. We love a hint of vanilla in our Chardonnay so we use premium French oak barrels during the winemaking process for that beautiful lingering richness Chardonnay is known for.
Barbera
Barbera is the third most widely grown variety in Italy and it is almost a thousand years older than Cabernet Sauvignon, yet it is not very common here in Australia. The wine is generally dark in colour but is actually quite light bodied with notes of cherry and strawberries. It is low in tannins and high in acidity, making it a perfect wine to pair with rich foods like cheese and meats.
The Broke Estate Barbera vines were planted in 1996 and after many years of neglect, we have resurrected the vineyard and the wine just keeps getting better year after year.
Shiraz
Planted in 1996 on the fertile alluvial soil of the Wollombi Brook, the Broke Estate Shiraz produced a fantastic Hunter Valley red and was recognised as among the best in the region. The vines responded well to Max’s viticultural expertise and produced a small, yet impressive yields in 2016 and beyond.
As a family of Shiraz lovers, we are tasked with nurturing these premium vines back to full production and the quality Shiraz the Broke Estate label was known for.
Our Shiraz is a medium-bodied, new style red. You shouldn’t expect the strong tannins and bold flavours of a Barossa Shiraz, but our Hunter Shiraz has wonderful berry aromas leading to a sweet fruit palate with finely balanced tannins. Perfect to drink now or cellar for a few years.
Vintages
• 2017 VINTAGE •
Baby baby baby
Excitement was in the air with a new assistant-vigneron making his arrival just in time for vintage – Francis Neil, born 22nd January – making Max and Bernadette very proud first-time grandparents. As always, vintage was a social affair with friends and family lending a hand with picking. Yields were down due to the heat, but the vines performed well to deliver a very memorable vintage.
• 2016 VINTAGE •
The one where we jumped in head first and managed to swim
The 2016 Broke Estate vintage, the first in many years, was the result of years of dedication and hard yakka. The bunches were hand thinned to ensure only the best were taken through to harvest and to keep the vines healthy as they slowly re-established. Small yields of Shiraz, Barbera and Chardonnay grapes were harvested, mostly by hand. We are very pleased with the result and look forward to enjoying a glass or two ourselves.
How to purchase
Currently our wines are only available online through this website. We plan to open a cellar door in the near future – in the meantime, we will be holding events at Broke Estate throughout the year. Be sure to sign up to our email newsletter below to keep up to date with the latest news, events and promotions.
If you have any enquiries or need help purchasing online, please get in contact with us.
Contact Us
Broke Estate
1260 Broke Road
Broke
NSW 2330
info@brokeestate.com.au
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