Celebrating 100 Years of Purbrick Family at Tahbilk

Celebrating 100 Years of the Purbrick Family at Tahbilk

Tahbilk Winery’s historic vineyards in Nagambie have been under the loving stewardship of the Purbrick family for a full century. The estate was purchased by Reginald Purbrick in 1925, rescuing it from decline and launching a family legacy. Today, Tahbilk is celebrated as Victoria’s oldest family-owned winery, and to mark this milestone, the cellar door is offering six special limited-edition centennial wines—a unique expression of its terroir and a tribute to the family’s rich history.

Five Generations of Tahbilk Leadership

From that bold purchase in 1925 through to the present day, Tahbilk has been passed smoothly down through five generations of Purbricks. Reginald’s son Eric Stevens (2nd generation) returned in 1931 and revitalised the vineyards and winery after decades of neglect. By the late 1940s, Eric had taken on the winemaker role and was one of the first in Australia to champion varietal labelling—his influence is commemorated today in Tahbilk’s “Eric Stevens Purbrick” Shiraz and Cabernet releases.

Eric’s son John (3rd generation) joined Tahbilk in 1955, rebuilding the business’s marketing and distribution arms. In 1979, John moved to Sydney to launch a new sales company, abruptly handing the reins to his 24-year-old son, Alister. By that time, Alister Purbrick (4th generation) had become Tahbilk’s first qualified winemaker (earning his degree at Roseworthy Agricultural College). Alister went on to lead Tahbilk for over 43 years, modernising the winery’s facilities and lifting the wine’s prestige worldwide. Under his guidance, a 300-tonne white-wine facility was built in 1979 to protect the original 1860 chateau, and Tahbilk embraced export growth and new styles of wine. Alister’s tenure saw numerous honours for Tahbilk, including Halliday’s Winery of the Year in 2016, and his own accolades, including being appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 2025 for significant service to the wine industry.

Notable Milestones & Achievements

Over the past century, the Purbricks have guided Tahbilk through many milestones:

• 1925: Reginald Purbrick buys Tahbilk Estate for £44,879, saving the once-famous “Chateau Tahbilk” from collapse.

• 1931–47: Eric Purbrick becomes General Manager (1931) and later winemaker (1947), restoring wine quality after phylloxera and the Depression.

• 1979: A new 300-tonne white-wine facility is built to protect the original 1860 brick winery. That same year, Alister Purbrick (John’s son) takes over as Tahbilk’s winemaker and CEO.

• 1995: The first large-scale revegetation project began; by the 2020s, some 150 ha of habitat had been restored.

• 2009: Tahbilk co-founds Australia’s First Families of Wine, uniting ten historic family-owned wineries.

• 2012–13: Tahbilk completes its carbon-neutral journey (certified carboNZero).

• 2016: Awarded Wine Companion Winery of the Year.

• 2018: Solar arrays installed at the winery, supplying over a third of its energy needs.

• 2025: Purbrick centenary celebrations include six limited-edition “centennial” wines released from the museum cellars. In January, Alister Purbrick is appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his service to the wine industry.

Passing the Torch to Future Stewards

As the fourth generation retired, the family put a formal succession plan in place. In early 2022, after 43 years at the helm, Alister Purbrick announced his retirement as Tahbilk CEO. A family-led board oversaw a wide-ranging search and ultimately appointed Ross Sudano as the new Group CEO. Sudano now runs day-to-day operations but reports to the Purbrick family board, ensuring that Tahbilk’s core values stay true to the family’s vision.

“After 43 years… it’s time for me to pass the baton on,” Alister said, expressing confidence that the new leadership “will build on the successes achieved over 162 years.” Notably, the family constitution ensures that no shareholder can ever sell their Tahbilk shares, binding the estate permanently to the Purbrick name and its future generations.

The Legacy Lives On

Across every bottle poured and every tour given, Tahbilk’s story of family and tradition is on display. The underground cellars, built in 1860, still cradle wines that span five generations of stewardship. Visitors today can taste a wine that carries the weight of history, nurtured by a family deeply committed to the land and its legacy.

One hundred years on, the Purbrick family remains as devoted as ever—nurturing the vineyards, protecting the landscape, and welcoming every guest as part of the Tahbilk story. Here’s to a century of family passion behind the label, and to the many vintages of the future.