Samuel and Mary Smith immigrated from Dorset with their four children to Australia in 1848. They built a home in the Angaston district in South Australia just before the birth of their fifth child. Can you imagine what it must have been like back then? How remote? How primitive? Poor Mary must have been terribly homesick. She named her new home (which certainly could not have been much more than a shack) “Osborne” cottage, which was her family’s name back in Dorset.
The Smiths worked hard. Samuel was employed by day in the gardens of George Fife Angas and by night he worked with his son Sidney planting his 30 plot with vines and fruit trees and vegetables. Of course they didn’t have flashlights. They worked with candles stuck to the front of the wheelbarrow!
The original homestead has grown into a thriving family enterprise that is known not only for its industriousness, but philanthropic efforts over the last six generations. And that humble cottage has been added to and changed over the years. It is now a venerable villa on the grounds of Yalumba and called “Percy’s”, after the grandson of Samuel and Mary Smith.
Kirsty Gosse, Brand Administrator at Yalumba has met me here at Percy’s. This will be my home for the next week. Kirsty shows me the house, which doesn’t look that spectacular from the outside and I am surprised by the generous spaciousness of the rooms with their high ceilings as soon as I walk inside. Bouquets of fresh flowers and herbs have been set on a vanity in the entry and other places inside the house and welcome me with their cheerful colours and fragrance. The villa is thoughtfully furnished in an elegant, gentrified country style. Wood and marble are the materials indoors. There is a large, well-equipped kitchen and an informal, small dining room and winter garden. The formal dining hall has an open fireplace and a large table to comfortably seat ten people - I would love to cook and entertain friends here! There are several old and new books of interest in the library along with a stereo system capable of flooding Percy’s with music. My bedroom opens up into a large enclosed garden which is flooded by the early morning light. Someone in the family must have knowledge and love for art, for there are a few captivating paintings. Of particular interest to me are the two large pieces opposite one another in the dining hall.
After depositing my luggage, Kirsty and I go out for a coffee and a tour of Angaston and the surrounding community. She tells me the history of the area’s development and its settlement by British and Germanic immigrants. Wine and culinary tourism are evolving strongly and thrive from the proximity to Adelaide. We shop for a few items to stock my kitchen at Percy’s at the Barossa Valley Cheese Factory and Magie Beer’s.
Kirsty has really gone out of her way to spend time with me on a Sunday. Her genuine warmth and generous friendly nature make it easy to feel comfortable and at home at Percy’s. We discuss my itinerary for the coming week. It will be intense, interesting, and it looks like it will be a lot of fun. Take a look for yourself:
ITINERARY:
Monday 30th November 2009
9.00am Met by Kirsty Gosse and taken to the winemaker’s tasting room for the ‘white wine master class’.
12.30pm Depart Yalumba for lunch at Blond with Brian Walsh.
1.45pm Depart Blond for the Nursery and met by Nick Dry for welcoming, introduction, clonal tasting and a tour of the Nursery vineyard.
3.00pm Picked up from Nursery by Robin Nettlebeck to visit Yalumba Single Site vineyards.
4.45pm Return to Yalumba’s Percy’s accommodation
6.30 pm Picked up by Nick Dry for dinner at 1918 with and Robin Nettlebeck.
Tuesday 1st December 2009
8.15am Collected from Percy’s by Kirsty Gosse and taken to meet Peter Gambetta and depart Yalumba for tasting at Heggies and Pewsey Vale Vineyards.
11.00am Depart Heggies for return to Yalumba with Peter Gambetta and a Cooperage, winery & Museum tour.
11.30pm Arrive at the Family Tasting Room for Jansz tasting with Nat Fryar.
1.00 pm Depart Yalumba for lunch at the Company Kitchen with Cecil Camilleri & Andrew Murphy.
2.15pm Return to Yalumba for Environmental discussion with Cecil Camilleri & Andrew Murphy.
5.00pm Return to Percy’s accommodation.
6.30pm Collected by Louisa Rose and taken to dinner at Vintners with the winemakers.
Wednesday 2nd December 2009
9.00am Arrive at the Family Tasting Room for a Rare & Fine tasting and look at Yalumba’s commitment to the Cabernet Shiraz blend with Kevin Glastonbury and Louisa Rose.
11.30am Arrive at the Angaston Lab for R&D discussions with Ian Codrington.
12.30pm Meet with Scott Washington to discuss Negociants International including lunch with Scott & Kirsty at Blond.
2.30pm Depart Yalumba for Henschke Wines for a tour and tasting with Melanie Keynes.
4.30pm Return to Percy’s accommodation.
6.00pm Dinner at Wanera with Tony Bogar (emarketing Manager) & Kirsty Gosse.
Thursday 3rd December 2009
8.30am Depart Yalumba with Jane Ferrari to visit Oxford Landing Estate Winery and meet with Matt Pick.
9.45am Depart Oxford Landing winery for Oxford Landing Estate.
10.30am Met by Robert Strachan for Oxford Landing Estate vineyard tour.
12.00pm BBQ lunch with Robert Strachan, Marty Burnell & Jane Ferrari. Oxford Landing tasting to be conducted by Jane during lunch.
3.00pm Depart Oxford Landing Estate with Jane Ferrari for return trip to the Barossa. Possibly a visit to Mengler’s Hill to see and hear the Barossa Patchwork stories.
5.00pm Arrive at Percy’s accommodation.
6.00pm Dinner with Jane Ferrari & Matt Pick at Roaring 40’s.
Friday 4th December 2009
8.00am Viognier Breakfast and tasting to be conducted by Louisa Rose at Percy’s
9.00am Julia to join Louisa Rose for a Chardonnay blending and tasting.
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