Greenhouse emissions offset

Elderton has reconfirmed it's commitment to offsetting greenhouse gas emmissions. 296 tonnes will be offset for 2009/10 by tree planting, as calculated by the SA Wine Industry Association. Elderton is a signatory to the Climate Change Sector Agreement.

82 mm in 24 hours!

Elderton Wines, and the entire region, has been inundated, with just over 82mm of rain falling in the last 24 hours. This was accompanied by a spectacular summer thunderstorm and light show to match last night.

Elderton in James Halliday's Top 100 Wines

James Halliday's 2010 Top 100 has been released, and Elderton's 2009 Eden Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is featured, capping off a stellar year for this wine.

94 points
Bright red-purple, the perfumed redcurrant aromas lead into a palate with abundant juicy, fleshy fruit, fine tannins, and a bare hint of oak from nine months in older French hogsheads.
James Halliday, The Weekend Australian Magazine, November 13-14, 2010.

Top 5 at Wine of Year Awards

Elderton's 2010 Eden Valley Riesling featured in the Top Five of the Riesling category at the 2010 Winestate Wine of the Year Awards last Friday. This follows on from receiving a 4.5 star rating in the Winestate Magazine November/December 2010 edition.

Good Wine Guide 2011 shows Elderton well

The Good Wine Guide 2011 written by Nick Stock has given Elderton some great reviews. A summary of the points awarded to our wines include:

93 points - 2009 Neil Ashmead Grand Tourer Shiraz
93 points - 2008 Ode to Lorraine
92 points and a 'best value' wine rating - 2010 Eden Valley Riesling
90 points - 2006 Estate Merlot

Grab a copy to read further the great writeup on our wines.

2010 Hong Kong International Wine Competition results

Silver - 06 Command
Bronze - 07 Command
Bronze - 08 Ashmead
Bronze - 08 Ode to Lorraine

4.5 star rating for 2010 Eden Valley Riesling

The 2010 Elderton Eden Valley Riesling received a 4.5 star rating in the recently released Winestate Magazine November/December 2010 edition.

Light, spicy varietal fruit aromas with very nice citrusy elements. Very dry palate - perfumed and fruity, with a long mineral acid finish. Excellent cellaring potential 5+years.

Elderton features at Regional Business Awards

Elderton were finalists in two categories at the recently announced 2010 Advantage SA Regional Awards. Over 70 businesses/individuals were nominated for the Awards in the Barossa region.

Featuring in both the Sustainability and Innovation categories in the Awards, Elderton continue to be proud of the initiatives that are being implemented as part of day-to-day business at the winery, driving the sustainability of the business.

2010 International Wine & Sprit Competition Results

We are proud to announce some great results achieved by Elderton wines at the 2010 IWSC:

Best in Class, Gold Medal — 2006 Command Shiraz
Best in Class, Silver — 2009 Neil Ashmead Grand Tourer Shiraz
Silver — 2007 Command Shiraz
Silver — 2008 Ode to Lorraine
Bronze — 2008 Ashmead Cabernet Sauvignon
Bronze — 2007 Estate Shiraz
Bronze — 2010 Eden Valley Riesling

Spring has sprung

Spring is a wonderful time in the vineyard and we have the first pictures of Spring in the Command vineyard - again bursting into leaf cover in a fantastic display of nature, in their 116th year on the banks of the North Para River in the Elderton Estate vineyard.

Solar Panels Are Go!

Elderton Wines has seen the installation of its winery solar panel project finalised, making it one of the largest solar projects undertaken by a winery in Australia. The 168 panels are generating power as we speak and will help to reduce the winery's carbon dioxide emissions by at least 55 tonnes annually.

2010 New Zealand Wine Show Results

Silver - 2006 Command
Bronze - 2008 Ode to Lorraine
Bronze - 2007 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
Bronze - 2007 Estate Shiraz

Neil Ashmead GTS Featured in 200 Best Packaging Designs Worldwide

The Neil Ashmead GTS can add another feather to its cap after being featured in Luzer's Archive Special 200 Best Packaging Design Worldwide 10/11 book. The design, which has been catching attention around the world, and the wine continue to impress. For more details on the wine visit our website www.eldertonwines.com.au

Elderton’s carbon neutral planting initiative deemed a ‘shining success’

Elderton has recently been recognised in Trees for Life's Releaf Magazine, as being a contributor to a major revegetation project in the Adelaide Hills. Deemed a 'shining success', the site, located in Flaxley (South-East of Adelaide), consists of 20 hectares of vegetation, of which has been part-funded by Elderton's Carbon Neutral offset commitments. The Flaxley site is predicted to sequester at least 4167 tonnes of CO2 over the next century.

