Pyren, in Victoria’s Pyrenees, is now overseen by Leighton Joy, both son and nephew of the founders (brothers). He has diverted the more traditional line of the estate down one that tinkers with experimentation, from working whole bunch and carbonic maceration into their classic varietal wines to spinning the creativity wheel in the Little Ra Ra range.
The Pyren vineyard was first planted by Brian and Kevyn Joy in 1999. The brothers chose an undulating site in the Warrenmang Valley near Moonambel, in Victoria’s Pyrenees region. The pair planted shiraz, cabernet sauvignon, sauvignon blanc, cabernet franc, malbec and petit verdot over a number of years and built a winery on site in 2009. Brian’s son Leighton is the Pyren General Manager, overseeing all the operations as well as making the wine.
Leigthon studied viticulture at La Trobe University. Well, for almost two years, at least. The study gave way to practical experience, with Joy proudly proclaiming, “I am a product of Pyren Vineyard.” Leighton’s first vintage at Pyren was back in 2003, with him taking the reins at the winery in 2012.
And in case that surname is familiar, there’s a bit of Joy to go around, if you pardon the pun, with Leighton’s cousin Andy Joy part-owner and front of house guru at the cutting edge wineslinger the Carlton Wine Room (he also fronted Cumulus Up and Marion from their openings and for subsequent successful years).
Leighton presides over three ranges and around 15 wines for Pyren. The Earthscape range, which bears an illustrative label that describes the changing day, from bright sunlight through twilight and into starry dark, with each assigned to a variety – sauvignon blank wears the sunshine and sparkling shiraz dons the night-time livery. Those wines describe the “quartz laden” soil through the medium of single varieties, while the Little Ra Ra range bucks convention, favouring experimentation, including skin-contact ‘whites’ and a whole-bunch fermented sauvignon blanc pét-nat. The Reserve range rounds out the offer, with a syrah, cabernet and Bordeaux blend called ‘Union’, with all made from the best performing blocks.
Sven Joschke’s wines are lo-fi, and with no adds except a particularly small dose of sulphur when they go to bottle, but that’s not to say they aren’t purposeful with clear directions in mind, as he says, “minimal intervention, made with intent”. With only a few years of winemaking under his belt – after fleeing a corporate career as an accountant – Joschke hit the ground running, now making wines from the Adelaide Hills, Langhorne Creek and the Barossa, as well as in the Jura, France.
The Crittenden name has chaperoned the winegrowing history of the Mornington Peninsula since the start, with Rollo Crittenden’s father planting some of the first vines and being responsible for countless innovations. Crittenden has taken that baton confidently, redefining new potential for the maturing region. In addition to tiers of both estate and regional chardonnay and…
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