The Shearers has now moved to the 14th vintage and since 2009 have been exclusively made from South Australian fruit. The first wine was a 2005 so we have been working on this blend for many years. The early vintages were sourced from across Australia but the results were too variable hence the change to 100% South Australia.
The Shearers brand is of course our salute to the importance of wool in our early history and the link to wine is very close as in suitable areas, particularly, the Great South East and the Clare Valley vineyards were planted by the first settlers and pastoralists. Enormous sheep runs were developed from Coonawarra to Padthaway, across the northern Barossa Valley and notably in the Clare Valley.
Recently the Bellwether winery in Coonawarra was built in the refurbished Glen Roy station shearing shed, a relic of great historical significance. The recent releases of the 2018 Shearers are as good as any we have made though those from 2009 were rather special.