Tweedies Gully Wines

Mary and Peter Eriksen purchased 45ha of land at the eastern end of the Barossa Valley, halfway between Lyndoch and Williamstown, in 1994. They say that after two years of raising Murray Grey cattle they decided vines would be a more compatible use of the land, as they were regularly telephoned by neighbours while they were in Adelaide, advising that their cattle were on roadways or trespassing into neighbours' properties. They realised that vines would not jump fences and escape, and planted 7ha of shiraz in '96. Since 2005 limited quantities of wine have been made each year from the low yield of 1.5 tonnes per acre. So successful has the venture been with the 2010 and '12 vintages that they intend to increase the production of wine under the direction of Trevor Jones. -JAMES HALLIDAY