Neil Ashmead GTS makes thecoolist.com

Check out some amazing wine label designs, including the Neil Ashmead GTS

http://www.thecoolist.com/amazing-wine-labels-30-creative-and-unique-wine-label-designs/

Sponsor's Golf Day - Tanunda Pines

70 Reds to Remember, Gourmet Traveller WINE June/July

2006 Ode to Lorraine review - Nick Stock, Gourmet Traveller WINE '70 Reds to Remember'

"Distinctly Barossa, this cabernet shiraz merlot has poise and character, mixing dark berries, chocolate and asphalt. Plenty of flesh and charm, but underpinned with tannins to take it far, this is a stayer, for certain."

2010 International Wine Challenge Results

Elderton is pleased to report back the following results from the 2010 International Wine Challenge:

2006 Command Shiraz Bronze Medal
2007 Command Shiraz Bronze Medal
2007 Estate Shiraz Bronze Medal
2008 Ashmead Cabernet Sauvignon Commended

Inspiring Sign

Elderton Scoops Pool of Accolades - 2010 Decanter World Wine Awards

Following the release of the hotly competed 2010 Decanter World Wine Awards, Elderton is pleased to report 7 wines have received endorsement:

2006 Command Shiraz (available now) Silver Medal
2007 Command Shiraz (available March 2011) Silver Medal
2007 Estate Shiraz (available now) Bronze Medal
2007 Ashmead Cabernet Sauvignon (available now) Commended
2008 Ashmead Cabernet Sauvignon (available Nov. 2010) Commended
2007 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (available now) Commended
2009 Eden Valley Riesling (available now) Commended

Elderton Launches Brand Video

Check our Elderton's first video of the winery and vineyard, located in the beautiful Barossa Valley township of Nuriootpa.

Elderton Part of $5.5 M Australian Government Climate Change Grant

Following a brief announcement earlier this year, Elderton can now confirm the winery will be a part recepient of a $5.5 Millon Australian Government Climate Change investment. Follow the link to learn more:

Winsor Dobbin rates 2009 Elderton Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc & Elderton Eden Valley Riesling

"Brilliant..The guys at Elderton reckon the Adelaide Hills are the best region in Australia for sauvignon blanc - a grape variety that's always a crowd pleaser. This is a delicious drop with zingy fresh tropical fruit flavours and less green acid than most Kiwi savvys. The 09 Riesling under the same label is also dry and very slurpable."

Screw It, May 12-25 Sauce Magazine - Winsor Dobbin

Barossa & Elderton Wines - Part of SA's Food & Wine Playground

In a Syndey Morning Herald article written by food, travel and wine critique - Winsor Dobbin - Elderton Wines has been included in the list of Barossa wineries that makes SA a key tourism hub.

Check it out here: http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-feature/uncover-a-fine-state-of-fares-20100422-tb6t.html

Elderton 2008 Sparkling Shiraz Review - Max Crus

"Another funky bottle that doesn't fit in the fridge, thus is obviously not designed for cellaring. Drink now then." 8.7/10

Max Crus, Grape Expectations. http://www.maxcrus.com.au/

Gourmet Traveller WINE rates 2006 Command Shiraz 5 Stars, 94 Points and Top 100 New Releases!

Review by Huon Hooke:

2006 Command Shiraz - 5 Stars, 94 points, Top 100 New Releases

"This is a lovely wine and not at all over-the-top. Savoury developing bouquet with lots of earthy, mocha, fruitcake and toasted-nut complexity, still with good primary fruit. The palate has a skilled balance of fruit sweetness and savouryness, with fine-grained tannins."

Command Higest Rated Aussie Red In 6 Months - Gord Stimmell

Gord Stimmel, wine critic for thestar.com, has bestowed the 2005 Command Shiraz as his 'highest rated Aussie red in 6 months'.

