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Bremerton isn’t just another Aussie winery; it is the pulse and heartbeat of South Australia’s Langhorne Creek. Owned and run by the Willson family since its inception in 1988, Bremerton has forged an enviable reputation for quality and value whilst at the same time supporting development into new varietal plantings and figure-heading innovation within the region.

I was lucky enough to visit Bremerton last year and had a rare opportunity to meet the Willson family. What I found was a group of people committed to promoting the fruits of their labour, with drive and ambition but at the same time a humble appreciation of their unique terroir in Langhorne Creek. It is unquestionable that winemaker Bec Willson and her sister Lucy steer the Bremerton ship under the guiding eyes of father Craig and mother Mignonne. It really is a family affair combined with genuine pride of place.

Langhorne Creek is south east of Adelaide, not far from the famed vineyards of McLaren Vale. It is a unique region as it sits on the rich soil of the Bremer River flood plain. Fresh cool evening breezes from Lake Alexandrina provide a micro climate of mild to warm summer days and cool evenings, perfect for the long ripening of the grapes. The resultant harvest produces intense and sought after cool climate flavours in the Bremerton wines, which are very much on-trend and beautifully suited to the palates of many modern wine drinkers. The predominant varieties grown are Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz, with plantings of Sauvignon Blanc, Verdelho, Chardonnay, Malbec and Petit Verdot.

The winemaking team, headed by family winemaker Rebecca ‘Bec’ Willson has taken the quality of the Bremerton portfolio to new highs. Bec seeks the finest possible estate-grown fruit to craft traditional, full-bodied, full-flavoured, mouth-filling wines that show a consistency of style whilst encouraging the true varietal characteristics to be expressed.

In the cellar, the winery has invested heavily in a premium French and American oak programme using 220 litre barriques to ensure subtle and complementary oak influences. The winery utilises traditional open top fermenters, made from stainless steel and a purpose-built barrel cellar for maturation.

Bec and her Marketing Manager sister Lucy, have focused the family’s wine range on high quality and individual wines. They have given Bremerton a strong foothold in the highly competitive Aussie wine market, with Rebecca’s first label at age 25 (the 1997 Cabernet Sauvignon) winning a trophy and rated Third Best Cabernet in Australia by Winestate magazine. Since then the Willson sisters have worked tirelessly to anchor Bremerton as Langhorne Creek’s strongest force – with exceptional quality Malbec and Fiano coming through the ranks, there is no suggestion they plan to put their feet up any time soon!