Bibendum Wine Co.
Bibendum Wine Co.
Bibendum Wine Co.
Bibendum Wine Co.

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Place of Changing Winds

A Special, High-density Vineyard on the Southern Foothills of Mount Macedon

Place of Changing Winds is the vineyard project of Bibendum’s founder and owner Robert Walters. It is a single site in the Macedon Ranges of Victoria that Walters and his team began planting in 2012. Walters had searched for almost five years to find the right location, which turned out to be in a hamlet called Bullengarook, on the southern foothills of Mount Macedon, about one-hour north-west of Melbourne. To the best of our knowledge, this area was called Warekilla by the original inhabitants, the Wurundjeri people. This means ‘Place of Changing Winds’, a characteristic of the site that still holds true today.

‘No compromise, no regrets’ is the motto here. Rob has drawn on his years of experience observing many of the great growers of the world and translating to his setting what he considered to be best practices. The methods applied are labour-intensive and designed to maximise soil and vine health and foster a strong connection between the plant and its environment—and thus realise an expression of place in the resultant wines. 

The elevation is high (500-plus metres), and average rainfall is typically between 700 and 900mm. It’s a genuinely cool site with cold nights and a massive diurnal range, which Pinot and Chardonnay love. In summer, the range can often exceed 20°C or more, which leads to heavy morning dews and strong frosts. The soil is eroded quartz, sandstone and quartzite over clay and silt, as well as some eroded basalt from a rare form called mugearite. The bedrock is over 400 million years old and was mostly formed at the bottom of the ocean in the Ordovician Period. In simple terms, it is rocky, gravelly soil, historically known as Bullengarook gravel.

“Much of of our practice is drawn from a historical approach that has long been associated with quality. This knowledge was initially gifted in one way or another.” Robert Walters

The vines have been planted to a high density of mostly between 12,000 and 33,000 vines per hectare, with almost 45,000 vines over 3.1 hectares. No synthetic chemicals are used and the practice is adapted to these very high densities. It is certainly a different, much more labour-intensive and expensive approach, with more than one full-time person per hectare required in the vines.

Together with the Estate wines, Place of Changing Winds also produces some Syrah from the Heathcote region (about 130km north of the cellars) and some Syrah and Marsanne from the Harcourt area (from cooler granitic soils closer to Bullengarook). The team works closely with growers at both sites. These plots are managed organically (not certified) and to full POCW specifications. The approach has always been to produce reds of great finesse and drinkability—Syrah for Pinot lovers!

Place of Changing Winds was awarded the 2021 New Vineyard of the Year by the Young Gun of Wine Awards, and Best New Winery of the Year 2022 by the Halliday Wine Companion Awards.

Currently Available

Place of Changing Winds Syrah No.2 2021

Place of Changing Winds Syrah No.2 2021

This wine is a blend of both Heathcote and Harcourt fruit. It has serious intensity, Nebbiolo-like tannins and genuine age-worthiness. It was matured in a range of wood (mostly neutral) and concrete vessels for 16 months, before resting in steel tank for six months prior to bottling in late February 2023. It really benefits from plenty of air at this stage in its life, so we encourage drinkers to decant it as early as they can. It gets better and better.

“A blend of Heathcote and Harcourt fruit, brought to life in mostly old oak and concrete for 16 months, then to stainless before bottling. It’s 70% whole bunch or so. While juicy and thick set it has a good deal of fruit, spice and herbal information, both perfume and palate does dark cherry, choc-mint, sage leaf, blood orange – with fine, firm, al dente tannin in the vein of nerello mascalese or similar. It’s a brooding and deep red, chewy and potent but with levity on its side. Charming in the moodier frame.”
93 points, Mike Bennie, The Wine Front
“Good depth of red with a purple tint, and aromas of black berries, subtle herbs and spices, with a floral/violet note and a trace of iodine; the palate is full and rounded, with liberal drying tannins, the medicinal herbs chiming in again towards the finish and adding a cleansing note of bitterness. This should well reward a few years in the cellar.”
93 points, Huon Hooke, The Real Review
“Deep crimson. Definitely Syrah not Shiraz on the nose – fragrant and positively racy. Bitter redcurrant fruit on the palate and lots of character. Hint of treacle and then a bonedry finish. Even without decanting this wine was pretty charming and expressive. Not too intense but well balanced and already accessible.”
16.5 points, jancisrobinson.com
"The 2021 Harcourt and the Syrah No 2 wines are tasted side by side here today, and the context is incredibly useful in determining their similarities and differences. Firstly, these are both classy wines. Elegant, complex, spicy and seamlessly constructed, they are both a pleasure to drink. Structurally, and flavor wise, they are very different. Here, in the 2021 Syrah No 2, the tannins are far more grippy and pronounced. As a tannin lover, this is no problem for me. They are savory and lend weight and gravitas to the fruit. The fruit flavors that course across the tongue are darker, denser and less mineral than those in the Harcourt Syrah. This has notes of blood plum, cocoa, sweet tobacco, mulberry and blackberry. The aromas include a distinct sense of crunchy/crackling autumn leaves underfoot. This is an evocative wine—very smart. "
93 points, Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate
Place of Changing Winds Syrah No.2 2021
Place Of Changing Winds Heathcote Syrah 2021

