Best’s Wines Great Western has been operational in the Grampians since 1866. With over 39 grape varietals, the direct origin of some still remains unknown despite visits from French experts and DNA testing.
Nicole Thomson and her husband, Ben, are the vineyard’s fifth-generation owners and are pushing the vineyard’s story beyond 106 years of single-family ownership.
The background: Best’s Wines was originally purchased by Henry Best in the late 1800s, and he planted each tree on the property himself. He died in 1913, leaving the property to his son Charles.
The Thomson family purchased the land from Charles in 1920, and have held onto it for the last century - mostly.
“During the depression, the vineyard was actually taken by the bank. The Thomsons bought another property - that they named Misery Farm,” she said with a laugh. “But the bank couldn’t find a buyer, so it went back to them”.
Thomson told the Brolga it’s been fascinating to compare the experience of each generation - from horse and cart manual picking, to machinery with air conditioning.
A stroke of luck: While the vineyard was being run by Henry Best, Thomson said an invasive North American insect swept Europe - called phylloxera.
These aphids burrow into the root of vines, laying eggs and feeding on them. It was devastating to the global wine industry in the mid-19th century.
It took out nearly half of France’s vineyards.
However, Best’s Wines remained phylloxera-free, and as a result, became home to some of the oldest surviving vines in the world.
The blends: These varietals are in the Nursery Block,, and include Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir and award-winning Riesling.
Thomson said in the 1970s, a wine expert from France visited the property to identify each grape by feel and taste. The remainder were tested - and to this day, 8 varietals grown on the property remain unknown.
Ongoing work: Thomson said they have faced their own struggles at the helm of the century-old vineyard. A black frost no one predicted hit the region in 2017, and the winery lost almost all of that year’s grapes.
Recent fires in the region have been another source of stress, with several of their neighbours dealing with smoke taint and property damage. Thomson’s advice?
“If you’re going to start a winery, make sure you have a spare million dollars.”
What next? The winery’s cellar’s door remains open to visitors, and this weekend the property will be hosting live music, local food, market stalls and family activities as part of the month-long Grampians Wine Festival.
