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It may be small and tucked away in One Tree Hill, but one local winery is proving size has very little to do with success.
Tenafeate Creek Wines has just returned from the 2026 Melbourne International Wine Competition with its biggest result to date, collecting eight gold medals, two trophies and the Mount Lofty Ranges Winery of the Year title.
“It is a very proud moment for us … It proves that we are consistent with producing ultra-premium wines,” said Winemaker Michael Costa.
Among the standout wins was one the team certainly wasn’t expecting quite so soon.
Tenafeate Creek’s 2024 Clare Valley Malbec, the first Malbec the winery has ever produced, won gold before being crowned Best Malbec of Show. Michael believes its balance, complexity and distinct character helped the debut release make an impression with the judges.
“We are thrilled with all the feedback … It’s a very popular choice when we have it on tasting at cellar door.”
The Malbec wasn’t the winery’s only standout, with Michael describing their gold medal haul as their “best achievement to date.” Gold medals were also awarded to its 2023 Basket Press Shiraz, 2024 Grenache, 2024 Mataro, 2024 Cabernet Sauvignon, 2026 Riesling, 2026 Pinot Grigio and 2026 Sangiovese Rosé.
Beyond the medals, there is one thing tying all those bottles together.
“The wines show the classic Tenafeate Creek house style … It’s all about the balance, uniqueness, quality, and letting the wines speak of where they are from.”
For a small winery operating from one of Adelaide’s lesser-known wine pockets, it is an impressive result, particularly when added to five gold medals Tenafeate Creek picked up at the Sommelier Choice Awards in Chicago just a few months earlier.
Michael said the growing trophy cabinet isn’t the result of one dramatic change. Instead, he puts it down to constantly fine-tuning the little things in both the vineyard and winery.
“Overall, it’s all about the one percenters … All the small details make a huge difference at the end.”
The international recognition is also helping put One Tree Hill on the map, shining a light on a small wine-growing area on Adelaide’s northern fringe that often flies under the radar beside South Australia’s bigger-name regions.
Tenafeate Creek isn’t slowing down either. The team has been working with new vineyard sites over the past two years and experimenting with new wines and projects, while keeping the little things front-of-mind. That means a focus on balance, individuality and allowing each wine to reflect where its fruit was grown.
And judging by the medals piling up, the little One Tree Hill winery is making itself increasingly difficult to overlook.
Tenafeate Creek Wines
Where: 1071 Gawler-One Tree Hill Road, One Tree Hill
For more, visit their socials.
