Named in recognition of the anguish he experienced while producing the inaugural vintage, Peter Logan, head winemaker for Logan Wines has released his benchmark “Ridge of Tears” pair.

The two shiraz wines – one from Mudgee and the other from Orange – are designed to represent the larger toils of NSW winemaking, while at the same time celebrating the great product that often results.

The name of these wines, Ridge of Tears, pays reference to the difficult terrain surrounding the vineyards used to produce this wine. All situated on ridges – the challenging area, Logan says, often makes the winemakers cry.

“But making the Ridge of Tears wines in a growing season like 2013, without doubt the best shiraz vintage I’ve experienced since I began making wine here back in 1997, was a complete joy,” Logan added.

Both Mudgee and Orange are hailed as iconic Australian wine regions, with the 2013 vintage proving exceptional for some vineyards along the slopes of Central NSW.

While facing similar growing conditions at just 70km apart, the two regions have very different soils; the ironstone and quartz-laced gravelly loams of Mudgee known to produce strong, grainy tannins, while the rich, volcanic soils of Orange bring a softer velvety wash to reds formed.

“The great shiraz vintage across Central NSW in 2013 has produced two very different wines that I believe cannot be separated in quality terms. Stylistically though, they sit a long way apart. Both wines are at the fuller end of medium bodied, however the two terroirs produce starkly different flavours and textures.

“Both wines are deep, rich and generous in a medium to full bodied frame, but they are very different wines for two shiraz grown just 70km apart, fermented and matured in exactly the same way. The impact of the different soils and approximately 300 meters difference in altitude is remarkable.”

The cold climate and high altitude (870 metres) of Orange has created a 2013 Ridge of Tears Orange Shiraz with a soft mouth-feel and an impact of red fruits. This wine captures flavours of red berries, plums, white pepper, fennel, cinnamon and savoury notes typical of the region.

In contrast, the mild, warm days and cold nights of Mudgee (altitude 564 metres) have shaped the structure of the 2013 Ridge of Tears Mudgee Shiraz, to show floral high notes, dark fruits, liquorice with an earthy depth.

The 2013 Ridge of Tears Mudgee Shiraz and 2013 Ridge of Tears Orange Shiraz each retail for $45.00.