2025 Monopole Syrah by Schmölzer & Brown

The Monopole label is a project made through a collaboration of The City Wine Shop and producers we love and have long standing relationships with. This is Syrah made with Tessa and Jeremy is one we are particularly proud of. A brighter, lifted expression on Syrah from Victoria.

Vignerons Schmölzer & Brown is the partnership of winemaker/viticulturist Tessa Brown and her husband, architect Jeremy Schmölzer, based in Beechworth, Victoria. They planted their home vineyard, Thorley, in 2014–2015 at the highest part of the Beechworth GI, and farm it with organic practices in all but the most challenging years. The focus is on growing and making wines with precision, balance and drinkability, an ethos that begins in their steep, granitic slopes and carries through every stage of production.

Alongside Thorley, the pair work with select high-altitude sites nearby (including Whitlands in the King Valley and other local parcels) to craft a focused range led by Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Riesling, with small lots of Nebbiolo and Syrah. 

The fruit for the 2025 Monopole Syrah was sourced from the Warner Vineyard (70%) and the Thorley Vineyard (30%). Warner Syrah carbo-destem (one week as whole cluster in closed VC, then destemmed and fermented in pot as whole berries afterwards, lifts red fruits without stalkiness) - We decided not to include any fruit that's gone through carbonic maceration, as the consensus was that a firmer, more serious wine that leads with bluish cocoa tones (from the Warner fruit) and the lighter silky floral tones brought by the Thorley, will work better in the venues.

Beechworth, Victoria