Empire of Dirt is an exclusive label made in partnership with Pinot Noir genius Timo Mayer, by his son Rivar. Today the Yarra is feted for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, but historically there was a broader mix of grapes grown, think Mount Mary and Coldstream Hills. Timo and Rivar find well-managed vineyards which they think are producing good fruit. They then make the wine simply with a percentage of whole bunch fermentation, which is Timo's trademark, and no additions.

Rivar seems to have inherited his father’s down-to-earth turn of phrase: ‘The Savvy comes from a vineyard next to us which the old man looks after. It was whole-bunch pressed, with a third crushed and left overnight before pressing. We wanted to give the wine more varietal characters and texture. The wine had good acidity and didn't need any additions apart from a little sulphur. Good S**t.’