It's the Queen's Birthday long weekend - the perfect time to share a story of how Tahbilk's wine travelled the high seas to London and arrived just in time for lunch with the Queen! ⁠
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It was August 1950 when Eric Stevens Purbrick (2nd generation family member and winemaker at Tahbilk) decided to take a trip to London. While he was there visiting a mutual friend, Eric met Sydney F.J Fells whose company, John E Fells & Sons, specialised in importing Australian wines. ⁠
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Through this connection, Eric managed to sidle Tahbilk wines into the UK market and exported two hogsheads of white wine, which were soon followed by hogsheads of red.⁠
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In 1952, John E Fells & Sons’ “Koala” brand of Australian wines included Victorian Claret ~ Chateau Tahbilk Shiraz, and a Victorian Hock ~ Chateau Tahbilk Marsanne.⁠
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In the same year, Fells submitted Chateau Tahbilk Marsanne for a Royal occasion and in 1953, it was selected and served at the Heads of Commonwealth luncheon to Her Royal Highness, Queen Elizabeth the Second, a high honour indeed!⁠

Today, Tahbilks' 200 hectares of vineyards include the rare French Rhone Valley whites of Marsanne, Viognier and Roussanne; and the Rhone reds - Shiraz, Grenache and Mourvedre. Vineyard plantings extend back to Tahbilk's founding with original pre-phylloxera Shiraz vines still surviving from 1860.

Go beyond the Cellar Door with an Ultimate Winery Experience at Tahbilk, where you can discover the secrets of winemaking, guided by a Wine Ambassador to create a wine that is truly yours.