As he tells it, Bryan Martin established Ravensworth in Murrumbateman with his partner Jocelyn and brother David in 2001 because “it seemed like a good idea at the time.” This former chef, restaurant critic, food writer and winemaker at Clonakilla is known for his emotional symbiosis with the region and his exceptionally good taste. And that’s the constant to Bryan’s wines: they express the region, and they taste good. Really good.

Home for the Martin family is in Murumbateman. Here they organically farm 3.3 hectares of predominantly own-rooted vines on soils rich in decomposed granite and red, loamy clay. The region’s star varieties, Shiraz and Riesling, hold the lion’s share of acreage, closely followed by Bryan’s passion project, Sangiovese (on which The Wine Front has written, “Bryan Martin and sangiovese should be shouted from the rooftops). The estate is also home to small plots of Nebbiolo, Gamay, Chardonnay, Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier, Savagnin and Ribolla Gialla. Martin is unflinching when it comes to farming: the site is certified organic; no synthetic chemicals are ever used; and he uses under-vine cultivation, cover crops and green manure. His soils are rich in organic material, his vines and vegetable garden are thriving, and the biodiverse vineyard is filled with bees and birds – it’s a site humming with energy and life.
 
In the winery, Martin takes a hands-off approach when it comes to additions, but a hands-on approach when it comes to coaxing the very best out of his fruit. To this end, he utilises a wide range of vessels for fermentation and maturation; ceramic, concrete, clay amphora, glass wine globes, all sizes of oak and, less and less, stainless steel. Martin also prescribes long ageing across the range, with each wine now seeing two years in vessel, resulting in a more together and balanced wine on release. Extensive lees interaction helps achieve Ravensworth’s signature silky and seductive textures, as well as skin contact and malo for whites, extended macerations for reds, natural fermentations and no fining or filtration.