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A Barossa vineyard, once so neglected its old vines were effectively thrown in for free with the purchase of a family home, has become the foundation of an award-winning wine estate.
Elderton Wines has been named Best Medium Sized Winery at the 2026 Barossa Wine Show, adding another chapter to a family wine story stretching back more than four decades.
For Cellar Door Manager and Commander Concierge Jodhi Thoms, the Elderton experience is about more than the wine alone.
“We hope people leave feeling they’ve discovered a wonderful piece of the Barossa … If guests leave having learned something new about our family, wines and region … then we’ve achieved our goal.”
The Nuriootpa winery also collected gold medals for its 2026 Eden Valley Riesling, 2025 Barossa GSM and 2025 Barossa Cabernet Sauvignon. The three gold-medal wines highlighting the diversity of Elderton’s winemaking.
Jodhi said the Riesling captures Eden Valley’s cool-climate character through citrus, minerality and natural acidity. While GSM brings fragrance, generosity and savoury spice, and the Cabernet Sauvignon balances Barossa power and concentration with structure, elegance and strong cellaring potential.
But Elderton’s story began long before its first bottle was produced.
The vineyard surrounding the Elderton homestead was originally planted on the banks of the North Para River in 1894 by the Scholz family. When Neil and Lorraine Ashmead were considering buying the property in 1980, they were offered its surrounding 72 acres of old vines essentially for nothing.
Rather than clearing them, the family set out to restore the vineyard.
Just two years later, the first wine carrying the Elderton label was made, beginning what has now become a two-generation family business celebrating 45 vintages in 2026.
Today, those historic vines and the story behind them remain at the heart of Elderton.
“Whether visitors join us at the cellar door or enjoy a bottle at home, we want them to experience the character of our vineyards and the family behind them.”
The combination of vineyard heritage, winemaking and hospitality has now been recognised at the 50th Barossa Wine Show, where wines were judged across 26 classes and assessed blind by a panel of industry professionals.
Their impressive result is one shared across every part of the business.
“This award reflects the dedication of our entire team, from vineyard to winery to cellar door. This recognition belongs to everyone involved.”
After almost five decades of winemaking, Elderton’s focus remains much the same as it was in the 1980s: making wines that speak to where they came from and giving visitors a connection to the family and region.
Elderton Wines
Where: 3/5 Tanunda Rd, Nuriootpa SA 5355
