Wendouree

Wendouree By Matthew Wilson

Wendouree is an Australian wine time capsule. Unswayed by fad or fashion, Tony and Lita are fair dinkum custodians. Think Wendouree; think 100+ years, genuine fruit and perfume, structure and equilibrium, acid and tension, power and finesse.

Background

In 1892 Alfred Percy Birks and his brother planted a 0.2-ha block of cabernet sauvignon, and made a few gallons of wine from grapes purchased from other growers in the Clare Valley district of South Australia. In 1893 an additional 1.2 ha of shiraz were planted (the vines derived from the original James Busby Collection via the Adelaide Botanical Gardens). In 1896 a further 0.5 ha of shiraz were planted. All remain in production. By 1903 the Birks brothers had built a small winery. They were unable to turn all their grapes into wine, but made 4,550 litres and sold both them and their surplus grapes to the Stanley Wine Company. For the next 20 years Stanley remained their sole customer, either reselling the wine to the London market, or using it to bolster some of their own lighter bodied wines.

In 1914, with production around 18,000 litres a year, it was time to construct a proper wine cellar and expand. The first stone section of the cellars, which remains in use almost unaltered to this day, was built. A large basket press was installed on rails set in cement running between open fermenters. In 1917, failing health caused Alfred Birks to hand over winemaking responsibilities to his son Roly, who then started a winemaking career which was to span 65 vintages.

The vineyards were expanded again; the Eastern Vineyard was purchased and planted over the winters of 1919 and 1920. Part of this survives: two large blocks of shiraz of 1.6 and 0.8 ha respectively, and 0.2 ha of bush-pruned mataro. The other two blocks have been grafted to cabernet sauvignon and malbec respectively, but the 1920 rootstocks remain. The cellars were once again extended, and equipment was upgraded with one of the first must pumps in the district.

From 1925 Roly Birks and his brother would load up a truck with casks and kegs of varying sizes and set off on a round trip selling to hotels. In the years up to World War II output stayed roughly constant, at 50% full-bodied dry red and 50% fortified wine. In the years after the war, Wendouree also built up a business supplying substantial quantities of base wine for the then-infant sparkling wine production of Wynns. By the early 1950s this had grown to between 55,000 and 65,000 litres a year.

In the 1950s Melbourne wine merchant, WJ Seabrook & Son, began purchasing substantial quantities of Wendouree wines, making a specialty of Birks’ ‘pressings’ red. Although the wines were bought in cask by Doug Seabrook and matured for a period of time before bottling, the maker was always specified on the label – refer to our dinners 1967.

In 1970, aged 77, Roly Birks decided to sell Wendouree, but unfortunately found a purchaser who had neither the capital nor the winemaking ability to do anything other than rapidly run down the business to the point where, in 1974, only 10 tonnes of grapes were crushed. The properties were then split up and offered for sale by the mortgagee. The two principal vineyard blocks (which included the old house and winery) were purchased by Sydney businessman Max Liberman, and son-in-law, Tony Brady, together with wife Lita, were installed as managers. Roly Birks was retained as a consultant, and a close and enduring friendship was forged between the Bradys and the Birks. The Bradys regarded it as their duty to rejuvenate the old vineyards. There are now 12 ha of vineyard planted to cabernet sauvignon, malbec, shiraz, mataro and a little muscat gordo blanco, most with different blocks of different ages. Production seldom exceeds 60 tonnes a year, and is often less. Even at its maximum this is only 2 tonnes per acre.

For several decades the wines have been made with the assistance of Stephen George, who is the owner/winemaker of Ashton Hills in the Adelaide Hills.

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Group wines by:

• Wine Name
• Variety
• Vineyard
• Vintage

wine type	Name, Type, Locale	Year
Red	Wendouree Cabernet Red, Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley	2015 2012 2011 2010 2002 2001 1997 1996 1993
Red	Wendouree Cabernet Malbec (View Label Image) Red, Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley	2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1981 1980 1976
Red	Wendouree Cabernet Malbec Shiraz (View Label Image) Red, Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley	2018 2014 2013 2012 2010 2009 2006 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1975
Red	Wendouree Cabernet Sauvignon Centenary Clare Valley (View Label Image) Red, Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley	1999 1995
Red	Wendouree Cabernet Sauvignon Clare Valley (View Label Image) Red, Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley	2021 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1971
Red	Wendouree Cabernet-Malbec (View Label Image) Red, Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley	2020 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2000 1997 1991 1990 1982
Red	Wendouree Claret (View Label Image) Red, Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley	1975 1971 1967
Red	Wendouree Malbec (View Label Image) Red, Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley	2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2008 2006 2005 1992 1991 1990 NV
Red	Wendouree Mataro (View Label Image) Red, Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley	2021
Red	Wendouree Pressings Red, Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley	1988 1975
Red	Wendouree Shiraz (View Label Image) Red, Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley	2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1983 1978 1977 1976 1975 1971
Red	Wendouree Shiraz Block 90B Red, Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley	1990
Red	Wendouree Shiraz Cabernet Malbec (View Label Image) Red, Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley	2017 2004 1993 1990
Red	Wendouree Shiraz Cabernet Mataro (View Label Image) Red, Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley	2018 2016 1971
Red	Wendouree Shiraz Centenary Clare Valley (View Label Image) Red, Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley	1995 1990
Red	Wendouree Shiraz Essoign Red, Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley	1990
Red	Wendouree Shiraz Malbec (View Label Image) Red, Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley	2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989
Red	Wendouree Shiraz Malbec Cabernet Pressings (View Label Image) Red, Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley	2017 2005 2004 1997 1985
Red	Wendouree Shiraz Malbec Pressings (View Label Image) Red, Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley	2005 1997 1988 1985 1980 1977
Red	Wendouree Shiraz Mataro (View Label Image) Red, Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley	2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1987 1986 1977 1976 1969 1965
Red	Wendouree Shiraz Pressings (View Label Image) Red, Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley	2017 2005 1997 1980 1977
White - Sweet/Dessert	Wendouree Muscat of Alexandria (View Label Image) White - Sweet/Dessert, Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley	2019 2018 2017 2016 2014 2013 2011 2010 2009 2008 2006 2005 2004 2002 2001 2000 1999 1997 1996 1995 1991 1990 1989 NV
Red - Fortified	Wendouree Vintage Port (View Label Image) Red - Fortified, Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley	1986 1985 1983 1982 1978 1977 1976 1975