About McGuigan Wines
The McGuigan brand of Australian wine was probably the fastest growing Australian wine brand on the market. Fouryears ago, it sidled along the well-known names on some supermarket shelves. Today, it dominates shelves, putting McGuigan as the 3rd biggest Australian brand, in a very short space of time, behind Hardys and Jacobs Creek.
McGuigan wines were a relatively low key and late arrival to the wine scene, but have made up for lost time since coming to our stores. One of the most acclaimed wine companies of recent times, the McGuigan tally of medals and accolades covers just about every award in the book, and clearly reflects the passion and focus that the wine team behind the brand put on top quality wines, at every price level.
McGuigan wines started up in the Hunter Valley of Australia’s New South Wales, back in 1880, and over 125 years later, the business is still totally family owned. With brothers Brian and Neil McGuigan at the helm, the wine company went from strength to strength from the late 1990s, hitting the big time towards the end of the noughties.
Neil McGuigan, is the winemaking brains behind the brand and remains passionate about the quality of his wines. Maybe more than any other Australian big brand, McGuigan have helped demystify wine styles, listened to what wine drinkers wanted, and adapted the styles of their wines to suit that.
Since 2009 McGuigan have scooped just about every award in the book, from notable UK wine contests to the International Wine Challenge and The International Wine & Spirit competition. From overall white wine maker of the year, against international competition, to winning the International Riesling trophy, and then the International Semillon trophy, Neil McGuigan then topped it all by winning the top IWSC trophy, International Winemaker of the year, not once, but an unprecedented 3 times.
McGuigan wines are always looking for innovation, and making life easier for the wine drinker and even teamed up with superstar celebrity chef, and fellow Australian, John, Torode, of Masterchef fame, to create a range of recipes matched to specific wines. The range of wines focus on styles and flavours, first, rather than the more traditional focus on provenance and location.
McGuigan Wine Styles
The McGuigan brand started off with the launch of Black label range, including huge hits such as the McGuigan Black Label Red, which has an incredible following behind it. They have a large range of varietals under this label, from the traditional McGuigan Black Label Shiraz to the new fashion queen on the block McGuigan Black Label Moscato. There is also a Reserve Black Label range, with more intense, fruity styles.
The pale grey label Bin Series is a great introduction to the McGuigan wines, with a range of varietal and dual varietals, packed with true to type flavours of the grape, fruity, clean and flavoursome. It includes the McGuigan Bin Sauvignon Blanc and the McGuigan Private Bin Chardonnay to name a few.
The Cellar Select range delivers fresh, fruity, easy drinking styles of wine across a range of still and sparkling wines including the McGuigan Cellar Select Chardonnay and McGuigan Cellar Select Cabernet Shiraz, whilst the Classic series is all about the true expression of each individual grape variety. Check out the McGuigan Classic Merlot, McGuigan Classic Cabernet and the McGuigan Classic Chardonnay
The white labelled Estate range, now widely available, is all about the true varietal flavours such as the McGuigan Estate Merlot McGuigan Estate Shiraz, and both deliver good intensity of flavour at great value prices.
Moving up a level, the Reserve range comprises a McGuigan Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, McGuigan Reserve Shiraz and a McGuigan Reserve Chardonnay, all sourced from some of McGuigan’s most premium vineyards. Deep, rich, complex expressions of the individual grape varieties.