The Marion Vineyard, Adelaide
The Marion Vineyard holds a very special place in the history of Adelaide and the wine industry in South Australia. It is the oldest remaining suburban vineyard in Australia, quite possibly in the world, and offers a living and working time capsule from an era gone by.
The vineyard, which now belongs to the City of Marion, was planted in 1907 by Frank Hamilton as part of the early vine planting’s of the then FE Hamilton & Sons Winery & Distillery.
Vineyard planting’s in the area date back to 1837 and comprised some 156 acres at their peak with up to 5,000 tonnes of grapes being harvested from several sites in the area during vintage.
During the late 1960’s and early 70’s these properties were gradually invaded by the march of residential development and the needs of a growing community, until the remaining Oaklands Road site was sold to the Marion Council in 1972.
The vineyard was then largely neglected until the early 1990’s when combined efforts were made by the Marion City Council and Richard Hamilton winery to return the vineyard to its former glory.
In 1994 Richard Hamilton winery harvested a crop off the vineyard and since that time has managed the day to day operation of the vineyard, upgrading it with new trellising and the reconstruction and replanting of vines.
With the vineyard’s future secured, the grapes from these vines are now annually used to produce the “Marion Vineyard Grenache Shiraz”, one of the limited release Single Vineyard Reserve wines produced under the Richard Hamilton label.
Now in its tenth vintage, the wine has received widespread acclaim and has won many awards and trophies. The 1997 vintage topped the Shiraz section in Philip White’s Top 100 Australian Wines for 1999. The prominent Adelaide journalist and wine writer described the wine as smelling of “ground up old tractors” and being “a huge old-leather and sump oil wonder, wearing the hard scars of the ages like bravery awards.” In conclusion he wrote “you should do anything you can to procure a bottle and spend an hour or two with it, dreaming of the days when our best viticulture land was devoted to winemaking.” A wonderful endorsement for the ongoing preservation of the area.
Having stabilised the vineyard and established the “Marion Vineyard Grenache Shiraz” as one of Australia’s best and most unique red wines, the opportunity exists for the vineyard to repay the community for its patience.
The Marion Vineyard has great potential to provide cultural, social and tourism opportunities for the benefit of the wider community and wine lovers across Australia.
The vineyard is unique and of great significance to the wine industry and our cultural heritage. Its preservation provides a window back to the very settlement of the district by our pioneering forefathers and the earliest arrival of European settlement in South Australia.
The site is viewed as a special place by the people of Marion, by members of the wine industry and by wine lovers throughout the world.
Through distribution of its wine, Richard Hamilton winery has seen the awareness and celebration of this historic site spread to over sixteen countries. It has become a must visit site for many winery tourists and wine trade visitors from around the globe.
The Marion Vineyard, is carefully pruned and picked by hand to protect the old vines and maximise quality. There is limited use of sprays with a focus on organic viticulture for weed, disease and pest control to minimise any impact on the environment and the local community.
The underlying objective has been to develop environmentally friendly and sustainable vineyards with low yielding vines producing quality fruit and ultimately a super premium quality South Australian wine.
Redevelopment of the vineyards has been undertaken not only to improve the property from the viticultural perspective but also to enhance the aesthetics of the area.
Future developments have also been earmarked including the installation of interpretive signs to encourage visitors to tour the vineyard and understand its historical significance. Schools, community groups, and wine lovers will be able to access the facility to enjoy the historic vineyard and further their knowledge of grape growing and the wine industry.
Most of all the heritage of this area will continue to be preserved and celebrated by the annual harvest and production from this living time capsule from the past.
Richard Hamilton Winery, PO Box 370, McLaren Vale, SA 5171
Tel (08) 8556 2288 Fax (08) 8556 2868