Veteran Mansfield winemaker Ros Ritchie has opened a new Cellar Door and Function Centre at historic Magnolia House in Victoria’s High Country, and it’s a summer season must-visit destination.
Offering a unique venue for sampling her premium cool climate wines which include the James Halliday 96 point 2015 Gewürztraminer and 93 point 2015 Riesling. After a ten year wait, finally fans of Ros’ wines can enjoy this spring and summer season in a centrally located Mansfield venue. Essentials recently dropped into Magnolia House to sample her range of wines, including the beautifully fragrant and softly textured 2015 Nebbiolo featuring classic Nebbiolo tar and roses aromatics; and the 2017 Pinot Noir Rosé – a perfect spring/summer wine, bursting with sweet aromas of strawberries, stewed rhubarb and sour cherries.
Named for the 40-foot Magnolia Grandiflora tree originally planted on the property in the 1880s, Magnolia House is a wonderful and rare-to-Australia, architectural gem. Constructed in 1908 by Harry Amor, then owner of the Mansfield Courier, the property is actually an American Folk Victorian kit home that was transported to Port Melbourne by sea as ballast and then on to Mansfield by steam train. Its exterior features surprises with a twin gabled roof complete with window balconies plus a pair of ground floor bay windows decorated with ornate pressed tin panels. Indoors, the pressed tin continues through to the ‘parlour’ and dining rooms which together form the functions space. Painted in a regal colour scheme of warm creams, green and gold tones, the parlour/sitting room adjoins the tastings bar/cellar; it also connects to an alfresco dining deck area shaded by the lush and healthy magnolia.
Magnolia House is perfect for medium-sized corporate functions, weddings and family celebrations with the parlour and main dining room comfortably seating 50. Events such as murder mystery nights and car club gatherings are also popular, ‘we’ve already hosted several large functions,’ explains Ros.
Ros sources her fruit from a range of regional growers as well as the Barwite vineyard just outside Mansfield, in which she is a shareholder. Her label launched its first vintage in 2009. After producing wines for the family business Delatite Wines for a little over 25 years, Ros decided to go out on her own to perfect a collection of ultra premium wines. Using fruit carefully selected from the very best rows of her chosen vineyards, Ros’ ongoing dedication to her craft has culminated in a group of wines we feel offer an incredible balance of quality across the entire range – no mean feat indeed!
Ros Ritchie Wines
190 Mt Buller Rd, Mansfield, Victoria
Tel 0448 900 541
rosritchiewines.com
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