| Region of production: | South Australia |
| Winery Location: | Barossa Valley, Barossa Zone |
| Year Established: | Estate vineyard planted in 1894, winery established 1982 |
Vineyard Holdings
65 ha
- Elderton Estate Vineyard (Nuriootpa): 72 acres planted to Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot; soils are alluvial river silt over red and brown clays
- Helbig Vineyard (Greenock): 55 acres planted to Shiraz, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, Mataro, Semillon, and Chardonnay
- Cranford Vineyard (Eden Valley): 40 acres planted to Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Chardonnay; mostly rocky soil
Top Wines Produced & Inaugural Vintages
- Command Shiraz: made from single vineyard planted in 1894 on the estate, so named because the best fruit “commanded” special treatment.
- Neil Ashmead “Grand Tourer” Shiraz: grapes sourced from old-vine Shiraz, the wine’s concept is “to challenge expectations and misgivings of Barossa Shiraz.”
- “Ode to Lorraine:“ Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, and Merlot blend from the Elderton Estate Vineyard. Inaugural vintage 1992.
Average Total Production
- 540,000 bottles
Summary
The Elderton Vineyard was originally planted by German settlers, the Scholz family, in 1894, then sold to the Tolley family in 1916. When tough economic times hit Barossa in the 1970’s, the Tolley family put the estate on the market. Its current proprietors, the Ashmead family, purchased the estate in 1979 and began producing wines in 1982. Second generation brothers Cameron and Allister Ashmead manage the winery along with winemaker Richard Langford, who has made wine for the estate since 2003.
Elderton is considered a pioneer in the region for their environmental initiatives. The estate was the first to use Australia’s “Trees for Life” program (annually planting trees to offset winery emissions) and they are water self-sufficient 11 months out of the year by harvesting rainwater and recycling all winery water for vineyard use.
Style & Vinification Techniques
Wines are made in the traditional Australian style in open top stainless steel fermenters for an average of eight to ten days, with regular cap submersions and pump overs for maximum color and flavor extraction.
Producer Website: Elderton