All wines are made from 100% estate grown fruit. The best fruit is used for premium wines under the Catherine Vale label and the remainder sold on the open market. The winemaker is John Hordern of Hunter Wine Services in Muswellbrook. John is an innovative and experienced Hunter winemaker and every wine made for Catherine Vale from our first vintage in 1997 has received an award. .

Catherine Vale is also entering the export market with shipments to Switzerland and Germany and plans for further expansion.

The vineyard has produced vintages each year since 1997

Semillon

This variety for which the Hunter Valley is best known grows extremely well in our soils giving it characters not displayed in other grape growing regions of Australia. It is an essentially dry wine with lovely fresh clear, crisp varietal characteristics. As a young wine it is high in acid and presents in a crisp light refreshing style. As it ages it changes to a smoother more buttery wine which has the potential to develop its fruit characteristics over a 7-10 year period under correct cellaring conditions. Click here for more information.

Chardonnay

This is the variety known to grow well in most grape growing regions of Australia. In the Hunter Valley it takes on the characteristics of our soils and climatic conditions. The fruity characteristics of this variety are assisted in their preparation by maturation in American oak barrels. Unoaked Chardonnay is also quite popular and fills a spot in the market for those who do not prefer the wood overtones. We currently have no stocks of unoaked Chardonnay. Click here for more information.

Semillon Chardonnay

In this blend of traditional Hunter white grape varieties you can expect the light citrus flavours of the Semillon and the rich fruit of the Chardonnay. A hint of American oak from the Chardonnay component gives a lingering vanilla finish. Click here for more information.

Verdelho

This is the white grape variety native to Portugal and most closely associated with the island of Madeira. It was brought to Australia in convict days and planted here at Fordwich in Soldier Settlement times and Australians have pioneered it’s emergence as full-bodied table wine. Wonderful 60 year old vines can be seen just down Milbrodale Road at John Tulloch’s Sentry Rock Vineyard. Click here for more information

Late Harvest Semillon

This is our botrytis affected Semillon brought about by leaving 8 rows of Semillon on the vine to a raisin stage and allowing the botrytis (noble rot) to honey the fruit and give it the additional extract associated with dessert wines. Click here for more information.

Madeira

This is a fortified wine made from late picked Verdelho grapes and originated on the Portuguese island of Madeira. Originally in our area all Verdelho plantings were used to make Madeira but with the emergence of Verdelho as a white table wine this is rarely the case these days. Click here for more information

Dolcetto

This Piedmont variety is an early ripening, low-acid red grape variety. The wines are soft, round, fruity, and fragrant with flavours of liquorice and almonds and most are designed to be drunk in their first 3 years. The cuttings for our vines were purchased from Bests in Great Western from their vines planted in 1870. Click here for more information.

Barbera

The Barbera grape is the most common variety in the Piedmont area of Italy. It has been grown in Australia for many years and we are one of 5 producers in this area. It ripens late, has a high level of natural acidity and produces a full-bodied wine with deep ruby colour. Click here for more information.

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