Place Of Changing Winds Heathcote Syrah 2021

This wine is now released with an extra year’s aging. It comes from an east-facing plot of 20+-year-old vines rooted in the red Cambrian soils of the Mount Camel Range in Heathcote’s north. Although this sub-region can produce some of Heathcote’s most refined wines, it is still an area that lends itself to growing powerful Syrah, so it gets an additional year in cask. The 2021 spent its first year in a range of Stockinger cask and concrete tank before being blended to one 2,000-litre Stockinger cask for the remainder of its maturation. It was bottled at the end of November 2023 after 33 months’ aging. It is a gorgeous, dark-fruited expression of this famous region. At 13% alcohol, it is in no way heavy and, in fact, is quite the “refreshing” contrast to many wines released from the area. Only around 10% new oak used.

“There’s a deal of oak flavour here but it combines well with the bold nature of the fruit. Toast, cedarwood and cream characters wrap around black cherries, plums and peppercorns, the (assertive but integrated) tannin then threaded finely. The finish is impressively prolonged, and while it feels ripe and flavoursome it’s also juicy; refreshing even.”
93+ points, Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front
“Larger format Stockinger barrels and concrete make up a lot of the wine’s vessel maturation profile. The vineyard from northern climes in Heathcote. It spent nearly three years resting before bottling. A wild card, a surprise package. A wine of energy, febrile tension, freshness and drawl. It’s all wild, brambly red berries, dusty, fine tannin, blood orange (pleasing) sweet-bitterness, fine, dark chocolate mellow qualities and faint game meat savouriness. It feels decidedly light and bright, sure, complex, layered, some intensity, but the vim and vigour here is undeniable. This will slake a thirst.”
94 points, Mike Bennie, The Wine Front
“The Heathcote syrah now spends an extra year ageing – all up, 33 months; the first year matured in Stockinger barrels and concrete, then into one 2000L Stockinger cask. Good decision as the tannins are resolved and the wine feels complete. Wonderfully aromatic, from florals, dark fruit and warm spices to some charcuterie notes – think bresaola. The full-bodied palate unfurls all savoury, rich with some bitter dark chocolate and a texture of pomace. Complex and detailed, flavours build, and it finishes long. Impressive.”
95 points, Jane Faulkner, The Wine Companion
“The 2021 Heathcote Syrah eloquently speaks of the red Cambrian soils upon which the fruit was grown. This is expressed via the mineral, ferrous, bloody sort of outlay of tannins that create the bedrock for the fruit. Speaking of which, the fruit is lightweight and elegant and sweeps across red and black cherries, red apple, green tea, crushed rocks and white pepper, with nuances of blueberries and asphalt. This is an interesting wine; it's engaging and pretty. 13.1% alcohol, sealed under Diam.”
92 points, Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate
Place Of Changing Winds Heathcote Syrah 2021
Place of Changing Winds Tradition Red 2022

Place of Changing Winds Tradition Red 2022

Made only in suitable years, this wine is inspired by the era-defining Syrah/Pinot blends crafted by Hunter legend Maurice O’Shea in the 1940s and ’50s. This release is a blend of 40% Pinot from estate vines and 60% Syrah from Heathcote and Harcourt. It spent the first year in a mix of large and small oak barrels, mostly neutral, with the last phase of aging in steel tank and 600-litre Stockinger cask. It was bottled at the end of November 2023. The result is a bright, perfumed, juicy wine. Although delicious now, it will certainly age well. 

