History

In 1839, shortly after his arrival from England, Joseph Gilbert started building a fine homestead in Eden Valley and planted the region’s first grapevines in 1847. The vines came from the Macarthur vineyards at Camden Park in New South Wales and from the collection of English glasshouse cuttings from the Royal Horticultural Society's gardens at Chiswick. Like so many vineyards in the 1920s and 30s, Pewsey Vale fell into disuse but, thankfully, its potential was rediscovered.

In 1961, pastoralist Geoffrey Angas Parsons became aware his property had once incorporated the region’s earliest vineyard and shared his discovery with good friend, and vigneron Wyndham Hill-Smith. Several wine companies were considering potential vineyard sites with cooler ripening conditions than found on the Barossa Valley floor and Hill-Smith needed no further persuasion – work soon began on re-establishing Pewsey Vale Vineyard.

Initially, 56 hectares of Riesling were planted in contoured rows. The several remaining hectares of these vines continue to provide fruit for Pewsey Vale Vineyard The Contours Riesling. All plantings at Pewsey Vale Vineyard are propagated from the original 1847 vines.