Great Western Archives - Young Gun of Wine

Best’s – Sugarloaf Creek Vineyard, Great Western

In the spice-driven heart of Great Western, the Sugarloaf Creek Vineyard is a 124-hectare estate under the steady hand of Ben Thomson. Planted in 1998, with recent additions in 2022 and 2023, its 26-year-old vines – grown across four soil types – yield a vibrant lineup: shiraz, cabernet, merlot, riesling, dolcetto, and chardonnay. Thomson’s approach blends tradition with high-tech agriculture, while 6,000 trees enhance waterways and biodiversity. Fruit quality drives it all – handpicked rows for premium bottlings and surplus sold to other wineries reflect the site’s pedigree. Sugarloaf Creek Vineyard balances innovation with the region’s classic character.

Seppelt Great Western Vineyard, Great Western

The Seppelt Great Western is the oldest continuous wine producer in the Grampians region, with the historic winery sitting atop a kilometre and a half of 19th century tunnels used for maturing wine. While Seppelt has other vineyards in the region, along with elsewhere, the 100-odd hectares of mainly shiraz that wrap around the winery is the heart of the Great Western operation, providing fruit for their pinnacle wines, including the benchmark ‘Show Sparkling’ Shiraz’ and flagship ‘St Peters’ Shiraz. Although the vineyard was replanted in the 1960s – meaning there are no ancient vines – it is the heritage clonal material and nuanced management techniques that set the Great Western Vineyard apart. The vineyard has been tended by James McKenzie since 2017

Best’s – Concongella, Great Western

Best’s is synonymous with Great Western in Victoria’s Grampians, and its Concongella vineyard is home to one of the world’s most precious resources of pre-phylloxera grapevines, containing some of the oldest vines of their type in the world. With 22 hectares under vine, the vineyard has ancient vines of riesling, pinot meunier, pinot noir, dolcetto, cabernet franc, merlot, cabernet sauvignon and shiraz, plus a mixed planting of some 40 rarities, which produce such iconic wines as the Best’s ‘Thomson Family’ Shiraz and ‘Old Vine’ Pinot Meunier. And while the Thomson family are respectful custodians of the past, they are also progressive ones, with the community always at the heart of their thinking.

Best’s – Sugarloaf Creek Vineyard, Great Western Ben Thomson

Best’s – Sugarloaf Creek Vineyard, Great Western

Seppelt Great Western Vineyard, Great Western

Best’s – Concongella, Great Western

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