History: Mudgee Frog Rock Wines

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2002

Boulder inspired Mudgee veterans
Rick and Jenny Turner are as much a part of the Mudgee wine scene as the local landmark their winery is named after.

The Turners have been providing fruit for some of Australia's biggest producers for more than 30 years and when they decided in 1997 to open their own winery it was a frog-shaped granite boulder that inspired the name Frog Rock.

When the Turners arrived in Mudgee to establish their vineyard on the original land granted to explorer Henry Lawson, the western NSW township was undergoing a metamorphosis after some lean years.

Before the turn of the century no less than 50 vineyards adorned the Mudgee landscape but that changed dramatically in the ensuing years.

"When we first planted our first vines you could have counted the number of vineyards on the fingers of one hand, but, like our neighbours, Bob and Wendy Roberts (Huntington Estate), we had faith in the district to produce distinctive, full-flavoured table wines.

The success of brands like Huntington, Mirramar and Montrose proved that point.

Some of the nation's biggest companies now have a presence in Mudgee and heavyweight producers like Southcorp, Orlando, Wyndham, Rothbury, McWilliams and Beringer Blass are among the wineries procuring the Turners' fruit.

From 1983 the Turners produced smaller bottlings for their own use but it wasn't until 1997 that they decided to produce commercial quantities under the Frog Rock label.

The Frog Rock portfolio now includes chardonnay, rose, merlot, cabernet shiraz blend, chambourcin, shiraz and cabernet sauvignon.

Its latest releases, produced by outstanding winemaker Simon Gilbert, include the premium vintage 2001 chardonnay and the 2001 merlot.

The 2001 harvest may have been small in quantity but the quality was exceptional and part of it was used for Frog Rock's first premium vintage chardonnay. Tropical fruit, peaches, melons and apples dominate the nose and palate with nuttiness, subtle oak and creaminess.

The 2001 Merlot, from Frog Rock's new Top Block vineyard, features lovely sweet berry fruit and is ready to drink now1 .

2011

Frog Rock Wines
Edgell Lane, Mudgee, NSW 2850 Region Mudgee T (02) 6372 2408 F (02) 6372 6924 frogrockwines.com Open 7 days 10– 5 Winemaker David Lowe, Simon Gilbert (Contract) Est. 1973 Dozens 5000 Vyds 40 ha The Frog Rock label was launched in 1997 by the Turner family, named after local frogshaped granite boulders on land granted to famous explorer and grazier William Lawson in 1823. The vineyard, on deep alluvial clay soils, employs minimal irrigation and sprays; plantings include cabernet sauvignon (13 ha), shiraz (12 ha) and chardonnay (4.5 ha), with lesser amounts of merlot, semillon, petit verdot and chambourcin. Exports to Hong Kong2 .

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