RECIPE
PORK SPARE RIBS WITH CHERRY MAPLE GLAZE
For the Ribs
- 4 Full racks pork spare ribs
- 4 Bay leaves
- 1 tbsp Peppercorns
- 2 Lemons sliced
- 3 tbsp Paprika
- 3 tbsp Salt
- 1 Onion peeled and sliced
Cherry Maple BBQ glaze
- 1 Onion, grated
- 4 Garlic cloves grated
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 2 cups Dark cherries tin or frozen (roughly chopped)
- 1 cup Tomato sauce
- ½ cup Brown sugar
- ½ cup Maple syrup
- ¼ cup Brown vinegar
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/8 tbsp Liquid smoke
- 2 tbsp Mustard powder
- 2 tsp Pepper
Cherry Maple BBQ glaze
In a pot, sweat onions and garlic in the butter until tender. Stir in cherries and sautee for 3 mins. Stir in sugar and cook until melted, then stir in mustard and pepper and cook out for 2 min. Add remaining ingredients and reduce heat to low, simmer for 15 min. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely before glazing.
Ribs
Preheat the oven to 180° Season the ribs on both sides with salt and paprika then place them in a deep oven tray. Add remaining ingredients into the dish and cover with water till the meat is just covered. Cover with baking paper then wrap tightly with foil, make sure the foil has no tears and is really well folded around the edges.
Bake for 2hrs then check if the ribs are tender ( the bones should feel like they will pop out with a bit of a wiggle. Otherwise, continue cooking for another 20 min and repeat the check. Remove from the heat and allow to rest in the liquid for ½ hour, remove and allow to drain on a plate. Increase the temperature of the oven to 220°. Place the ribs on an oven tray and baste heavily with the glaze.
Return ribs to oven and cook for 20-30 mins, until the glaze is shiny, sticky and smell amazing. Serve with your favourite Bluegrass.
Serve with your choice of Bluegrass red wines
RIBS AND REDS MASTERCLASS
Ribs & Reds Masterclass | Bluegrass Vertical Tasting
Discover How Red Wines Age and Evolve at Saddler’s Creek
May is Bluegrass Month at Saddler’s Creek Wines, and if you’re a red wine lover curious about what really happens in the bottle over time, this is your Hunter Valley must-do.
On Saturday, 31 May, join Scotty at our Pokolbin Cellar Door for an evening that reveals the true magic of aged reds.
Bluegrass Collection: The Art of Aging
The Bluegrass Collection sits at the heart of what we do at Saddler’s Creek—these bold, full-bodied reds are crafted to get better with age. When first released, they showcase vibrant black fruit and firm structure, but give them time? That’s when the real magic happens. The tannins soften, flavours meld together, and what was once bold becomes beautifully balanced.
Vertical Tasting: New Release vs Cellar Aged
Ever wondered if cellaring wine is actually worth it? Here’s your chance to taste the proof. Compare new release Bluegrass reds alongside their older siblings—some aged for up to ten years. No more wondering what “aging potential” means; you’ll taste the difference in your glass.
Ribs & Reds Masterclass: What You’ll Experience
Six iconic Bluegrass reds:
2022 Bluegrass Shiraz & 2017 Bluegrass Shiraz
2022 Bluegrass Cabernet Merlot & 2016 Bluegrass Cabernet Merlot
2022 Bluegrass Cabernet Sauvignon & 2015 Bluegrass Cabernet Sauvignon
Perfectly paired rib dishes by Chef Jonathan Heath:
Smoked pork ribs with maple cherry barbecue glaze
Braised beef ribs with Texan rub and molasses
Marsala-dusted lamb ribs with pickled cucumber and fruit chutney
Guided by Scotty:
Our resident wine expert will walk you through each tasting, sharing insider knowledge on cellaring and food pairing that you can actually use.
Why This Day Will Be Special
This isn’t just a tasting—it’s a proper day out with fantastic food, exceptional wines, and the kind of relaxed Hunter Valley hospitality that keeps people coming back. You’ll leave understanding what makes a wine worth waiting for, with a few new favourites to add to your collection.
