The Grapevine: Wine industry updates from South Australia
In this edition of The Grapevine: Peter Barry steps down, Chester Osborn puts a vineyard on the market and Treasury Wine Estates goes big on NoLo.
- Jim Barry succession plan announced
- Chester Osborn’s Kangarilla vineyard hits the market
- Château Tanunda unveils new wines
- Treasury Wine spends big on Barossa NoLo
- Reason for rise of NLM wines still unclear
- Barossa Live Auction raises funds for charity
- The festival of Grenache is back
- SA wines enjoyed at World Expo
- Entries for SAWIA Excellence Awards open
Jim Barry succession plan announced
Clare Valley winery Jim Barry has announced that managing director Peter Barry will be stepping down after more than 40 years in the role.
Peter’s sons, Tom and Sam Barry, will be taking over the position as co-managing directors. They were previously the director of winemaking and the director of sales, respectively.
“It’s a huge honour to be entrusted with this legacy,” Sam said.
“We’ve always felt incredibly lucky to grow up in a family where wine and hard work were shared at the table. Dad and mum have given us the space to forge our path, and we’re committed to continuing what they and our grandparents started.”
Jim and Nancy Barry established the business in 1959, which is now best known for its Riesling and red wines.
Second-generation winemaker Peter joined the business in 1977, then took over from his parents as managing director in 1985. Last year, he was inducted into the Clare Valley Wine & Grape Association Hall of Fame, alongside his late father Jim.
“We’ve never been in the business of standing still. My job, with the wise assistance of my wife Sue, was to build on what mum and dad started, and now it’s time for the next generation to do the same,” Peter said.
“Tom and Sam have worked incredibly hard over the past 15 years, learning all facets of the business, and I couldn’t be prouder and more pleased to pass the baton to them.”
Peter will still continue to work in the business as a director and advisor.
“I have enjoyed being focused on a goal of making wines that are respected nationally and internationally and enhancing the reputation of the world-class winemaking area, which I am fortunate enough to call home,” Peter said.
Chester Osborn’s Kangarilla vineyard hits the market
The iconic winemaker behind d’Arenberg has put his 26-hectare vineyard at Kangarilla on the market for $3.2 million.
Positioned at the corner of McLaren Flat Road and Bakers Gully Road, the 40-hectare property is currently owned by Chester Osborn.
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The vineyard is planted to a mix of premium varieties including Shiraz, Chardonnay, Verdelho and Sangiovese.
“Kangarilla Vineyard presents a compelling investment in one of Australia’s most revered wine regions,” Colliers associate director of agribusiness Nick Goode siad.
“With secure grape contracts and flexible arrangements with d’Arenberg, it’s an exceptional opportunity for wine producers, investors or lifestyle buyers looking to make their mark in a world-class region.”
The property also includes 14 hectares of vacant land, a bespoke residence/cellar door, a 28-megalitre underground water licence, automated irrigation, frost protection and powered machinery sheds.
Château Tanunda unveils new wines
Château Tanunda released two new wines in its Old Vine Expressions range as part of its 135th anniversary celebration.
These wines include the 2023 Old Vine Shiraz and a 2023 Old Vine Cabernet Shiraz, both priced at $50 each.
The Old Wine Shiraz has notes of bold, dark berry fruits with subtle hints of spiced oak and fine-grained tannins, whereas the Old Vine Cabernet Shiraz has notes of red plum and dark cherry along with integrated oak and velvet tannins.
This collection – which is all about “honouring the rich history of the Barossa and its exceptional and rare old vineyard sites” – highlights the craft of old vine winemaking. These two new wines are sourced from vineyards aged between 35 and 49 years.
“Many factors contribute to a wine’s unique characteristics: grape variety and terroir aspects like climate and soil makeup. But a common theme through the very best wines is exceptional sites, and some of the most unique are those with a serious vine age,” John Geber, proprietor of Château Tanunda, said.
“Nurturing a vine for decades – and ensuring an old vine remains healthy and thriving – demands exceptional care and expertise.
“These old vines, grown on original roots, have survived world depressions, droughts, and vine pull schemes of the 80s to develop over time and produce high-quality fruit, which shows in a complex flavour profile in our Old Vine Expressions range.
“The yield from these ancient vines is extremely low, and every drop of juice is precious.”
Treasury Wine spends big on Barossa NoLo
The owner of Penfolds has opened a new $15 million in-house facility dedicated to no and low alcohol wine production in the Barossa Valley.
The facility – two years in the making – features “dealcoholisation technology”, complemented by a patent-pending process for treating the aromatic component of wine that locks in flavour.
