Pewsey Vale
| Pewsey Vale | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Location | Eden Valley, South Australia, Australia |
| Wine region | Eden Valley wine region |
| Founded | 1961 |
| Key people | Joseph Gilbert, Geoffrey Angas Parsons, Wyndham Hill Smith |
| Cases/yr | 25,000 cases |
| Known for | Contours Riesling |
| Varietal | Riesling |
| Website | www.pewseyvale.com |
Pewsey Vale vineyard was founded in Eden Valley, South Australia during 1847 by Englishman, Joseph Gilbert. It is currently part of S.Smith and son. It was the first vineyard established in what is now the Eden Valley wine region and the first to plant Riesling vines in Australia. Pewsey Vale has become one of Australia’s leading producers of commercial riesling, with its signature wine being the Contours Riesling.
In 1839, Joseph Gilbert arrived in Australia after he had decided to leave his home in the Vale of Pewsey in Wiltshire. Prior to his arrival, Gilbert had read in The Times that the ship, The Buckinghamshire, would be leaving for Australia. He had made the decision to leave his home after this news and wasted no time purchasing land after he arrived in Australia, buying 15,000 acres in the Barossa Valley.
In 1841, two years after his purchase of the land in Barossa Valley, he bought more land in the Eden Valley. This particular area was at an altitude of approximately 500 meters above sea level. At this altitude, the cooler temperatures were crucial to the eventual success of the winery, as cold would allow for the grapes to undergo longer periods of ripening.
At the age of 38, Gilbert had built a home on the Eden Valley property and began to plant his first grapevines, but they were of the table grape variety. It was not until 1847 when Gilbert started to plant grapes for the purpose of winemaking, hence establishing Eden Valley’s first winery. During the initial stages of his efforts, Gilbert was known to tinker with his approach to winemaking. His findings during this time were crucial to the wine industry in the Eden Valley. Gilbert was also known to take some of his cuttings and distribute them to others in the region who were interested in starting their own vineyard.
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Wikipedia