What the locals are loving: Jim Barry Wines

Jim was focused on making three main varieties – riesling, shiraz and cabernet – and the family’s success speaks for itself. In 2023, the Jim Barry Watervale Riesling commemorated its 50th vintage. The wine also won the Best White $25 and Under (Lighter Varietals) category in the Vintage Cellars Best of Wine Awards 2023. “It’s so satisfying when people come to me and say I didn’t drink riesling before but I had a glass of your Watervale Riesling and now I’m hooked,” Tom says proudly. The riesling was already being made from grapes grown in Watervale in the Clare Valley, but when the family had the chance to buy the Watervale vineyard Florita – what Tom calls the “grand prix riesling vineyard in Australia” – back in 1986, they jumped at the chance to take their rieslings to the next level. “The pedigree of the Florita vineyard was amazing and everything really took off from there,” he says.

These days the fruit for the Watervale Riesling still comes from the Florita vineyard, as well as from other growers around the region. “It’s lovely to deal with generational growers in the Watervale district, and that combination of fruit creates a great complexity in the blend,” Tom says. “The wine has those typical floral notes but for us it’s all about the fresh acidity balanced with the sugar. It finishes with lovely fresh acidity.” The success of the last 50 vintages doesn’t mean Tom is going to rest on his laurels though. “You always have to look at the last vintage and see what you can improve on,” he says. “You’ve got to keep slowly tweaking the style and evolving.”