Old Vine Garden Wines

Hiding under the Mourvédre alias, Mataro has too often been relegated to the rank of a ‘blends only’ varietal. The time for a Resurrection is now. Driven by the new
generation of Barossa winemakers, Mataro is once again taking its place as a single varietal of regional significance.

Langmeil's original vineyard, the Freedom, was planted in 1843 and survives to this day. Planted by our Lutheran forebears who were escaping religious persecution and war in Prussia, just seven years after the state of South Australia was colonised. They came to their new homeland, from 'Persecution to Freedom', to worship and find peace in our beloved Barossa. The Freedom is Langmeil's first and foremost vineyard. A small block of Shiraz planted by Christian Auricht and his family in 1843, not only survive, but thrive on the banks of the North Para River, adjacent to our winery. Since the Bitter and Lindner families re-established the abandoned vineyards and winery in 1996, we have vinified the Freedom 1843 separately from other Shiraz at Langmeil. These thick trunked, dry grown, low yielding, gap toothed old vines, which we believe to be the oldest surviving Shiraz in Australia, are guided through the cellars in their 164th vintage by fifth generation family winemaker, Paul Lindner.

Destined for destruction to make way for housing, ten rows of 140 year old Shiraz vines were rescued by Langmeil and transplanted, thus preserving part of the Barossa's heritage. These orphans are not without relatives. They share a common ancestry with our Freedom vineyard, having been planted in the 1800s on what was then the same allotment: section 36, Hundred of Moorooroo. When Christian Auricht died in 1860 the 'family' of Shiraz vineyard was split up. Now, 146 years later, with the generous assistance of Langmeil's team of adoptive parents, the winery has been able to reunite the flock and bring them home.

Another small, old Barossa vineyard lovingly tended by our gardeners and dedicated to its previous owner. Arthur Jackaman was a parachutist in World War II, a boxer, then a butcher in Broken Hill. He later settled in the Barossa where he became a well known local character.

Our fifth generation Barossan winemakers have revived the old vineyards but continue to dry grow, hand prune and hand pick; producing fruit with vibrant colour and flavour. Langmeil's philosophy of winemaking is reflected in this small parcel of wine. Dry grown Grenache vines planted mid way through the last century by our forefathers have been nurtured to produce an exquisite wine. Aged in seasoned French oak for two years, it is a full, intense flavoured wine; ideal with lamb, pork and game.