About us

Howard Vineyard is a stunning family owned Adelaide Hills winery and wedding venue located near Nairne, just 25 kilometres from the Adelaide CBD. Set amongst the rolling vines, towering gum trees, and terraced lawns, sits the Howard Vineyard Cellar Door, a beautifully restored stone barn.

History

The winery takes its name from pioneering horticulturist Amos William Howard who, in 1889, discovered subterranean clover growing naturally on the site where the Howard Vineyard Cellar Door stands today. His find led to a major contribution in pasture productivity in the Adelaide Hills area and throughout rural Australia, a thriving clover seed export industry continues to this day. Established in the late 1990s, the Howard Vineyard Group purchased a site at Nairne and another at Schoenthal, with the view to planting vines and creating a quality boutique wine brand. The Howard Vineyard brand was established in 2005 and the Cellar Door opened in November 2006. Since then the business and the brand have steadily grown with our wines fast becoming known for their delicate notes and fruit purity, a distinctive characteristic of our single vineyard grapes.

Vineyard & Terroir

To make great wine it takes time and patience, but that’s only part of the story. Great wines also come from the right vineyard sites. At Howard Vineyard our wines are a true expression of the terroir, which loosely translated means, ‘a sense of place’. We have carefully selected the sites at which we grow each of our varieties to take full advantage of the qualities and the effects that the local environment has on the production of our wines. We believe we have two of the best sites in the Adelaide Hills region and that is why our vines produce high quality, clean, fresh grapes. The Nairne vineyard was planted to 24 hectares and lies at elevations of 360 to 390 metres. The property lies at the northern end of a valley which culminates in a plateau at the Nairne Summit at 410 metres. Gentle north west facing slopes on the vineyard gives good exposure of fruit to the sun although perhaps the most important feature of the vineyards is the red loam soils which provide good drainage, giving a fine mineral structure to our wines. This unique microclimate in the Adelaide Hills enables us to produce red wines with great fruit purity, complexity and structure. Together these two features underlie the quality of the wines at Howard Vineyard and provide perfect conditions for our cool climate red varieties of Shiraz, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. The Schoenthal Vineyard was planted to 36 hectares and provides an excellent site for Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. The higher elevation of 410 to 450 metres of the Schoenthal Vineyard ensures a long cool ripening period ideal for intense flavour development and fresh crisp acidity. Perfect for sparkling and white wines.

At The Winery

Cellar Door: 

Enjoy the Howard Vineyard experience at our Cellar Door. Nestled between the vines and the ghost gums, the Howard Vineyard Cellar Door is Located near Nairne in the Adelaide Hills, just 25 kilometres from the Adelaide CBD.

Take a stroll around our beautifully manicured gardens, relax on the large patio overlooking the terraced lawns, cosy up in front of the fire at our Cellar Door and, of course, enjoy our award winning wines.

Weddings at Howard Vineyard: 

At Howard Vineyard we can help turn your dream day into a stunning reality. We’ll carefully craft an exclusive bespoke wedding experience for you and your guests, ensuring that your special day is truly unforgettable. We invite you to come and have a look at our wedding venue, enjoy our wines, stroll through the grounds and picture your special day in this beautiful vineyard setting. We have a range of stunning indoor and outdoor locations for your ceremony, reception and bridal photos. We cater for any wedding theme from vintage right through to contemporary styles. 

Press & Awards

2014 & 2015 Finalists in Restaurant & Catering Wedding Caterer of the Year

Awarded 5 Star Winery in James Halliday's 2015 Wine Companion 

96 Points James Halliday Gold Medal Wine Showcase Magazine - Amos 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon

Trophy - Best Pinot Gris Adelaide Hills Wine Show - Clover 2014 Pinot Gris 

91 Points The Winefront - Amos 2013 Shiraz

93 Points James Halliday - Amos 2012 Chardonnay 

95 Points Wine Showcase Magazine - Amos 2014 Chardonnay 

93 Points Gold Medal Wine Showcase Magazine - Clover 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon

93 Points Gold Medal Wine Showcase Magazine - Clover 2013 Shiraz

Best in Class Royal Adelaide Wine Show - Picnic 2013 Cabernet Shiraz