“It’s not heavy but there’s impressive intensity of flavour here. It tastes of sheer plum, dark chocolate, roasted nuts and sweet cherry, with woodsy spice and cedarwood characters as part of the veneer. There’s texture, there’s twigs, there’s pure, perfectly ripened fruit, and there’s a firm stamp of integrated tannin. There’s some char to the aftertaste, which is not a distraction and is not a negative. There’s a lot to delve into here. It’s excellent.”
95 points, Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front
“Deep red-purple colour; fresh and clean aromas, herbal and lightly peppered, a slight bunchy touch, the palate firm, medium-bodied and grippy, with a little bitterness. There are subtle red fruits too, in trhe background. Pleasant medium-full weighted red, the shiraz tending to run the show. (60/40 shiraz and pinot noir).”
91 points, Huon Hooke, The Real Review
“Here is 60% syrah from Heathcote and Harcourt with a bolstering remainder of pinot noir. A variety of vessels cajole the wine to bottle. This feels meaty and sleek in the same breath. A whiff of woody spices and undergrowth before a compote of forest berries with a high note of tart cherry. Similar to taste, a sluice of fine, grainy tannin in tow, on medium weight and very persistent. It’s a slurpier red with plenty of charisma and high drinkability.
93 points, Mike Bennie, The Wine Front
“There’s a lot to consider and enjoy with this blend. A wonderful garnet-purple hue; aromatic with pepper and spice, charry oak and plums. Fuller bodied but, in a way, not a weighty wine as there’s such a brightness of fruit and a general vivacity throughout. Loads of tannins, textural and drying, with a hint of green walnut, yet all guided by tangy acidity en route to a fresh finish. And what to consider? The best food match.”
95 points, Jane Faulkner, The Wine Companion
Place of Changing Winds Tradition Red 2022
Place of Changing Winds Harcourt Marsanne Roussanne 2023

Place of Changing Winds Harcourt Marsanne Roussanne 2023

This Marsanne/Roussanne comes from Harcourt North in Victoria’s Bendigo G.I., about an hours’ drive north of the Macedon cellars. With its pure, sandy, granitic soils, and mild climate, this is one of Australia’s most exciting places for Rhône varieties. The grapes were picked fully ripe, pressed firmly and sent straight to barrel (500 and 228 litres), concrete egg and 220-litre glass Wineglobe, for both fermentation and aging with all the fine lees. Malolactic occurred naturally and the wine was bottled in November 2024 without fining or filtration.It's the polar opposite of the ‘pinot gris’ style of many Australian Marsanne's that are picked early, inoculated, tank reared and filtered. It has the power and richness of previous releases, yet with good vibrancy thanks to Harcourt’s micro-climate and the inclusion of a larger portion of Roussanne.

“This sits at medium weight, slippery and glossy in texture, quietly concentrated with light honeyed elements in just-ripe nectarine, just-ripe peach, a tangerine element, faint vanilla cream notes and a sprinkle of cinnamon spice. It feels like the bandwidth delivers complexity, layers to flavour, appeal in the fog of sweeter fruit spectrum characters, a bit of pawpaw bitter-sweet in the mix overall too. Captures attention, delivers depth, feels composed. Class act.”
94 points, Mike Bennie, The Wine Front
Place of Changing Winds Harcourt Marsanne Roussanne 2023
Place of Changing Winds Between Two Mountains Pinot Noir 2023

Place of Changing Winds Between Two Mountains Pinot Noir 2023

Place of Changing Winds has produced only one Pinot Noir from 2023. As Rob explains it, the cool, late season meant the style and personality of the Beyond the Forest and High Density parcels fell a whisker short of receiving their own label, so he and Rémi simply created the best blend from the best ferments produced across the three-hectare POCW vineyard (and declassified whatever didn’t make the cut). This strict selection results in a wonderfully perfumed, complex, finely structured Pinot—one of the most seductive this vineyard has produced. There is a core of sweet fruit that belies the cool, late season and speaks more to the low yields, but there is also plenty of Asian spice on the nose and palate, crystalline red fruit, high-toned florals (violet and rose) and a driven finish with plenty of fine structure for aging.It is a gorgeous drink now if you give it plenty of air in a decanter, but it will certainly cellar well. Bottled in January 2025, whole bunches made up almost a third of the blend (bringing a lot of perfume and spice), and the wine spent 21 months maturing in a range of Stockinger casks (228, 500, 600 and 1,000 litres) and some Wineglobe glass fermenters, with only around 5% new oak.

