WALKERS HILL VINEYARD
Made by friends for friends to be enjoyed with friends
0447 651 418
PLEASE PHONE AHEAD TO ENSURE WE ARE OPEN
CLOSED 1ST JULY - 31ST JULY
ABOUT
'You can't grow wine grapes out here' - this was the common response when Bill mentioned he was going to grow wine grapes & produce wine.
HISTORY
Walkers Wines was established in 1995 with the first acre of shiraz vines planted. The first vintage came in 1998. Bill & Angela Walker were broad acre farmers with a farm 8km north of Lake Grace. On one patch of ironstone nothing seemed to yeild very well so Bill researched to find something else to grow. With his love of wine he decided that seemed like a good alternative.
Although Bill was laughed out of the paddock 'You can't grow grapes out here. It's not grape growing country' he dug his heels in & proceeded to do what he wanted to do. With a very large bull dozer they ripped the massive sheets of ironstone into rows and planted the first vines. Over the next 5 years Bill planted another acre of Shiraz grape & an acre of chardonnay grape.
Bill perservered over the next 5 years to get the vines trelesed & trained. His efforts were rewarded when his 2002 Shiraz was awarded a Gold medal at the prestigeous Mt Barker QANTAS Wine Awards. Many awards were to follow for both the Shiraz & Chardonnay.
In 2009 Bill sold the vineyard to a couple who changed the name of the vineyard. In 2011 it was then sold again with the name of the vineyard changing back to Walkers.
FUTURE
For Bill the vineyard was loveable hobby, somewhere for him to come & spend his days pottering around doing what he loved. A beautiful brick tasting room was built from where wine tastings & sales and storys could be told..
Since taking over in 2011 we have added a deck onto the tasting room as a place where people can come & sit and enjoy the tranquil surroundings while enjoying a coffee & homemade cake.
We have just opened a function centre to cater for weddings, family gatherings, meetings and any other gathering you may like to have.