Australia is a beautiful place to visit and is home to some amazing sites and attractions. In Australia, the wine industry thrives on the abundance of wineries that are set-up and located right across the many different states Australia holds. While some of the wineries are new, others have a long history that truly is amazing to experience. For those who love to visit wineries, the following is a guide to the oldest wineries in Australia that are a must-see when visiting. Let’s have a look now.
Must See Historic Wineries In Australia
- George Wyndham
The George Wyndham winery first originated in 1828 on the Wyndham Estate in NSW. This winery is well known for its production of Australia Shiraz and is the first Australian commercial Shiraz vineyard to be planted back in 1830. All wines that are created from the winery have been made from low yielding vines which produce some of the best and intensely ripe fruit characteristics. Today the winery features an abundance of vines that have never stopped producing across the years. The vineyard holds some of the oldest vines in the world and has become a popular place for tourist to visit.
- Jacob Creek
With over 160 years of winemaking history behind it, Jacob Creek first began its step into the wine industry back in 1847. During this time Johann Gramp planted his first vineyard with a vision and goal of creating some of the best tasting wines in Australia that truly reflect the land and the grapes that were grown there. In 1877, Johann’s son moved his vineyard and winery to its current location only a kilometre from the origin setup, to help promote better expansion with the introduction of large cellars and better winemaking facilities. Years later in 1976, the first officially Jacob Creek labelled wine bottle was released. Today the winery offers the chance for visitors to have a tour or have a special function. It’s definitely a must see when crossing historic wineries off your list.
- Olive Farm Wines
Located in the heart of Swan Valley, WA, Olive Farm Wines is one of the oldest running wineries in Australia. First established 1829, this winery is now a 4th generation family owned and operated winery. Olive Farm Wines is well known for its production of Methode Champenoise, red, white, and fortified wines. Today the winery features an award winning cellar door where visitors can easily taste a sample of some of the exclusive wines that are on offer. Producing over 35 wines to date, you’ll find more history and wines here than anywhere else.
- Houghton
Since its beginnings in 1836, Houghton Wines has come a long way. With its first commercial wine produced in 1859, Houghton Wines has developed a signature brand that is well known across Western Australia today. First founded by three British officers, it was named after one of its first owners, Lieutenant Colonel Richmond Houghton. Receiving their first wine award in 1880, it helped them to define and develop their brand more to produce some of the best tasting wines in Australia. Today Houghton is now the 10th largest white and red bottle brand in Australia. You can visit the cellar door and experience a great part of winemaking history.
- Yering Station Vineyard
First founded in 1838, Yering Station is Victoria’s first vineyard. This vineyard began when Ryrie brothers acquired a 43,000 acre property in the Yarra Valley and gave it the Aboriginal name ‘Yering’. During this time the two brothers planted two separate varieties of grapes. Across the years Yering Station won awards for the best wines of the year and has since continued to grow and now produce a number of different wines to date. Still a family owned and operated winery, Yering Station is dedicated to the production of wines that many people enjoy. Today visitors can come and see what this winery has to offer with tours of the cellar door and other areas of the site.
Conclusion
Wine is loved by many people right across Australia, however not many people realise the history of wine and how far back its origins in Australia actually is. As you can see from the wineries above, there’s plenty of history to explore when you visit some of the oldest wineries in Australia. So, are you ready to taste some wine history?
David Wilson
David is a wine professional with over 20+ years of industry experience. His love for wine has seen him travel and work in various locations throughout Australia, a four-year stint in the USA and a lot of trips to New Zealand. He spent eight years with one of Australia’s largest retailers before working for the fourth largest wine producer globally; he is the owner of Block78 an Australia online wine company based in Australia. If he could be a wine, it would be Shiraz!
