Third time unlucky as winery's 160th birthday party is put on hold again

The 160th birthday celebrations for landmark Victorian winery Tahbilk have been put on hold for a third time as a result of Covid-19 lockdowns. 

Tahbilk, Victoria’s oldest family owned winery, was established in 1860 on the banks of the Goulburn River in the Nagambie Lakes region.

Two dates in 2020 - the first in August, then in December - to mark the winery's anniversary had to be scrapped and the latest Victorian lockdown has forced the Purbrick family to abandon celebrations planned for February 22-23. 

"It's with sadness and much frustration that we have decided to postpone this event for the third time but it's our intention to reschedule when vaccination roll out has been completed in Australia and we have entered a safe and stable post Covid-19 era," said CEO Alister Purbrick.

"We'll monitor the current Victorian outbreak and the vaccination roll out and confirm our intentions with regard to holding this event around July-August 2021.

"It's certainly been a rollercoaster ride."

The Tahbilk team and PR company Fireworks decided: "It's hard to predict what will happen in Victoria with the latest virus infection cluster and, even if the stage 4 lockdown is lifted next week, there may be restaurant/function space and/or number restrictions which will mean that the dinner scheduled for February 22 may have to be cancelled."

Purbrick added: “Clearly the pandemic has affected Tahbilk from a travel and tourism perspective, but the Tahbilk team are completely confident that these unforeseeable circumstances will see Tahbilk come back stronger than ever.

”What we have noticed is a shift towards the purchase of our premium portfolio, with our iconic 1860 Vines Shiraz and Old Vines Cabernet Shiraz being particularly popular. “