Different walk today - we headed across to Great Western and walked in the 3km labyrinth of tunnels which house wines for the House of Seppelt! Quite an experience - a little bit eerie but enthralling as we wandered through the “Drives” (as the tunnels are called) and learnt about the history of the winery!
We strolled through the tiny village of Great Western - who would have imagined from this tiny town a famous wine label would become so well known, particularly for its Champagne and Sparkling wines.
A brother and sister from France, hoping to make their fortune on the goldfields,met up with another Frenchman and when they came to Great Western they realized it resembled the wine growing areas back home - they planted a quarter acre block of vines from France and so began the story of the wine story in the Grampians Region. The vineyard was called St Peters. Two brothers, Joseph and Henry Best came to the area and were looking for another venture as gold began to dry up around the 1860’s. They noticed how the St Peters Winery was prospering and so they began their own vineyard - Bests Winery. The brothers had a falling out and Joseph began his own Winery which today is Seppelts.
The winery has changed hands quite a few times from its inception. Here’s how it goes!
The Best brothers began it; Joseph Best sold it to Hans Irvine; he sold it to the Seppelts family from the Barossa in South Australia; they sold it to South Corp Wines, who sold it to Fosters, and then it went to the current company,Treasury Wine Estates.
Bests Winery has remained a private family owned Vineyard in Great Western - it is now owned and run by the Thomson family. The St Peters Vineyard no longer exists.
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The Cellar Door and Shaft House
The "whites" behind |
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| "Vinehouse" - the original house, now a B&B and Conference Centre |
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| The Function Centre |
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| Garden, BBQ area and the "reds" |
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| The grape crushing and Winemakers area |
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The original vines at the front of the Winery -
with grapes!!!! |
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| Lovely cafe area under the grape arbour |
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| Choccies for Glenn! |
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| Joseph Best with some of the first bottles of wine |
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Hans Irvine supervises the workers in the "drives"
They worked by candle light in the early days. |
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| The Cellar Door |
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| A prize Pinot Noir |
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| An interesting set of Posters |
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Click to enlarge
A quick history summary |
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Shaft House - tells the history of the Vineyard.
Great early photos.
Also used for functions |
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| Best and Irvine |
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Click to enlarge
The 3kms of underground "drives" |
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A bit of the story.
Interesting Ian McKenzie was one of their top winemakers
Click to enlarge |
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Looking down the original shaft that was built to store the wine.
Its a constant 16 degrees down there |
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| The original shaft is a feature in Shaft House |
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The Wedding Chapel in the Function Centre
The small oak barrels to the right come from France and cost $1,000 new.
They have a life span of 5 years. |
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| These big barrels are worth $35,000 |
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| Another function room |
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| Down into the Drives |
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| The wine bottles are covered in dust and mould |
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| Tunnels, tunnels everywhere! - all filled with wine! |
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The equipment used in the processing of the wine before technology took over.
It was quite a process! and needed a lot of skill! No wonder Champagne is expensive! |
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| Important people have their own Brandy Nook in the Drives |
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| Malcome's is looking healthy! |
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Ian McKenzie - winemaker has his horde here too
He still works in the wine industry in South Australia |
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| Bottled wine ready to go! |
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This bath has a great story!
Dame Nellie Melba came to the Winery and commented that she would love to bathe
in champagne. They organised it for her - 91 bottles went in!
They rebottled it after she bathed and they got 92 bottles!
Wonder why?! A miscount or what???lol
After that people use to joke they were drinking some of Dame Nellie Melba. |
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| The original Shaft 1867 |
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Hans and his family
Hans became sick and so sold the Winery to his friends, the Seppelt family.
Hans went back to England where he died.
His body was sent back to Australia and he nows lies at rest in the Great Western Cemetery
which is across the road from the Winery |
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| Click to enlarge |
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| Irvine's Australian Wines were served when the King visited Australia |
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Wine storage nook
They used ex-miners to pick out the soft granite - each
nook is exactly the same size |
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| On and on the tunnels go! |
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On the left are the "shaking tables" - they used these for the yeast
to settle out of the wine |
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These are the older wines produced in the Winery and were bought
by Winemaker Ian McKenzie. |
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| Some of the wines are 100years old |
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Ian's wines are guarded well!
He comes to the cellar at times with his friends and they open and enjoy a few! |
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| We enjoyed our wine tasting! |
BEST'S WINERY
A smaller Winery but heaps of character - still in the Best family
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| The original homestead |
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| The original vines of the 1860's |
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| Pinot Noir |
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| The Cellar Door |
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| Picnic Area displaying early equipment used in the processing of the wine |
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| The vines were loaded! |
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| Lovely entrance and treelined drive |
As we said a "grape" day out! :)
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