Plantagenet Wines – Changes Hands

PLANTAGENET WINES CHANGES HANDS IN SAMSON FAMILY ACQUISITION

Plantagenet Wines – the first commercial winery in the Great Southern region has today (Friday 26th March 2021) been acquired by Tom & Jo Wisdom.

Included in the acquisition of the award-winning Western Australian brand is the complete wine inventory including all current wine and cellar reserves, the premium low-yielding pioneer ‘Wyjup Vineyard’, and leasehold over the current cellar door site on Albany Highway in Mount Barker.

A 6th generation descendant of Lionel Samson and former Director of Western Australia’s oldest family business, Lionel Samson Sadleirs Group, Tom Wisdom led Plantagenet Wines as the Managing Director for three years.

With extensive backgrounds in viticulture and decades of experience in the wine industry, both Tom & Jo are passionate about retaining the Plantagenet brand within the Samson family and building on the legacy of the uniquely West Australian brand.

‘Having been part of the wine industry and Plantagenet journey for many years now, we’re thrilled to have the opportunity to take the reins and guide this historic brand into the future.

‘Our vision is to continue crafting exceptional wines that truly reflect the outstanding potential of the Great Southern wine region whilst honouring the history and long-standing traditions upon which Plantagenet has been built’, said Managing Director, Tom Wisdom.

As part of the purchase, Tom & Jo acquired the ‘Wyjup Vineyard’ – the centerpiece of Plantagenet’s vineyard estates. The wines produced from this vineyard are considered the best natural expression of the Mount Barker terroir.

‘The Wyjup Collection goes to the heart of Plantagenet as a brand – the wines in this collection are the most refined and prestigious we produce each vintage. Each wine is a true celebration of our pioneering history as the oldest winery in the Great Southern region and we look forward to building on this well into the future, said Director, Jo Wisdom.

Planted in 1971, Wyjup Vineyard totals 20 hectares, with the 50-year-old vines producing low yields and the highest quality Riesling, Cabernet, Shiraz, Malbec, and Chardonnay. The meticulous care taken in the vineyards and the harnessing of the cooler climate within the region continue to result in award-winning wines year on year.

‘For us, Plantagenet is a legacy brand and one that we’re really looking forward to building on in the coming years. We’ve got the release of our Icon Range early this year which has been heralded as one of the best vintages on record in 2018, as well as some other unique projects and releases that we look forward to announcing in due course,’ said Tom Wisdom.

ABOUT PLANTAGENET

Family-owned since 1968, Plantagenet has been imbued with the pioneering spirit of Tony Smith, the founder who envisaged great things for his land in Mount Barker, and so – established the very first Great Southern Vineyards.

After a long-standing association with Plantagenet Wines, Lionel Samson Sadleirs Group progressively acquired Plantagenet shareholding until full ownership in 2000 where the first order of business was to retain Tony Smith as Chairman of the company.

A pioneer of the Great Southern region, Plantagenet embodies the best of Western Australia with its distinctive, elegant wines. Steeped in a rich heritage, Plantagenet’s expressive wines and family-owned sensibility make it one of the most trusted wine brands in the country.

Producing around 30,000 Dozen cases of wine annually, Plantagenet exports to the UK, USA, Canada, Japan, Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, Singapore as well as also supplying the domestic market.

Today, Plantagenet continues to be a family-owned business with Tom & Jo Wisdom at the helm and a vision to create wines of provenance and distinction that truly reflect the outstanding potential of the Great Southern wine region.