Treasury Wines said the system was designed to overcome challenges with existing processes of removing alcohol that change the wine’s chemistry and impact richness, body and ‘mouthfeel’.
The facility will produce low and no alcohol wines for brands including Squealing Pig and Pepperjack.
The company has also launched a new brand called Sorbet, which blends traditional varietals like Prosecco, Rosé, Sauvignon Blanc and Shitaz with fruit and berry flavours and has a lower ABV of 8 per cent.
“The new Sorbet range is a high quality, diversified selection of lower-alcohol wine that responds to consumers wanting refreshment in their drink,” Endeavour Group head of commercial wine Leigh Firkin said.
Reason for rise of NLM wines still unclear
New research from the University of Adelaide shows that the appeal of no, low and mid (NLM) alcohol wines is influenced by social factors, habits, self-identity, emotional responses and product tangibility.
But “deeper, theory-driven insights remain limited”, according to researchers who analysed 38 peer-reviewed research articles for the study.
A range of factors and wine businesses themselves play a pivotal role in influencing behaviour, Dr Hannah Ford said.
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“The majority of studies reviewed low or reduced alcohol wines. Meanwhile, few focused on no-alcohol wine, and even fewer compared both no and low alcohol products,” Dr Ford said.
“The review identifies key gaps in current literature, including the need for more research across different wine styles, for example sparkling, rosé, white and red as well as various alcohol strengths.
“This research provides essential insights for academics, marketers, and wine producers aiming to support the global shift towards more sustainable and health-conscious wine consumption.”
Barossa Live Auction raises funds for charity
More than $107,120 of wine from the Barossa Valley was sold under the hammer at the Barossa Live Auction, which raised money for the Barossa Australia Well-Being Fund by Foundation Barossa.
Hosted at Crown Sydney by LANGTONS, more than 200 bidders gathered for the 10th anniversary of the event earlier this month.
35 lots of wine were sold, featuring a mix of rare collector imperial- and magnum-sized bottles alongside cult vintages from some of the region’s top producers like Penfolds, Henschke, Rockford and Sami-Odi.
The highlight of the evening was when a Sami-Odi Hoffmann Dallwitz Syrah full vertical 2007-2023 was sold for $10,500 – well above its estimated $3000-$3500.
The festival of Grenache is back
At the end of this month, the festival of Grenache – Lost in the FoG – returns for its fourth year to Alkina in Greenock.
“It’s an event with such a great following now that we couldn’t not host it again,” Alkina’s head of sales and marketing, Dan Coward said.
“This is the fourth year and we’ve evolved it into a full two-day festival so that we could fit in even more great wines and growers.”
The festival will be at Alkina’s gardens, courtyard and covered lawn area with tastings available along with fire-cooked food and music.
“Our favourite part of the festival is definitely seeing so many people come to indulge their passion for Grenache,” Dan said.
“There are people who come back year after year, and they’re truly obsessed (just like us!).
“It’s also a real treat to be able to catch up with so many other great growers and makers, all of whom we really admire. It’s such a collaborative effort with everyone willing to learn.”
The tastings available will be from labels like Barossa Wine Cartel, John Duval Wines, Willunga 100, Hoffmann Family Vineyards, Seppeltsfield and more.
The event will run from Saturday, June 28 until Sunday June 29 from 11am until 4pm.
Alkina is located at 41 Victor Road, Greenock. Head to our What’s On listing for more information.
SA wines enjoyed at World Expo
Diners enjoyed some of the state’s best wines at the World Expo Tasting South Australia: Signature Dinner.
Metala Wines accompanied Ferguson Australia seafood, Goola Pipi Co pipis, and Woodside Cheese Wrights cheese at the dinner held in Osaka.
“With 28 million people expected to visit World Expo this year, we’re seizing this important opportunity to showcase some of the industry’s premium products to influential distributors, importers, buyers, retailers in Japan,” SA Minister for Trade and Investment Joe Szakacs said.
Entries for SAWIA Excellence Awards open
The South Australian Wine Industry Association has opened entries for its 2025 Excellence Awards, celebrating achievements in environmental sustainability and workplace health and safety.
There are six award categories, and businesses can enter more than one.
“Through recognising excellence, SAWIA aims to improve performance across the wine sector by encouraging all grape and wine businesses to achieve the benchmarks set by past winners and finalists,” SAWIA chief executive Inca Lee said.
“Successful finalists have focused on initiatives that have tangible benefits for their company and can benefit the broader wine industry.”
Winners will be announced at the South Australian Wine Industry Dinner on 11 September 2025.
Entries close on 6 August. Click here for more information.
