Nepenthe: described by Homer in The Odyssey as an Egyptian herbal drink so powerful that it eases grief and banishes sorrow from the mind.
In 1994, the Tweddell family purchased a premium property in the sub-region of Lenswood in the Adelaide Hills. The property was carefully selected and planted to 24 hectares of vines with the intent of producing premium wine. Proven varieties such as Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc were planted, as well as interesting varieties such as Zinfandel and Pinot Gris. In 1996, Nepenthe received approval to build its winery, only the second in the Adelaide hills at the time (the first being Petaluma in 1978).
In the backdrop of the cool heights of the Adelaide Hills, we started producing some soul reposing potions of our own: uncompromising wines of outstanding quality and internationally recognised distinction. Wines that, strangely enough, have been impressing both critics and consumers with their varietal faithfulness and subtle Adelaide Hills nuances.
From the beginning, our wines have received positive review from the press and numerous medals on the show circuit.
In the first few vintages, Nepenthe wines featured in James Halliday's Top 100, The UK Times Top 100, The Advertiser Top 100, The International Wine Challenge as well as many other feature media articles.
The success of the wines is evident in the market place. Currently, Nepenthe sell nationally and are exporting to the United Kingdom, USA, Japan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Canada, Switzerland, Holland, Sweden, Denmark and Croatia. In all these markets the press and public have warmly received Nepenthe wines.
Due to this demand, in 1997 Nepenthe acquired a property in Charleston within the Adelaide Hills and has planted a further 43 hectares of vineyard. Then in 2002 a 25 hectare vineyard was acquired in Balhannah (where our cellar door is located), and in 2005 Nepenthe acquired its latest vineyard, 38 hectares in Hahndorf, with room for further expansion.
Nepenthe also sources fruit from a variety of vineyards throughout the hills. Most fruit Nepenthe receives is managed by Nepenthe Viticulture www.viticulture.com.au , part of the Nepenthe Group. This company ensures that Nepenthe only receives the highest quality fruit, ensuring strict control of the grapes that make our award winning wines.