Elderton’s 40 Vintages Timeline
While we celebrate 40 vintages of Elderton Wines this year, the history of the vineyard and Cellar Door date back many decades. We are proud to be custodians of such an important part of the Barossa’s viticultural history:
1894 Scholz family plants vineyard on banks of North Para River
1916 Tolley family purchases Elderton property
1918 Tolley family begins to build the homestead
1980 Ashmead family purchases Elderton property and vineyard restoration begins
1981 Ashmeads move onto the property
1982 First wine produced under Elderton label with the help of Peter Lehmann
1983 Severe floods occur; Jim Irvine hired as contract winemaker
1984 First vintage of Command Shiraz produced
1993 Elderton wins Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy at Royal Melbourne Wine Awards
1997 Neil Ashmead passes away
1998 First vintage of Ashmead Cabernet Sauvignon produced
1999 Allister Ashmead returns to Elderton
2000 1995 Command Shiraz named in Top 100 Wines, Wine Spectator; 1996 Command Shiraz wins World’s Best Shiraz trophy at the International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWSC)
2002 Elderton purchases Citrus Cellars and builds its own winemaking facility
2003 Cameron Ashmead returns to Elderton; Richard Langford recruited as winemaker
2004 2000 Command Shiraz named in Top 100 Wines, Wine Spectator
2005 Elderton named in Top 100 Wineries, Wine & Spirits
2007 Craneford vineyard purchased
2008 Elderton named in Top Wines of the Year, Decanter; Elderton named in Top 100 Wines, Wine Spectator
2010 Greenock vineyard purchased; 2006 Command Shiraz wins Best in Class at IWSC; Solar installed on winery
2011 30 vintages of Elderton Wines
2013 Launch of range of wines from Greenock vineyard
2017 Cellar Door in family homestead opens
2019 Jules Ashmead appointed Head of Production; Brock Harrison recruited as winemaker
2021 40 vintages of Elderton Wines
Story from our newsletter, the Elderton Buzz – March 2021 edition
