Wine Literature of the World

Premier wine families

As well as Walter Duffield, two other claimants for the position of first wine maker in South Australia are Richard Hamilton and John Reynell.

Hamiltons

Richard Hamilton (1792-1852) arrived in South Australia in 1837 with a land grant and settled on the Sturt River near Glenelg, naming the property "Ewell" after his home in Surrey, England. There he planted grapes, which he may Portrait of Henry Hamilton have acquired en route at Cape Town, although when this took place is uncertain. A garden, which probably included vines, was certainly established by 1840 but claims that wine was being made cannot be verified. However, the vineyard was extended under RichardÅfs son Henry (1826-1907) from 1848 when some wine was sold and eventually became established as HamiltonÅfs Ewell Vineyards.

Reynella

John Reynell (1809-1873), after whom Reynella was named, came to South Australia in 1838 and soon acquired land at Hurtle Vale near what is now Reynella. There he set up a mixed farm, including an orchard, and planted grapes from Tasmania or South Africa, possibly in 1839. His first vintage took place in 1844. Despite near financial ruin ReynellÅfs vineyard expanded. Amongst his employees in 1850 was a young Thomas Hardy. On Reynell's death the management of Reynella Farm was continued on by his son Walter.

Reynella Cellar One Claret 1972 John Reynell's letters and diary, published in 1988 as John Reynell of Reynella, by Lenore Reynell and Margaret Hopton and covering the years 1828 to 1873, record a letter from William Macarthur in 1845 regarding the sale of MacarthurÅfs grapes to Reynell, as well as a much later letter from a T. Martin regarding the first vintage.

John Reynell has filled his unpublished Journal and cash book covering the years 1850-53 with newspaper cuttings and letters from other winegrowers, as well as his own words, to the extent where the volume is a cornucopia of information about South AustraliaÅfs fledgling wine industry. (MLSA: PRG 29/1/5)

Auldana

Cellars at Auldana Vineyard Originally started about 1847 by Patrick Auld (1811-1886) who planted a number of grape varieties. In 1862 Auld floated the South Auldana Vineyard Association (which folded in 1865) and began exporting to London. There he established a business later to be called the Australian Wine Company. In 1883 Auld registered the ÅeEmuÅf brand as the companyÅfs trademark. After his death Auldana was sold to the politician, Sir Josiah Symon. During SymonÅfs time and under the management of Edmond Mazure, AustraliaÅfs first commercial sparkling burgundy was developed. In 1943 the cellars and vineyard were bought by Penfolds, though the Auld family continued to be a major influence on the industry.

Penfolds

Dr. Christopher Rawson Penfold Dr. Christopher Rawson Penfold (1811-1870), founder of one of the major names in Australian winemaking, planted grapes at his Grange vineyard at Magill in the Adelaide foothills, initially for medicinal purposes. As the business expanded his wife, Mary, took a major part in the management. Their daughter Georgina and her husband Tom Hyland continued to build the company and established a sound export business. Their children adopted the name Penfold-Hyland.

Gramps

Johann Gramp Johann Gramp (1819-1903) migrated to South Australia in 1837, settling at JacobÅfs Creek in the Barossa Valley. There he set up a mixed farming business including planting vines from cuttings from Germany. He was one of the first to plant vines in the area on a commercial basis.

JohannÅfs son Gustav (1850-1927) later moved and expanded the cellars to their present location at Rowland Flat. The name Orlando was adopted in 1912. GustavÅfs son Hugo and the next generation of Gramps continued to expand the business. In 1956 they produced the first semi-sweet naturally effervescent wine in Australia, Barossa Pearl.

Yalumba

Samuel Smith Samuel Smith (1812-1888) first planted vines near Angaston in 1849 from some cuttings of James Busby while working as a gardener for J.H. Angas. Following a trip to the Victorian goldfields he took up viticulture in the early Yalumba Winery 1850s at Yalumba - aboriginal for "all the country around". He made his first wine in 1853 and in 1866 gained a Bronze Medal at the London Exhibition as well as the champion wine award at the 1867 Adelaide Show. According to Tom Hardy in 1882, Smith introduced the Sherry grape into the Colony. SamuelÅfs son Sidney Smith (1837-1908) and his sons continued the business and the family name is perpetuated today.

