DAPPLED

Dappled Wines is a boutique winery based in Victoria’s Yarra Valley, founded in 2009 by winemaker Shaun Crinion. Shaun’s passion for wine began during a surf trip to California in 1999, where he worked at his uncle’s winery. He later refined his skills through winemaking roles in California, Burgundy, and across Australia before settling in the Yarra Valley in 2007. His vision for Dappled was to craft wines that were pure, expressive, and honest, made in small quantities for family and friends. The name “Dappled” reflects patterns of light and shade, symbolizing the nuance and delicacy he strives to capture in his wines.

Dappled gained national attention and recognition that placed it firmly among the most exciting new-generation Australian producers. Consumers have praised the wines for their precision, aromatic lift, and balance, often noting that they overdeliver in quality relative to price. Standouts include the Appellation Chardonnay, a cool-climate expression with citrus, white peach, and flinty drive, and the Appellation Pinot Noir, which shows vibrant red fruits, herbal lift, and fine tannins. Special single-vineyard bottlings such as Sur La Crête Chardonnay and the Tradition Cabernets have also attracted critical acclaim.

Dappled represents the best of the new wave of Yarra Valley producers: thoughtful, terroir-driven winemaking without artifice, offering wines that are both approachable in youth and capable of graceful aging. With its combination of minimal-intervention philosophy, consistent critical recognition, and focus on purity, Dappled has quickly earned a place as one of Australia’s most respected boutique wineries.