Seating is limited for this intimate masterclass—we’re keeping the group small so everyone gets personal attention and plenty of wine.
Reserve Your Place
$75 per person | Club Equus Members $60
WHEN: Saturday 31st May 2025, 6pm
WHERE: Saddler’s Creek Winery, 15 Marrowbone Rd, Pokolbin
BOOK NOW
#BluegrassVertical #HunterValleyWine #RedWineLovers #WineAging #RibsAndReds
Bluegrass Wine Experiences | Aged vs New
Discover the Rare Annual Opportunity to Taste Bluegrass Wines Through Time
Wine enthusiasts and collectors, now is the time to visit the Hunter Valley for a truly exceptional experience at Saddler’s Creek Wines. Each May, we open our cellars for the highly anticipated annual release of our aged Bluegrass Collection-a once-a-year opportunity to taste the remarkable evolution of these iconic Australian reds side by side with their current vintage counterparts.
Experience the Evolution: New vs Aged Comparison
The Bluegrass Collection represents the pinnacle of winemaking excellence, with a heritage stretching back to the inaugural 1990 Cabernet Sauvignon vintage. These exceptional wines have been beloved by Club Equus members and cellar door visitors for over three decades. What makes these wines truly special is their remarkable aging potential-each bottle meticulously crafted to develop greater depth of flavor and complexity over time.
How Time Transforms Bluegrass Wines
Upon release, Bluegrass wines showcase bold, vibrant black fruit flavors balanced by firm tannins, giving them a powerful, full-bodied structure. But the magic happens with patient cellaring:
Tannins soften over time, creating a silkier mouthfeel
Fruit flavors meld together in perfect harmony
Complexity increases as secondary characteristics develop
The finish becomes longer and more lingering
THE CELLAR IS OPEN!
BLUEGRASS ‘CELLAR RELEASE’
Once a year, we open the doors to our cellar and hand-pick Bluegrass wines, which are aging beautifully, to release to our Club Equus members.
This is your rare opportunity to secure museum vintages of the Bluegrass collection. The BLACK LABEL Bluegrass signifies the ‘Cellar Release,’ meaning we have carefully aged these wines and released them with 8+ years of maturity.
This year’s ‘Cellar Release’
Bluegrass Cabernet Sauvignon
Bluegrass Cabernet Shiraz
Three Exceptional Ways to Experience Bluegrass in May 2025
Bluegrass Vertical Tasting Flight
Available daily throughout May and June, this self-guided tasting lets you compare current Bluegrass wines with their aged counterparts from vintages cellared for up to eight years. At just $10 per person, it’s an accessible way to discover how these remarkable wines evolve over time.
Burgers & Bluegrass Tasting Flight
This self-guided side-by-side tasting flight lets you compare current Bluegrass wines with their aged counterparts, perfectly paired with gourmet mini sliders. Available daily throughout May and June between 10am-3pm for $55 per person | $40 Club Equus Members.
Ribs & Reds Masterclass
For the ultimate Bluegrass experience, join our guided masterclass where our wine expert will take you through six iconic red wines, comparing new releases with cellar releases aged for eight years. This wine and food pairing experience includes perfectly matched rib bowls that complement each wine’s unique characteristics. Available May 25th and June 29th at 11am for $75 per person | $60 Club Equus Members.
A Tradition Worth Celebrating
At Saddler’s Creek, we understand the art of patient cellaring, carefully selecting the finest vintages to reserve and age with confidence. Each May, these aged treasures are released in very limited quantities, offering a unique opportunity to experience the evolution of exceptional wines that have been carefully cellared to perfection.
Don’t miss this rare annual opportunity to taste the Bluegrass Collection’s remarkable journey through time. Whether you’re a seasoned collector or simply curious about how great wines evolve, this is your chance to experience firsthand why the Bluegrass Collection has earned its iconic status in Australian winemaking.
