Grant Burge Wines
Biographies
Grant Burge, a fifth-generation Barossan vigneron, strongly believes that fine wines are born in the vineyard and that vineyards are the cradle of wine quality. With this in mind, he has developed one of the most extensive networks of premium-quality vineyards in Australia, strategically positioned in the Barossa Valley.
The Burge family’s wine heritage stretches back to Grant Burge’s great-great-grandfather, John Burge, who emigrated in 1855 from Hillcot in Wiltshire, England, to Australia’s Barossa. John taught his son, Meshach, how to make wine in the 1860s. This passion for viticulture has been passed from generation to generation for more than 150 years.
Born in the Barossa in 1951 to Colin and Nancy Burge, Grant, their only child, grew up on the Wilsford Winery and Vineyard property in Lyndoch. Wilsford was developed in 1917 by Grant’s grandfather, Percieval, and it became well-known for its classic, fortified wines.
Grant’s drive to identify and purchase the top vineyards in the Barossa started in 1970, when he was just 19 years old. He and his parents purchased 80 acres of land in Lyndoch, planted it primarily to Cabernet Sauvignon, and named it Cameron Vale. (Over the past 35 years, Grant has acquired 13 prized vineyards.)
Serving his winemaking apprenticeship under his father Colin at Wilsford, Grant then teamed up with another passionate young winemaker, Ian Wilson, in 1976 to transform Krondorf Winery into one of the major innovative wineries in Australia. (Krondorf was the first Australian wine company to go public in 1983 – and was later purchased by Mildara Wines.)
In 1987, Grant’s father Colin and uncle Noel wanted to retire from running the family’s two properties, Wilsford and Draycott. Grant inherited Wilsford, the property where he grew up and learned how to make wine. (His cousin Richard inherited Draycott.)
Grant and his wife Helen founded Grant Burge Wines in 1988 and based it at the historic Moorooroo Cellars, on the banks of Jacob’s Creek, in the heart of the Barossa Valley. Grant had a tremendous belief in the quality of Shiraz wines from this district, and he made his first vintage of the highly regarded Meshach Shiraz that same year.
Grant Burge has garnered major awards in Australia, including the Jimmy Watson, Stodart, Brisbane Club and Montgomery trophies. Most recently, he received the pinnacle of Australian wine awards – an “Outstanding” ranking in the Langton’s Classification for Meshach, recognizing its iconic status over the last decade. Decanter also awarded Grant Burge “International Winemaker of the Year” in 2005 for his high-quality fortified wines.
Grant Burge continues to fulfill his philosophy that the production of the best wine is best achieved when grape growing and winemaking are controlled by the same entity, from vine to bottle.
Grant and Helen have two sons, Toby, 35, and Trent, 18, and one daughter, Amelia, 21. Toby was instrumental in developing one of Grant’s newest vineyards, Corryton Park. Trent, a successful rugby and cricket player, worked his first harvest in 2006 after graduating from high school. Amelia has worked at the tasting room and is currently studying wine marketing at Australia’s renowned Roseworthy Wine University. She plans to join the marketing staff in the future.