'with monster coconut, mint, chocolate, tar, and blackberry prowess, layered with complexity and a rich texture of great silkiness. The Ashmead family sculpts this amazing red from syrah vines planted around 1904. Surprisingly, there’s still lots on shelves, no doubt due to the price. But it is absolutely world class in a glass.'

Check out the full article on luxury wines here:

http://www.thestar.com/specialsections/luxuryguide/article/790131--a-vintage-bottle-of-wine-worth-its-weight-in-gold

Tyson Stelzer on the Neil Ashmead GTS Grand Tourer Shiraz

"This is like an original 1970 GTS Monaro - it's pure, authentic, classy and in no way souped-up. The octane level is well controlled, leaving plenty of space on the road for its blueberry, plum and exotic spice flavours. Over-extracted muscle machines, move aside - this is the real thing."

Tyson Stelzer, Barossa Living

2008 Neil Ashmead GTS Design Award Finalist

Elderton's Neil Ashmead GTS 'Grand Tourer Shiraz' made it to Finalist Status at the Adelaide Advertising & Design Club's awards night. A great result for both the winery and champion label designers, Fuller.

Check the wine out here http://www.eldertonwines.com.au/thewines/?wine=82

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar - 2006 Command Shiraz Review

Review by Josh Raynolds
2006 Command Shiraz: 93 POINTS

"Glass-staining ruby-red. Exotically perfumed bouquet of black-berry, boysenberry, cherry-vanilla, cola and incense. A lot of oak spice here but there's also a load of powerful, deeply concentrated dark fruit. Velvety in texture, with strong finishing spiciness and lingering dark berry liqueur qualities. Nothing subtle about this, but it's improbably graceful and focused."

Winestate Magazine Sparkling Shiraz Review

2008 Sparkling Shiraz “...Sarsaparilla aromas lift off the nose, followed by a beautiful fruit bomb of a palate...”

Command Vineyard History Unveiled

Elderton recently commissioned Mike Krips, a leading local historian, to investigate the history of the Nuriootpa estate vineyards and in particular the flagship Command vineyard. Mike trawled archival research in local libraries and information drawn from accounts from the Obst, King and Reusch families (locals to the Nuriootpa region throughout the 20th century) suggests that the history of the Elderton property dates back further than first anticipated.

It is now confirmed that the Tolley family arrived in the Barossa in the 1893, after seeing potential in the region for their spirits business and subsequent suitability for vineyard establishment. Their settlement in Nuriootpa led to the construction of a distillery tower, which is still present today south of the Elderton property, near Penfolds (who eventually absorbed the Tolley distillery business).

Evidence shows that 1890s was a period of great viticultural growth for the Barossa, due largely to the outbreak of phylloxera (a crippling vine root disease) in the wine regions of Victoria. This was coupled with a growing acceptance of Australian wines both domestically and internationally and as a result, large tracts of vineyards were planted between Nuriootpa and Tanunda during this period.

It can then be assumed that at the time of the Tolley family’s arrival in 1893, the current Elderton vineyard would have been established also – more than 10 years earlier than original estimates. This is also based on cross-checking titles and family histories for the owners of the current Command Vineyard. The vineyard’s title was first recorded in 1843 and in 1889 it was sold to Johannes Heinrich Scholz who was recorded as a vine grower and wheelwright of Nuriootpa. It was then sold to Carl Heinrich Scholz in 1902, who was also recorded a vine grower. It was not until 1916, when the Tolley family actually took ownership of the estate vineyard

2006 Command Shiraz Release

In 1984 the Barossa was amid its darkest hour. A grand history of predominantly fortified wines was no longer having any traction in the marketplace, and subsequently nobody wanted to buy the fruit from the Barossa’s wonderful old vines. These were the last days of the vine pull scheme that saw the Barossa lose over 50% of its total plantings and a great deal of irreplaceable old vines, tracing back to the Barossa’s origins of the early 1840’s.

In 1984, Neil and Lorraine Ashmead also made the decision to buck the market and make a limited release Reserve Shiraz, as they believed the oldest Shiraz vines on the property (planted circa 1904) produced something unique and something delicious. The name Command was bestowed upon the wine as it showed all the hallmarks of power and richness and put quite frankly – the wine commanded respect. Elderton was among the first company in the Barossa to do this, of course with the exception of Penfold’s Grange and Henschke’s Hill of Grace.

