Turkey Flat Vineyards 2025 Adelaide Hills Pinot Gris won Best Pinot Gris/Grigio at the Melbourne Royal Wine Awards. It was the first wine Turkey Flat has made outside the Barossa. Winemaker James Adams explains the winning strategy.
“Why? Just why??” was a comment aimed directly at our 2025 Turkey Flat Adelaide Hills Pinot Gris when a review was posted to an online wine review site back in September.
I tend to give very little time to things said from people hiding behind veils of anonymity in comment sections.
But instead of moving on with my day, I sat there stupidly mulling over it.
It seemed to devalue all the hard work, time and money we had invested in the project.
Then after a while, it hit me: Just why? Well… why the bloody hell not!!
Turkey Flat is a brand people have loved and trusted since the early 90s.
A proud Barossa brand steeped in history and tradition with links dating back to 1847.
Taking over the winemaking reins back in late 2022, admittedly I never fully knew or appreciated the shear historical importance or the success of Turkey Flat in the Barossa Valley .
The Rosé alone is an absolute empire.
But today, Turkey Flat is evolving and priding itself as an epicentre of innovation.
Tradition is healthy.
But tradition can also be challenged with critical, outside the square thinking to help keep things fresh and push boundaries.
The Australian wine industry is a perfect medium for this to happen.
The thought of Turkey Flat wine in a can seemed presumptuous, and downright brand damaging.
But we backed ourselves in, gave it everything we had and today are inspiring a league of producers and consumers, opening us up to new and exciting markets.
It captured imaginations by redefining how our wines could be served, and where.
Who doesn’t want a can of Rosé sitting next to the pool?
The same could be said about our new Pinot Gris.
Sourcing fruit from another region is not new, nor groundbreaking.
Neither is dabbling in a new variety.
But we firmly believe that making the best wine possible for our amazing supporters, giving them diverse options and playing to regional strengths is what will help Turkey Flat continue to be successful into the future.
So when the time came early 2025, we decided to again live by that philosophy.
We crossed the train tracks, went up the hill to where the air’s a little thinner and where they say that funny ‘Syrah’ word, and sourced fruit to produce a white wine which we thought consumers would love and enjoy.
Obviously, this approach may not be for everyone.
But giving people that experience, producing the best wines we possibly can from the best fruit available and having some fun along the way is what it’s all about.
Finally, although inciting a little imposter syndrome, winning the Trophy for Best Pinot Grigio/Gris at the Melbourne Royal last week was a real joy, honour and privilege.
It was a huge reward for effort for the whole team.
But it also further cemented and validated our commitment to craft, innovation and diversification here at Turkey Flat.
So why? That’s why!
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