“This is the only pinot noir from 2023 from POCW. About a third is whole bunch across all the clones and sites on the estate vineyard. The wine ends up in Stockinger barrels for 21 months. Serious approach. A very good wine. Very. Fine, tight, tense, succulent, dark cherry, sour cherry, fennel, blood orange, white pepper, game meat – a lot on, you could keep listing detail but the idea is this is complex, compelling, with everything woven beautifully together. Fruit feels bright and sweet yet just on the cusp, and so fresh, the persistence of all that superb – a touch overtly fruity for those who seek that. An elegance but with a kink of funk and interest. The x-factor we seek. And the personality of place. Stellar.”
95 points, Mike Bennie, The Wine Front
“Quite brilliant… It’s beautifully aromatic. It’s so floral, it’s fresh. Black cherries, wild strawberries. Really, kind of a little bit of grainy detail as well. Some Asian spices. The mouth feel is beautiful. It’s elegant, it’s fresh, it’s purposeful. There’s a nice sort of linear quality to the fruit but it’s not at all heavy, it’s super elegant. And under that silky, elegant, refined fruit, there’s a bit of substance. There’s some spicy detail. There’s a bit of tannin. There’s good acidity. And this will, I think, age quite well, although it’s so delicious now it’s very hard to resist. Really beautiful wine.”
Jamie Goode (@drjamiegoode)
“The 2023 Between Two Mountains Pinot Noir leads with sandalwood and clary sage, cranberry, cigar box and graphite. In the mouth, the wine is loaded with dried herbs, cold tea and wet asphalt, and it lingers long on the palate through the finish. There are also notes of rose petals and cracked pistachios. Texturally, the wine is shaped by sandy tannins that feel both pliable and supportive to the fruit. All things point toward the clarity and focus of this wine being exacerbated by another day open, be sure to give it some air. It was made with around 30% whole bunches and matured for 21 months in a range of Stockinger casks (228, 500, 600 and 1,000 liters) and Wineglobe. 12% alcohol, sealed under Diam and wax.”
93 points, Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate
Place of Changing Winds Between Two Mountains Pinot Noir 2023
Place of Changing Winds Syrah No.2 2023

Place of Changing Winds Syrah No.2 2023

The Syrah No.2 is a blend of the two blocks in Heathcote and Harcourt. Although it’s the most accessibly priced wine, it’s important to stress that it gets the same attention to detail in the vineyard and the winery as all POCW’s other wines. The 2023 was fermented with mostly whole-bunches and matured in a range of casks (mostly large, neutral Stockinger) and a concrete egg. It was bottled in February 2025, almost two years after harvest. Rob’s belief that the 2023 is the most exciting release to date is well founded.

“If you judged by colour you’d be at ten out of ten – ruby and purple with shimmering edges. Hello. The wine feels similar, red crunch, purple depth, mulberry and pomegranate with tart cherry and sweet spices with some distinct slate-like mineral quality in there too. Fine, very fine actually, grippy, granitic tannins ripple through the wine, tightening on a sluice of joyous fruit character with some brown spices speckled through. From the lighter year, this works very well, elegant, fine boned, a pinosity almost, though distinctly syrah of course too. Super star.”
94 points, Mike Bennie, The Wine Front
Place of Changing Winds Syrah No.2 2023
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AT-A-GLANCE

• Place of Changing Winds is a high-density vineyard in the southern foothills of Mount Macedon in central Victoria, Australia.

• It was established in 2012 by Robert Walters, who runs the estate with manager Rémi Jacquemain.

• The estate covers just over three hectares of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and is planted to 45,000 vines at densities up to 33,000 per hectare.

• Viticulture is painstaking and labour-intensive, with nine people employed full-time, equating to three people per hectare.

• It’s a cool site 500 metres above sea level, surrounded by native plantings and thousands of hectares of forest.

• The soil is eroded quartz, sandstone and quartzite over clay and silt, as well as eroded basalt.

• The Place of Changing Winds Estate wines (a single Chardonnay and a range of Pinot Noirs) are made in small quantities and sold on allocation, with a small number of large-format bottlings produced.

• Place of Changing Winds also produces a range of Grower Series wines (Syrah and Marsanne) sourced from like-minded growers in Heathcote and Harcourt. It also makes the Tradition Series (a red and white blend) in certain years.



IN THE PRESS

“Place of Changing Winds – the place and the vineyard – may well be the most exciting ‘new’ development in Australian wine. It will jump straight on to elite lists of Australian wine producers. You could describe this endeavour in one word: uncompromised.” Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front

“This extraordinary high-density vineyard is slotted between Mount Macedon and Mount Bullengarook. It’s the brainchild of the committed and obsessive Robert Walters, the founder of importer Bibendum, boasting a dazzling array of boutique wine luminaries in its portfolio. Through his many connections and much research comes Place of Changing Winds, known as Warekilla in the local Wurundjeri language. It’s a rocky site at 500m elevation, surrounded by forest. The whole farm covers 33ha but vines comprise just 3.1ha, planted to 44,000 vines. A high-density site of pinot noir and chardonnay, ranging from 12,500 to 33,000 vines/ha: there is nothing like this in Australia, or even in Burgundy (where 10,000 vines are deemed high density). No expense has been sparedand the level of detail is nothing short of extraordinary.” ★★★★★ Halliday Wine Companion

Country

Australia

Primary Region

Macedon Ranges, Victoria

People

Owner: Robert Walters

Manager: Rémi Jacquemain

Key staff: Lachlan McCallum, Romuald Cacheux

Availability

National

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  • Place of Changing Winds
    Place of Changing Winds
    It’s no secret that the team behind Place of Changing Winds are a tough bunch to please...
    It’s no secret that the team behind Place of Changing Winds are a tough bunch to please. Rob and Remi do not agree on everything, so it speaks volu...

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