Kaesler

Located on Barossa Valley Way in Nuriootpa, Kaesler Wines is situated on one of Australia’s oldest vineyards, which has been continuously cultivated since its establishment. The company’s flagship wine, ‘Old Bastard Shiraz’, takes its name from the gnarled, difficult-to-cultivate bush vines planted in 1893, which continue to bear fruit to this day.

History

Silesian pioneers settled on this land in the 1840s and by 1893 had planted the entire estate with Shiraz, Grenache, Mataro and White Hermitage. The Kaesler family took ownership in 1893 and managed the estate until 1986.

In 1999, agribusiness entrepreneur Ed Peter and winemaker Reid Bosward purchased the property and began restoring the old vines. Production is currently overseen by winemaker Tim Dolan, a third-generation winemaker from Barossa who joined from Peter Lehmann in 2022.

Vineyards and terroir

Kaesler owns 37 hectares of land across two sites. The main site, covering 28 hectares, surrounds the winery. The second site, covering 9.21 hectares, is located in Marananga, on the western side of the valley. The soils consist of sandy-clay loam over compact pottery clay, with limestone at greater depth. This structure retains moisture well, which is crucial in the hot and dry climate of the Barossa. The vines were planted in 1893, 1899, 1930 and the 1960s; all are grown without irrigation and trained using the bush system.

Grape Varieties and Winemaking

Shiraz is the predominant variety, with Grenache, Mataro and Semillon also grown. All grapes are harvested and pruned by hand; in most years, crop thinning is carried out to reduce yields. Each plot is kept separate until final blending. The estate practises regenerative agriculture using cover crops, collaborates with Trees for Life to restore native vegetation, and uses minimal irrigation.

Wines

The signature wine is Old Bastard Shiraz, rated ‘Outstanding’ in the Langton’s classification.

Alte Reben is a Shiraz made from old vines.The Bogan is a more accessible Shiraz. The Fave is a Grenache produced using natural winemaking techniques, inspired by Steven’s experience at Domaine Prieuré Roch in Burgundy.