Seppelts

Joseph Seppelt (1813-1868) arrived in South Australia with his family in 1850 and established a vineyard at Greenock. By 1865 Seppeltsfield was the largest winery in the colony. Joseph was succeeded by his son Benno (1846-1931) and BennoÅfs son Oscar (1873-1963), who helped make it one of South AustraliaÅfs major tourist attractions.

The first cellar was constructed as a dairy and this was used until 1867 when the first substantial winery building was erected.

Amongst the State LibraryÅfs Archival Collection is a workbook of Oscar Seppelt. As well as his own notes (in German) there are a number of newspaper cuttings, letters and further notes by other members of the Seppelt family (MLSA: BRG 188/34). The Rare Books colection has several books - mainly in German - on winemaking, used by the family in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Hardy

Thomas Hardy Thomas Hardy (1830-1912) arrived in South Australia in 1850 and spent a year working for John Reynell. After a trip to the Victorian goldfields, in 1853 he bought a property on the River Torrens Hardys Bandside Vineyard, Hardy's Road at Underdale, ca.1880 which he named Bankside and where he planted his first vines. By 1865 he was producing 14,000 gallons of wine. In 1874 he bought a disused flour mill in McLaren Vale and two years later bought the adjoining Tintara vineyard from Dr. A.C. Kelly. An important figure in the wine industry he travelled widely. His 1885 book Notes on vineyards in America and Europe has been identified by American wine historian, Thomas Pinney, as "the first book about Californian wine".

Saltram

William Salter William Salter (1804-1871) and his son Edward (1837-1913) arrived in South Australia in 1839, taking up sheep farming for the first sixteen years and eventually planting vines at his property, 'Mamre Brook' near Angaston. He produced his first wine about 1861. Edward and his son L.N. (Les) continued the family involvement with the industry.

Vigneron’s journal 1862-88. W. Salter and son, Saltram Vineyard. Vigneron's journal 1862-88 is a detailed and important record of 27 years at Saltram Vineyards near Angaston. It includes information on vintages, problems with grape pickers and cellar hands, the first appearance in "our vines" of Oidium Tuckeri (powdery mildew) in 1876 and making Port. (MLSA: BRG 1/A19)

Kays

Frederick and Herbert Kay Herbert (1867-1948) and Frederick Kay (1871-1947) bought the ÅeAmeryÅf property in 1891 from William Hammond, who had planted grapes there in 1889, and built their cellars over a period of seven years.

From 1899 they began to export wines to England. Specializing in dry reds or ÅeAustralian BurgundyÅf, by 1926 two-thirds of their production went for export. (MLSA: BRG 110/6)

Burings

Portrait of Leo Buring Leo Buring (1876-1961), the Barossa Valley-born son of German winemaker, Theodor Buring, studied oenology at Roseworthy College, being dux and gold medal winner. Buring continued his winemaking education at the Geisenheim Viticultural College in Germany as well as at Montpellier in the south of France. Returning to Australia he went to work for his family company, Buring & Sobels, before moving on to Rutherglen and Great Western in Victoria. Taking up the management of Minchinbury in New South Wales, he went on to produce their first Champagne. In 1931 he set up his own winery Leo Buring Ltd, specializing in dry white wines.

Buring’s Journals BuringÅfs journal of his overseas trip describes his visits to various vineyards and cellars and his notes, some in English others in French, are full of practical details, as well as occasional impressions of wines tasted. (MLSA: BRG 248)

Leo Buring, in Notes from the Continent published in Australian vigneron and fruit-growers journal May 1, 1898, comments on the lack of knowledge about Australia there and compares the state of viticulture and wine making between the two countries.