The Latest Release of Best’s 1868 Old Vine Wine: The 2020 Thomson Family Shiraz
Best’s Wines is proud to release the 2020 Best’s Thomson Family Shiraz. Our signature wine, and the winery’s most premium, only made following exceptional vintages. Made from 15 rows of gnarly old shiraz vines, planted in 1868 by Henry Best, this premium shiraz is deeply rooted in Australian wine history. It represents five generations of the Thomson family’s commitment to this special vineyard site. It’s a sentimental wine, made from some of the oldest living shiraz vines in the world. The Thomson Family Shiraz represents exceptional value for a wine of its kind.
The 2020 Thomson Family Shiraz marks the 18th release since the first 1992 vintage, named as ‘”Centenary Shiraz” to celebrate 100 years of the Thomson family being custodians of Best’s. Henry Best recorded these vines as “Hermitage” in his journal. They are now known by the CSIRO as the “Concongella clone” or “Best’s Old Block clone” and serve as the mother vines for all of Best’s Shiraz plantings at Great Western. The vines are situated on the Thomson Family Block, in the Concongella Vineyard.
Vintage 2020
2020 was an exceptionally challenging year. Aside from the pandemic, bushfires and drought were also contended with. It was a low- yielding vintage, but the reward is evident in the great intensity and flavour this wine offers. The dry grown vines of the historic Thomson Family block have roots that penetrate several metres down deep into the earth, bringing extra complexity and intensity.
The old shiraz vines yield less than two tonnes per acre, the fruit is meticulously hand harvested, hand sorted and selected, with traditional winemaking methods honoured in the winery (hand plunging the ferments in small open fermenters), before aging the wine for up to 18 months in French oak (only 20% new oak is used to respect the fruit’s character) in the original underground cellars.
Chairman, Fourth Generation Viv Thomson OAM noted, “We’re acutely aware of our responsibility as custodians of these special old vines, they play a significant part in Australian viticultural history. To release wine from 157- year-old vines that continue to bear fruit is truly remarkable.”
Viv Thomson added, “We feel honoured to still be working in the same vineyards that generations before us have nurtured, and we can now lovingly craft these small parcels into an elegant and all-encompassing wine. We’re so proud to release this tiny piece of history.”
Langton’s Classification of Wine Edition VIII
Named amongst the finest wines in Australia, Thomson Family Shiraz was categorised in Langton’s 2024 Classification VIII as “First Classified.” With only 21 wines in this category across Australia, it represents on of the most sought-after wines in the country.
The 2014 was awarded Halliday Wine of the Year, with Halliday noting it’, “Effortless and graceful, its perfect.” You can watch what Halliday and Viv Thomson had to say about the award- winning vintage in this short video.
With five years of bottle age, the 2020 vintage is drinking beautifully, but those with patience will continue to be rewarded as it ages. Available from 1 May, 2025
