AWARD WINNING
COOL-CLIMATE WINES
HANDCRAFTED IN THE CANBERRA REGION
Proud Winner of “Top Wineries of Australia” Award
From 10,000 blind tastings, we’re proud to be recognised as one of the best wineries in Australia by THE REAL REVIEW.
A new addition to our “Forrest” label of wines which celebrate interesting blends from Canberra and surrounding regions. This is an exciting aromatic field blend of Riesling (60%), Pinot Gris (30%) from Lake George, Gewurztraminer (5%) off the Excelsior Ridge vineyard, plus a dollop of Pinot blanc from our own vineyard in Braidwood.
“Fiori” translates to flowers - very thoughtfully named given the delicate floral aroma that leaps from the glass. White flowers intertwine with orchard fruits, zesty lime and a hint of ginger and roses. Perfect to pair with south-east Asian inspired dishes
Vintage: 2024
Region: Canberra District
Vineyard: Lake George, Excelsior Peak and Charleys Forest
Variety: 60% Riesling, (30%) Pinot Gris, (5% Pinot blanc and (5%) Gewurztraminer
Alcohol: 12%
Production: 170 dozen
Vinification: The grapes were handpicked and vinified separately in small batches, with the Pinot Gris seeing a brief period of skin contact to enhance the texture and complexity of the wine.
Handpicked Favourites
Discover our handpicked selection of wines that represent the heart and soul of Sapling Yard. Whether you love the bold notes of Pinot Noir or the crisp, refreshing taste of Riesling, these bottles are made to be savored. Handcrafted in small batches, each sip tells a story of our passion and commitment to exceptional winemaking.
Available online and at our Bungendore cellar door
The Albariño grape comes from Galicia ( Northwest Spain) and as Alvarinho in (Northwest Portugal). It is now being planted in many regions in Australia.
This is our first Albariño which Malcolm is very happy with as he is a fan of Spanish Albariño.
The wines shows peach/nectarine aromas with hints of grapefruit and lemon the palate is rich and long with a saline/savoury grip and good acid finish.
Vintage: 2025
Region: Hilltops
Vineyards: Moppity ( Hilltops)
Varieties: 100% Albariño
Alcohol: 13.0%
Production: 70 Dozen
Vinification: Machine picked, gently pressed to tank . Slow cool ferment in tank with a specially selected yeast, with lees stirring in tank for two months post fermentation. Fined and filtered before being bottled.
This grape variety originated from the Abruzzo region in Italy and is also grown in central and southern Italy
We source these grapes from the Hilltops region. The wine is rich and full bodied (probably the most full bodied of all the wines we make) it has plum, blueberry, cranberry characters, a bit of spice. Savoury medium tannins and a long finish. 10 months in new and old French oak barriques.
Food Matching: Slow cooked beef stew, lamb shanks and aged cheddar cheese.
Vintage: 2024
Region: Hilltops
Vineyards: Moppity
Varieties:
Alcohol: 13.8%
Production: 150 dozen
Vinification: The grapes are gently machine picked overnight in the cool temperatures. They are picked leaving many whole berries and slightly crushed grapes from the Moppity vineyard in the Hilltops Region
We have used a different yeast to each bin of grapes which when fermentation starts are plunged 3 times a day until nearly dry. Then they are pressed to tank and settled overnight before being rack to barrels a mixture of 1,2 and 3 year old used french oak barriques and hogheads.
The wine is bottled in November 2024 unfiltered.
Mal does love a red blend. And this blend from Hilltops is a classic with a twist 40% Mourvedre, 35% Shiraz, 25% Touriga. Aromas of violets, dark plums, ripe cherries and an earthiness that leads into a long palate, fine tannin structure and a very easy drinkability.
Food matches: pair me with aged rib eye, potato gratin, or portobello mushrooms baked in the oven with olive oil and garlic.
Drinking well now or cellar for 10 years.
Vintage: 2023
Region: Hilltops
Vineyards: Freemans
Varieties: Mourvèdre 40%, Shiraz, 35%, Touriga 25%
Alcohol: 13.2%
Production: 250 dozen
Vinification: The Hilltops fruit was machine harvested giving mostly whole berries and some stalks into 780 litre picking bins. The varieties were fermented separately with wild and commercial yeast being used. Once fermentation had started it was plunged 3 times a day until nearly dry, when all bar one 1 bin was pressed and racked to 6 hogsheads (French barrels) - 1 new the rest 2, 3, 4 years old.
One bin of Mourvèdre was left on skins for an extra 2 weeks, and then pressed and racked to join the others. In barrel for 10 months before being bottled, unfiltered on the 18th January.
Dedication, precision, authenticity and passion.
But most importantly, wines that people love to drink.
With nearly twenty years behind us, our original vision, which we built with our first vineyard at Charley’s Forest, Braidwood, in 2008, has come to fruition and our wines are nationally recognised with a fast-building reputation in the space of wine blends.
Our vineyard, at 650 metres above sea-level, captures breathtaking views of the Budawang Ranges, and our unique climatic conditions sets us apart from other winemakers in the region.
To complement the grapes from our own vineyard, we work with growers in the region to source the finest quality fruit that we carefully select and harvest from premium vineyards in the Murrumbateman, Lake George, Hilltops and Tumbarumba regions.
Carla Rodeghiero
Founder, owner and chief winemaker at Sapling Yard.
With a wine science degree from Charles Sturt University and time spent working in vineyards in the Hunter Valley, Orange, and Oregon in the USA, Carla has built her life around her passion for good wine and a solid name for herself with her own brand, Sapling Yard.
But, like all things worth having, it didn’t come easy.
Carla first became mesmerised by the world of wine while working in a wine bar on Carnaby Street in London when a 1993 Mt Langi Ghiran Shiraz crossed her path. It was a fascination that changed the trajectory of her life.
Having recently finished her microbiology degree, Carla pursued her interest in wine through Charles Sturt University, purchased her own land, planted a vineyard in 2008, made her very first vintage in 2012 and founded Sapling Yard in 2013.
Through planting in a drought, being caught up in the Albarino Savignin fiasco, which saw the 660 Albarino vines having to be removed when it was discovered that they were actually the variety Savignin, and years of back-breaking work to build her business, Carla continued with determination to make the best cool climate wines.
Now, the work has paid off, and Carla heads her established brand that is receiving the recognition she worked so hard for. Most importantly, people love the wines.
Malcolm Burdett
Award-winning winemaker
Malcolm joined the Sapling Yard team in 2019 and brought with him a passion for wine that stemmed from his years as a chef in both London and Melbourne.
To back up his love of wine, he also brings to the team a wine science degree from Charles Sturt University, a significant number of winemaking trophies, and nearly 30 years of experience in wineries across Australia and New Zealand including vintages in McLaren Vale in the Yarra Valley as well as the Goulburn Valley, Coonawarra in South Australia and Gisbourne in New Zealand.
Malcolm’s lifetime of unparalleled experience helps make Sapling Yard the respected brand it is today, and he’s thrilled to be a part of the growing boutique wine scene in Canberra.
What people are saying about Sapling Yard Wines
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Australian Wildlife Conservancy
Every month we donate a portion of our profits to support our unique Australian wildlife.
We invite you to share in our mission of restoring threatened animal populations by making a donation.
