Harvest Tour & Lunch with Winemaker Jo – “From Vine to Wine”
Walking the Vines at Tahbilk
Old Roots, New Ideas and the Stories in Between
Join Winemaker Jo Nash for an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the Tahbilk vineyard during harvest. This guided experience offers a rare chance to walk through a living landscape shaped by more than 160 years of careful decisions, seasonal challenges, and respect for the land.
Tahbilk was established in 1860 beside the Goulburn River, chosen for its fertile alluvial soils, reliable water access, and a climate that rewards balance rather than excess. Those early choices still shape how the vineyard is managed today and why Tahbilk wines taste the way they do.
As you walk through the vineyard, you move through layers of history. The tour includes the 1860 Vines Shiraz, a remarkable survivor from the earliest days of Australian viticulture, and the 1927 Vines Marsanne, which continues to define Tahbilk’s most iconic wine. You will also visit Cabernet Sauvignon planted in the 1940s, alongside vineyard blocks established through the 1950s, 60s, 70s and 80s, each reflecting a different chapter in the estate’s evolution.
Alongside these historic plantings, newer varieties are taking shape. Tahbilk’s three-times trophy-winning Fiano is a modern highlight, showing how thoughtful site selection and restraint can produce wines of freshness, texture and quiet confidence.
Jo Nash brings more than 20 years of winemaking experience to the walk, along with the perspective gained from leading the estate as General Manager and winemaker over the past five years. Her stories reflect what it means to steward a vineyard with such deep history in a modern world. She speaks candidly about recent seasons, including the challenges and lessons of the October 2022 floods, when water reshaped parts of the vineyard and reinforced the importance of long-term thinking and resilience.
The walk naturally opens up conversations about how the vineyard is farmed today. A light-touch approach to viticulture guides decisions, with a focus on working with primum fruit and allowing each block to express its character. Guests are encouraged to ask about, caring for old vines, harvest timing, and future plans for the vineyard.
There is also space to explore what happens once the fruit is picked. Questions about harvesting and winemaking are welcome, including how different varieties are handled, how small parcels are used, and how winemakers have the freedom to experiment when crafting wines for the Tahbilk Wine Club.
The experience concludes with a relaxed two-course lunch, paired with Tahbilk wines. It is a chance to sit, reflect, and connect what you have seen in the vineyard with what ends up in the glass.
At Tahbilk, the vineyard is not simply where the wine begins. It is where history, curiosity and the next chapter all meet.
