New South Wales
Berton – Riverina, NSW
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The Berton Vineyards partners – Bob and Cherie Berton, James Ceccato and Jamie Bennett – have almost 100 years’ combined experience in winemaking, viticulture, finance, production and marketing. The 30ha property in the Eden Valley was acquired in 1996 and the vines planted. Wines are released under various labels: Berton Vineyards (Reserve, Winemakers Reserve, Metal Label), Foundstone, Outback Jack and Head Over Heels. Exports to the UK, the US, Sweden, Norway, Russia, Japan and China.
3.5 ★ winery | bertonvineyards.com.au | Halliday profile
JS Winery – Orange, NSW
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I simply can't resist quoting the opening to the background information provided: 'Located on the west side of Australia's agricultural province of New South Wales'. JS Wines' estate is about 8km from the centre of Orange, 3 hours' drive from Sydney'. The vineyard and the quality of the wines brings together 3 winemakers who have long-term firsthand knowledge of the Orange region.
4.5 ★ winery | jswine.com.au | Halliday profile
South Australia
Angove Family Winemakers – McLaren Vale, SA
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Founded in 1886, Angove Family Winemakers is one of Australia’s most successful wine businesses – a 5th-generation family company with a tradition of excellence and an eye for the future. Angove wines includes The Medhyk, Warboys Vineyard, Family Crest, Organics, and Long Row brands. The McLaren Vale cellar door is nestled in the family’s certified organic and biodynamic Warboys Vineyard on Chalk Hill Road, the Renmark cellar door (home of the St Agnes Distillery) in Bookmark Avenue. In early 2019 Angove acquired the celebrated 12.7ha Angel Gully Vineyard in Clarendon from Primo Estate, and renamed the vineyard Angels Rise. Angove is committed to remaining privately owned and believes remaining in family hands enables the company to be master of its own destiny. Exports to all major markets.
5 ★ winery | angove.com.au | Halliday profile
Heirloom Vineyards – Other, SA
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Another venture for winemaker Elena Brooks and her husband Zar. They met during the 2000 vintage and one thing led to another, as they say. Dandelion Vineyards and Zonte’s Footstep came along first, and continue, but other partners are involved in those ventures. The lofty aims of Heirloom are ‘to preserve the best of tradition, the unique old vineyards of SA, and to champion the best clones of each variety, embracing organic and biodynamic farming’. The quality of the wines has been consistently very good. Exports to all major markets.
5 ★ winery | heirloomvineyards.com.au | Halliday profile
Hill River Clare Estate – Clare Valley, SA
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The Jaeschke family has been broadacre farming in the Hill River district for over 50 years. In May 2010 they purchased the neighbouring 180ha vineyard established by Penfolds in 1980. It is planted to 17 varieties, including 21.2ha of riesling, the success of which has led to a stream of trophies and gold medals since ’13, the first entry in wine shows. The venture began as the idea of daughter Michelle, with the expectation of a medal or two. That success, together with a cellar-door grant from PIRSA, led to the introduction of a cellar door, deck and lawn area for picnics, with barbeque facilities provided too.
5 ★ winery | hillriverclareestate.com.au | Halliday profile
Two Hands Wines – Barossa Valley, SA
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The ‘hands’ in question were originally those of founders Michael Twelftree and Richard Mintz, Michael in particular having extensive experience in marketing Australian wine in the US (for other producers). Grapes are sourced from the Barossa Valley (where the business has 15ha of shiraz), McLaren Vale, Clare Valley, Eden Valley and the Adelaide Hills. The emphasis is on sweet fruit and soft tannin structure, all signifying the precise marketing strategy of what is a very successful business. At the end of 2015 Two Hands embarked on an extensive planting programme using vines propagated from a number of vineyards (including Prouse Eden Valley, Wendouree 1893, Kaelser Alte Reben, Penfolds Modbury, Kays Block 6, Kalimna 3C), as well as a high-density 1.4ha clos (a walled vineyard) with bush vines trained to stakes, known as echalas, in the style of terraced vineyards in the Northern Rhône Valley. Exports to all major markets.
5 ★ winery | twohandswines.com | Halliday profile
Victoria
Buller Wines – Rutherglen, VIC
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In 2013, after 92 years of ownership and management by the Buller family, the business was purchased by Gerald and Mary Judd, a well-known local couple and family with extensive roots in the North East. They are hands-on in the business and have overseen major investment in the cellar, storage, operations and, importantly, vineyards. White and sparkling wines from the King Valley have been added to the range and there is a new restaurant and refurbished cellar door. Buller celebrates 100 years in 2021. Exports to the UK, Belgium, China, Taiwan, the US, Japan and NZ.
