About Eight at the Gate Wines
Two sisters with eight children between them develop an estate vineyard in the Wrattonbully wine region and become award winning wine producers.
It sounds like the start of a modern fairy tale, but this is the true story of Eight at the Gate Wines.
And this story is like many others involving farming families; a cycle of hard work, heartbreak, resolve and rewards.
Sisters Jane Richards and Claire Davies grew up in the country, very close to their vineyards, with their parents and three other siblings. They have always had a strong connection to the land and the country lifestyle that comes with it.
Today, that connection continues through Eight at the Gate, our family owned winery and estate vineyard in Wrattonbully, part of South Australia’s Limestone Coast wine region.
Our winemaker is the multi award winning Peter Douglas. Peter made a name for himself whilst working as a senior winemaker with Wynns Coonawarra Estate for many decades.
Through hard work, persistence and dedicated determination, we seized the opportunity to put down roots for a family legacy. Claire, a Roseworthy viticulture graduate, had the vineyard skills whilst Jane had the business skills. In a joint venture, we purchased Lanacoona Estate, an established vineyard with a highly esteemed reputation among some of Australia’s leading wine producers.
You can learn more about our vineyards and the place behind our wines.
From Lanacoona Estate to Eight at the Gate
Our vision was to provide our own eight children with a piece of the country life we grew up with, whilst growing the finest premium grapes the awesome soils of Wrattonbully could provide.
The Wrattonbully wine region has a very special combination of terra rossa soils, limestone, elevation and a moderate to cool climate. These conditions help give our wines so much of their character.
With the two of us both looking after four children each whilst running a vineyard and producing wine, life is busy. There was an earthy story here, one of dedication and struggle and triumph. We knew we wanted to share our wines with family, friends and friends we had yet to meet, but we wanted a name that really expressed the people behind the label.
Then, in 2013, fuelled by hearty red wine, a friend suggested Eight at the Gate, and that name struck a chord.
There were always eight children, or more, hanging off a farm gate or a fence somewhere on the property!
With a label we could be proud of, the Eight at the Gate team of family, staff members and friends had a new purpose to drive our efforts. Today, we continue growing premium fruit and producing award winning Australian wines that reflect both our vineyard and the region we call home.
Meet The Team
Whilst Claire oversees management of the vineyard as Eight at the Gate’s vigneron, there are many times throughout the year when the extended clan is needed to prepare soil, tend vines, defend against frosts, harvest fruit and attend to a multitude of vineyard tasks.
It really is a family effort, and that’s a big part of what Eight at the Gate has always been about.
You can meet the Eight at the Gate team and get to know more of the family and people behind our wines.
Our Values
We believe very strongly in supporting small businesses and giving back to our community, therefore we choose local as much as possible.
From caring for our vineyards to producing wines that showcase the fruit and character of Wrattonbully, we want Eight at the Gate to remain true to where we came from, our family and the land we are lucky enough to call home.
If you’d like to taste what all the hard work, chaos and country life have created, you can explore our wines.
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