The story of Tscharke is one of continued evolution, and today our brand is a beacon of contemporary Barossa winemaking and the highest standards of viticultural excellence.
Peramangk, Ngadjuri and Kaurna land
The land that is today referred to as the Barossa has been owned by, and cared for, by the Peramangk, Ngadjuri and Kaurna nations since the beginning of time. The most sustainable and enduring culture on Earth was practiced here for thousands of generations, in perfect harmony with the environment. Our family, and our business, pay our sincere respects to the traditional owners of the land we farm today and we recognise that the traditional owners of this land have a continuing cultural connection here. We acknowledge their unceded sovereignty.
A family story
As genuinely sustainable farmers, we seek to act as custodians rather than owners, never taking for granted the opportunity and responsibility to care for this remarkable land. One of our great gifts is the geography of Marananga, where the elevation of the Western Ridge of the Barossa and the ancient soils combine to create a truly exceptional micro-climate. Six generations of our family have lived and worked here, and the seventh generation are currently growing up among the vines.
Bold beginnings
After completing his Bachelor of Agriculture Science in Viticulture/Oenology with honours in 2000, Damien began to develop his family vineyards to old European grape varietals new to Australian viticulture, believing these varieties would thrive in the terroir and microclimate of Marananga, with the area’s prehistoric soils and Mediterranean climate.
Tscharke Wines was founded in 2004, heralding a new tradition in Australian winemaking with contemporary wines based on alternative varietals.
Damien was the first producer of Montepulciano in Australia and was awarded the prestigious 2004 Peter Olson Fellowship for Innovation and Outstanding Performance in Agriculture for his work with alternative varietals. We have continued to expand the boundaries of contemporary winemaking in Australia since the earliest days of Tscharke Wines.
This culture of innovation and the pursuit of excellence has guided Tscharke since our earliest days.
Vision for the future
Tscharke have always sought to inspire, and be inspired by, our industry colleagues in the Barossa and further afield.
We’ve been consistently recognised and awarded throughout the history of our brand for our sustainability practices, our forward-thinking viticultural management, our establishment and use of alternate wine varietals in the Barossa, and the adaptation of contemporary elevage techniques including terracotta amphorae and concrete eggs. We continually demonstrate our willingness to be bold and creative, and push our industry forwards.
Today, we stand proudly as one of only three Certified Organic and Biodynamic wine producers in the Barossa region. We make contemporary, noble wines that reflect the prehistoric landscape of the Barossa and our contemporary winemaking philosophy.
We’re building this business to exist for hundreds of years into the future and the decisions we make today will pave that pathway forwards. Being bold, creative and adaptable will enable us to stay true to the central promises of Tscharke:
Exceptional wines | Genuine sustainability | Evolution of Tradition.
You want to be a part of this. Welcome aboard.