In 2010, the Australian wine community is again in tough times. With oversupply rampant, a disadvantageous Australian dollar and a globe growing tired of the large company commoditisation of Australian wine, many are again wondering where and if respite will come.

Through these tough times however, Cameron and Allister Ashmead (the second generation at Elderton) are very proud to announce the release of the 21st Command Shiraz, the 2006 vintage. From very humble beginnings, this wine is now respected as one of the great wines on the planet, with drinkers, scribes and wine competitions all hailing what can be achieved from the century old vines on the banks of the North Para River, in the town of Nuriootpa.

The 2006 shows the signs as being one of the greats, in the ilk of 2002 and 1992, as it is full bodied, rich and power packed, yet a wine that has the balance and finesse to showcase its best at any stage in the next twenty plus years. The wine has been rated at 94 points by both James Halliday and by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, and sits comfortably in the Excellent category of Langton’s classification of fine Australian Wine.

Having spent three years in a combination of American and French oak puncheons and a year in bottle (as every vintage produced has), the wine shows its provenance and pedigree, whilst been given the treatment to make it fit for long term cellaring.

92 Points for 2009 Eden Valley Riesling

Campbell Mattinson of The Wine Front (www.winefront.com.au) has rated the 2009 Eden Valley Riesling 92 Points and heaped praise on the wine, as shown in the comments below:

"Elderton has been making riesling from the Eden Valley for 25 years. The grapes for this wine were sourced from two vineyards.
Eden Valley to its back teeth. Ever so floral. Flavours of lime and lemon with a slatey aftertaste. Exemplary dryness. The finish almost feels grainy, it's so dry. It has 'lilt' to it too, in that the flavours swing through your mouth, rather than just bursting through to the finish. Means it has flavour as well as acid, I guess. And of course, this is part of why it feels so delicate. Lovely wine."

Gold Medal in Berlin

The 2006 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon has won a Gold Medal at the 2010 Berlin Wine Trophy.
Since 2004, this international wine competition has been subject to the highest quality standards, rapidly joining the family of great and famous wine awards.

A great result and yet another accolade to add to the vast list of endoresement for this wine.

Solar Power Boost for Elderton

Family-owned Barossa winery, Elderton, has been granted an $85,000 boost from the federal government, green-lighting what is to be one of the biggest solar powered winery projects in Australia.

The grant, which was confirmed today through AusIndustry’s Retooling for Climate Change programme, bolsters the winery's environmental initiatives that have been implemented over the past 5 years. It will see a major solar panel grid erected on the winery premises in Nuriootpa, which will be able to generate 150kW of clean power daily. Elderton will also be contributing significantly to the project.

The panels will complement their cellar door, which is already operating on solar driven energy, and will enable full winery production on free and clean power from the sun. Cameron Ashmead, co-Managing Director of Elderton, commented "We are absolutely ecstatic to see the grant approved, which will be a major addition to our sustainable business programme, and a great win for the Barossa in general".

Elderton has been an industry leader in incorporating green initiatives into their day to day operations, having been one of the fist wineries in Australia to be fully accredited carbon neutral. The winery, which is increasingly turning to organic and biodynamic vineyard principles, also recycles all of its waste water, and has also undertaken a river regeneration project on their estate vineyard to bring back biodiversity.

"The solar panels are expected to generate enough electricity to easily satisfy our immediate demand, whilst also exporting excess power back into the public grid — even through peak requirements during vintage, the majority of our power will be generated by the sun", Mr Ashmead commented. "In the challenging times we are currently experiencing, it is important not take our eye off the ball as to the future viability of our estate resources. This project, along with others, will help to ensure the winery is being run as efficiently and environmentally responsible as possible, hopefully safeguarding it for future generations to come."

The winery can expect to reduce CO₂ emissions by at least 55 tonnes annually through the new power source, and is aiming to have the system fully operational by the end of this year.

Elderton Launches Blog Site!

Welcome to the first official blog from Elderton Wines. We hope you will frequent this page to be kept up to date with all the happenings from our Barossa family winery.

Stay tuned to be kept updated on everthing from media/press coverage and the latest show awards, to video clips from the inner sanctums of our winery and cellars.

Cheers!

The Elderton team