Angove family celebrates 140 years of winemaking

 

Angove Family Winemakers is this year celebrating 140 years of family winemaking, reinforcing its position as one of Australia’s most enduring and progressive wine producers.

Founded in 1886 and now operated by the fifth generation of family members, the South Australian winery has evolved from its humble origins in Tea Tree Gully to be an exporter to over 20 markets. 

The milestone comes as the business continues to sharpen its focus on premium McLaren Vale wines and certified organic production, two pillars driving its current growth strategy.

Chairman John Angove said the anniversary reflects both legacy and forward momentum.

“Reaching 140 years is a proud milestone, but it’s also about what comes next," he said. 

"We’ve invested in premium vineyards, organic production and building a portfolio relevant to today’s consumer.”

Strategic expansion into McLaren Vale over the past two decades, including the Warboys Vineyard and cellar door has underpinned the company’s move into premium wines, with flagship releases such as The Medhyk, Warboys and, most recently, Brightlands leading the charge.

At the same time, Angove has cemented its position as one of Australia’s leading certified organic wine producers, with the Angove Organic, Wild Olive and Naturalis ranges prominent.

Joint Managing Director Richard Angove said the business remains focused on balancing scale with premium growth.

“We have a strong foundation in the Riverland, and the opportunity is clearly in premiumisation and provenance. Building our McLaren Vale base and organic offer are key to that story.”

Remaining privately owned, Angove sees its independence as a key competitive advantage in a consolidating global market.

Joint Managing Director Victoria Angove said: “The wine industry at its heart is about people and community. We have been very fortunate to have had a committed and hard-working team contributing to all areas of the business for so many years. 

"Our shared commitment to delivering consistently high-quality products to our customers strengthens year on year. We’re equally grateful to our great suppliers, partners and of course our customers.”

Change of direction at historic Hunter estate

Mount Pleasant is one of the great names of the Hunter Valley; a historic estate under new ownership.

Chief winemaker Adrian Sparks (above) this week unveiled a new direction for Mount Pleasant - with a definite focus on quality. 

"Our strategy focuses on scaling back our offering and looking to the past for inspiration for the future," Sparks said in a letter to wine club members. 

"The last few years have seen some challenges, to say the least," he added. "But we have worked through where we see the future for Mount Pleasant and have built a solid strategy for moving forward.

"For a number of years Mount Pleasant pursued the model of being everything to everyone, trying to survive in a flooded market, and moving away from its core values. 

"We are blessed with some of the greatest vineyards and stories in Australia, and these are fundamentally who we are today.

"We have spent countless hours tending to vines that were planted because of the early 2000s wine export boom and were not part of our heritage. 

"These young vine blocks were worked too hard and had very little money spent on them. We have therefore decided to remove these vines, grown for quantity rather than quality, and vines that are now suffering.

"Our focus into the future will be one of celebrating our history and our nucleus. By making wines that reflect what Mount Pleasant is, and more importantly what has made Mount Pleasant great. Old Vine Shiraz, Lovedale Semillon, and reigniting the wonderful art of blending multiple varieties - all which make good wines, but combined will make great wines.

"We are excited to announce the release of the first of these blends; our Light Dry White and Light Dry Red, made in very small quantities in 2023 as we begin to understand the intricate art of blending these for the first time. 

"These are wines based on style, wines that evoke a sense of joy when drinking and a desire to learn more about the Hunter Valley and Mount Pleasant, something which [legendary winemaker] Maurice O’Shea excelled at.

"We will continue to redefine Mount Pleasant by focusing on the detail of grape growing and winemaking. 

"With reduced land under vine, this will allow us to take the time to home in on the one percent adjustments that are required to make wonderful wines. Wines that show the hallmarks of Mount Pleasant, which is balanced, beautiful drinking wines in their youth, and timeless expressions of site as they age."