John and Mary Muddle

Mary Muddle grew up in Melbourne during the Depression. John grew up in Sydney. They met in Rabaul during World War II. John worked in his father's company Nutt and Muddle which was the first gaming company in Australia from 1955 to 1968. They had five children. They bought 650 acres at Richmond Grove, Sandy Hollow in the Hunter Valley. Brian McGuigan gave advice about growing grapes. Began planting in 1969 and Penfolds contracted them to grow grapes. Brian encouraged them to grow Traminer Riesling. Wyndham Estate bought half their property and the vineyard was extended to 250 acres. Len Evans was a source of information about the Hunter Valley. They founded Richmond Grove but Brian McGuigan was the driving force