Jane Willson & Steve Wiblin - Neagle's Rock Clare Valley
Over the years, we have put together quite an incredible portfolio of small-production Australian wineries but our greatest discovery to date is the brilliant Neagle's Rock winery in Clare Valley. Montesquieu has always had a knack for seeking out the most compelling winemakers in every top region and Jane Willson and Steve Wiblin are two pioneers we have fallen in love with.
Neagle's Rock is a shining star in Australia's fascinating Clare Valley, a region that has rightfully earned its reputation as the Tuscany of Australia for its dedication to the art of crafting great food and wine. Clare's proud wine growing history dates back to 1842 when the first growers immediately recognized the valley's high elevation and climate were ideal for growing grapes. The valley's location just 90 minutes north of Adelaide gives it a cooler, more consistent climate, laying the ideal groundwork to produce world-class Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz as well as Sangiovese and Riesling. These powerful wines maintain incredible balance and complexity throughout their lives and have the potential to cellar beautifully.
Proprietors Steve Wilbin and Jane Willson come from two unique backgrounds in the wine world that allows them to forge a fantastic bond at Neagle's Rock starting back in 1997. In his 20 year career, Steve Wilbin has worked with Australia's elite to make some of the country's finest wines ever crafted. Much of Steve's early experience was alongside the famed Max Schubert, considered by many to be the Godfather of Australian winemaking for his vision of creating Penfolds' Grange, the flagship Shiraz for all of Australia. Steve's time at Penfolds gave him the valuable insight he needed to go out and seek out the perfect vineyards for his own personal project. Much like Schubert's goal with Grange of showing the noble complexities of Syrah paired with Australia's traditional rich, concentrated style, Steve has fashioned his Cabernet, Shiraz, and Sangiovese in a way that presents the fruit-forward Aussie winemaking style with ample finesse and maximum terroir extraction.
Jane Willson's exciting wine career has taken her through the corporate ranks of Australian wine as well. She can certainly be considered a corportate escapee after the time she spent building larger-production brand names for Lindemanns. Her experiences helped nourish her love for wine as well as alert her to the exciting potential road that lay ahead of her in starting up a winery like Neagle's Rock. Her marketing savvy has been instrumental in making Neagle's Rock one of Clare Valley's most revered producers.
The wines of Neagle's Rock capture the essence of small-production artisan winemaking with signature Australian flare. We look forward to expanding our relationship with Steve and Jane and continuing to present our clients with some of Clare Valley's most unique wines.