4.5 ★ winery | bullerwines.com.au | Halliday profile
Massoni Wines – Other, VIC
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Massoni is a substantial business owned by the Ursini family, and it is a venture with 2 completely distinct arms. In terms of vineyard and land size, by far the larger is the GlenKara Vineyard in the Pyrenees (269ha). It also has 8.5ha on the Mornington Peninsula where Massoni started and where it gained its reputation. In 2012 Massoni purchased the former Tucks Ridge/Red Hill winemaking facility at Dromana. Exports to China.
4 ★ winery | massoniwines.com | Halliday profile
Payne's Rise – Yarra Valley, VIC
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Tim and Narelle Cullen have progressively established 5ha of cabernet sauvignon, shiraz, pinot noir, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc since 1998. They carry out all the vineyard work. Tim is also a viticulturist for a local agribusiness. Narelle is responsible for sales and marketing. The contract-made wines have won both gold medals and trophies at the Yarra Valley Wine Show since ’10, echoed by success at the Victorian Wine Show. Exports to China.
4.5 ★ winery | paynesrise.com.au | Halliday profile
Tarrahill – Yarra Valley, VIC
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Owned by former Mallesons Lawyers partner Jonathan Hamer and wife Andrea, a former doctor and daughter of Ian Hanson, who made wine for many years under the Hanson- Tarrahill label. Ian had a 0.8ha vineyard at Lower Plenty but needed 2ha to obtain a vigneron’s licence. In 1990 the Hamers purchased a property in the Yarra Valley and planted the requisite vines (pinot noir – ultimately destroyed by the 2009 bushfires). Jonathan and company director friend Geof Fethers worked weekends in the vineyard and in ’04 decided that they would undertake a wine science degree (at CSU); they graduated in ’11. In ’12 Jonathan retired from law and planted more vines (cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot, malbec and petit verdot) and Ian (aged 86) retired from winemaking. Andrea has also contributed with a 2nd degree (horticulture); she is a biodynamics advocate.
4 ★ winery | tarrahill.com | Halliday profile
Western Australia
Brash Vineyard – Margaret River, WA
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Brash Vineyard was established in 1998 as Woodside Valley Estate. While most of the grapes were sold to other Margaret River producers, cabernet sauvignon, shiraz, chardonnay and merlot were made, and in ’09 the Cabernet Sauvignon and the Shiraz earned the winery a 5-star rating. It is now owned by Chris and Anne Carter (managing partners, who live and work onsite), Brian and Anne McGuinness, and Rik and Jenny Nitert. The vineyard is now mature and produces high-quality fruit.
4.5 ★ winery | brashvineyard.com.au | Halliday profile
Dickinson Estate – Blackwood, WA
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Trevor and Mary Dickinson went from a 20-year life at sea with the Australian Navy to becoming farmers at Boyup Brook in 1987. They learned on the job, initially cropping and breeding sheep for wool, then cattle and fat lambs. In ’94 they diversified further, planting shiraz, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and cabernet sauvignon, and appointing the highly experienced team of Coby Ladwig and Luke Eckersley to make the wines. Exports to the UK and China.
4.5 ★ winery | dickinsonestate.com.au | Halliday profile
Harvey River – Geographe, WA
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Harvey River Estate has a long and significant tradition of winemaking in WA’s southwest. The Sorgiovanni family have been farming and making wine on the original property since Guiseppe (Joe) arrived from Italy in 1928. Orchards evolved into a standalone business and Harvey Fresh went on to become one of WA’s largest milk and juice processors. The Harvey River Estate label was established in 1999, the range of popular varietals designed to be enjoyed in the short to medium term including Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc Semillon, Rose, Merlot, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon. The fruit for these wines is predominantly from the family-owned vineyards in Geographe. Exports to the US, Canada, Singapore and China.
3.5 ★ winery | harveyriverestate.com.au | Halliday profile
Night Harvest – Margaret River, WA
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Andy and Mandy Ferreira arrived in Margaret River in 1986 as newly married young migrants. They soon became involved in the construction and establishment of new vineyards, as well as growing vegetables for the local and export markets. Their vineyard-contracting business expanded quickly when the region experienced its rapid growth in the late ’90s, so the vegetable business was closed, and they put all their focus into wine. They were involved in the establishment of about 300ha of Margaret River vineyards, many of which they continue to manage today (Brash Vineyard and Passel Estate are among the 18 estates that fall into this category). As their fortunes grew, they purchased their own property and produced their first wines in 2005. Harvesting is a key part of their business, and currently they harvest fruit from over 100 sites. Hence the Night Harvest brand was born, and Butler Crest was added as a premium label. Exports to the US and the UK.
4 ★ winery | nightharvest.com.au | Halliday profile
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