Introducing Ashmead Family Vintners
by Allister Ashmead
We are now in the midst of our 43rd vintage at Elderton. We also are into our fourth vintage of Small Victories Wine Co. How time flies!
Whilst we have many years to draw on when telling the story of Elderton, the evolution of Small Victories is much newer and we are still refining how these two wine companies exist together.
A new entity named Ashmead Family Vintners will now be the overarching business responsible for winemaking and marketing all our family’s vinous and viticultural pursuits.
This ensures that as Elderton inches towards the inclusion of the third generation, it can do so focusing on what Elderton does best – creating estate grown and made Barossan wines that showcase traditional highlights. Innovation will continue in both our vineyards and winemaking, but through subtle evolution.
Elderton remains committed to working with varieties that have a real footprint in our past as much as our future. Elderton will continue to create world class wines that couldn’t possibly come from anywhere else except our own home in the Barossa. We adore making some of Australia’s greatest wines from our estate vineyards and the gnarled and beautiful old vines that continue to thrive in the remarkable soils they sit in. None of this will change.
So how does Small Victories Wine Co fit in to the Ashmead family story?
Small Victories allows our family to have a bit of fun, making wines that can break the rules and not always conform to those ideals that Elderton holds dear. It allows Jules as our head of production to spread her wings. With Small Victories, Jules, along with our winemaker Brock Harrison, can be inquisitive and experimental. This also creates a space for some of the next generation to really play in, when they get their turn.
This is a space where it is possible for evolution to turn into revolution. With everything on the table from emerging varieties from classic and emerging regions alike, buying fruit from quality growers who know their patch of dirt, and planning for a future where our climate and water security is uncertain.
The commonalities of both of these wine companies is that they have the Ashmead family at the helm, with a mantra of making and sharing delicious wines.
Cam and Jules, Bec and Al may have four very different wines open on the table on any given Friday night, but having the space to experiment also ensures that life will never be boring and there will be a wine somewhere among all this that will put a smile on any wine lover’s face.
There may well be some new projects in the short to mid-term that don’t fit into either of these brands. Watch this space – with our talented Elderton / Small Victories team of people, anything is possible…
Glory to Barossa – it’s time to have some fun
Story from our newsletter, the Elderton Buzz – March 2024 edition
