Elderton swoops to buy high-altitude vineyard

Family-owned Elderton Wines has signalled a major step forward with the acquisition one of the most sought-after vineyards in the Barossa. 

The Ashmead family has added the Wilton Hill Vineyard in the Eden Valley to its set of estate vineyard holdings.

The second-generation owners of Elderton, Cameron and Allister Ashmead, have purchased the Wilton Hill from the Mattschoss family, describing it as a "once in a generation opportunity".

The vineyard is one of the highest-altitude vineyards in the Barossa, sitting on top of Menglers Hill.

It comprises 60 hectares of land and 23.75 hectares of vines and has a track record of producing elite single vineyard wines.

Planted over 100 years ago, the vineyard joins Elderton's other vineyard sites in Nuriootpa and Greenock, which also boast centenarian vineyard blocks. 

The Hilton Hill vineyard is planted with old vine shiraz, cabernet sauvignon and riesling, as well as grenache. 

At an altitude of 500 metres, the vineyard has "shallow, skeletal, grey sandy loam with quartz gravel over weathered rock and yellow clay-based soils".

“We are fortunate to bring this amazing vineyard into our treasured estate holdings," said the Ashmead brothers (above) in a statement. 

"Along with the talents of our experienced and passionate vineyard, winemaking and cellar door teams, we believe that this vineyard addition will cement our position as a real contributor to the Barossa’s future success story through growing and making some of Australia’s most delicious and sought-after wines.”

The vineyard has previously supplied grapes to labels including wo Hands, Head Wines and Thistledown

Bottom image: Dragan Radocaj