At the 1999 Mudgee Wine Show, the 1998 Montrose Black Shiraz won the "Best Wine of Show" award, thus giving the winemakers at Poet’s Corner bragging rights and the 225L barrique prize. The winemakers at the time (Brett McKinnon and James Manners) decided that the barrique prize should in some way be donated to the Mudgee region as a whole, and so the concept of a promotional blend of outstanding wines was born.

The concept developed further and a criteria was established, whereby only wines receiving gold medal equivalent points (equivalent because unbottled wines are ineligible for medals) in the one-year old red Classes would be selected for blending to make this wine. Given Mudgee’s Gold mining history and the relevant criteria for selection, the name "Mudgee Gold" was a foregone conclusion.

In the first year of this wine, a limited number of double-magnums (3 litre bottles) and 750ml bottles were produced, as the exclusivity of this wine was to be protected. The finishing touch to Mudgee Gold was the packaging, with a painting by a local artist a core element of the numbered labels.

Mudgee Gold is a unique expression of the Mudgee Wine region and represents the areas finest viticultural and winemaking skills. It is a testament to the outstanding potential and finesse of Mudgee red wines.