Yalumba is preparing to celebrate a milestone anniversary, marking 175 of family ownership and winemaking with a series of new releases, events, and experiences in its Eden Valley home and beyond.
Established in 1849 by Samuel Smith, the winery is now in the hands of fifth-generation proprietor Robert Hill-Smith. One of Australia’s oldest wineries, Yalumba has championed Australian and Eden Valley wines in both national and international spheres.
Robert Hill-Smith said that the anniversary was not just a recognition of the past, but also of the winery’s future of innovation.
“This anniversary is not only a nod to years passed. It is a reflection of our resilience and a commitment to mastering our craft, generation after generation. It also acknowledges the many exceptional fine wine people that have come through the gates of Yalumba across three centuries, with shared love for our property, our wines, and our industry.
“Most of all, it is celebration of an exciting future ahead for our family business and the world of Australian fine wine. While we celebrate our past 175 years, we keep our eyes firmly set on the next 175 as the generations before us have done,” he said.
In recognition of the milestone, Yalumba has debuted its Museum Collection, as well as a number of Rare & Fine collection releases.
The Museum Collection features fruit from some of its oldest vines, many of which have root stock dating back to 1854, picked from exemplary vintages aged for up to 20 years.
In 2007, Yalumba created the Old Vine Charter to gain formal recognition of the old vines in the region, as there was no previous definition of what constituted an old vine. As South Australia was spared from the phylloxera plague that devastated many wine regions from 1860 to the 1920s and destroyed some of the world’s oldest vines. As a result, the Barossa and Eden Valley regions are home to some of the world’s oldest vines.
“We are honoured in our role as custodians and protectors of the world’s ancient vines, preserving varietal and clonal variation in the wine world with respect for the rich history and profound expression of terroir such vines yield.
“Heritage vines embody the essence of our family winemaking legacy, to value authenticity and diversity in wine above all else and protect and nurture what has been passed onto us to ensure it continues to thrive for many generations,” Hill-Smith said.
Other releases include the seventh vintage of the flagship wine Yalumba The Caley Cabernet Sauvignon & Shiraz, and the 50th vintage release of Yalumba The Signature Cabernet Shiraz dedicated, which has been dedicated to Chris Gerhardy. More releases will be announced in September, at which time The Octavius Old Vine Shiraz will be available through La Place de Bordeaux.