Zema Estate Wines

Zema Estate Wines Established in 1982, Zema Estate is a small family owned and operated winery located in the heart of Australia's Coonawarra wine region.

In the autumn of 1982, Demetrio and Francesca Zema with sons Matt and Nick, made their first Coonawarra Shiraz in a tin shed, using a second-hand milk tanker as a fermenter. Humble and modest, this migrant family had a passionate dream - stemming all the way from their ancestral home, Calabria in southern Italy- to continue a multi-generational tradition of grape-growing and winemaking in Australi

a. As luck had it, 1982 was an outstanding vintage and two years later the inaugural Zema Shiraz was a highlight of internationally acclaimed Expovin'84. It was the first of many defining moments that moulded and shaped Zema - from the satisfaction of seeing a group of happy diners enjoying a bottle of Zema Shiraz at a Sydney restaurant, to the honour of being the winner of a European Slow Food Movement contest in the 1990's. Despite these accolades and encouragements, Zema has continued to remain grounded to its foundations and unerringly true to its origins. The strong Zema values that launched the winery have not changed - hand-pruning to nurture and foster each individual vine, careful fruit selection to ensure fruit quality, enriching the fruit flavours through selected winemaking techniques, utilizing the best oak barrels available and diligent bottle ageing. This persistent, unshakeable continuity explains why Zema achieves such consistently high-quality wine, regardless of seasonal fluctuations and vintage highs and lows. Zema also continues to specialise in just two varieties - classic Coonawarra Cabernet and Shiraz - resisting the Australian fascination with new and trending varietals. This is not just a sign of respect for the pioneers who came before them, those who learnt by trial and error - John Riddoch, the Redmans, Samuel Wynn - but an acknowledgement that place and provenance are everything in fine wine. That's not to say the Zema family doesn't derive its meaning and inspiration from its Italian birth right - its love of Mediterranean food, the sense of trust, security and dependability that comes from family, the feeling that everything it does has been influenced by generations of stories and culture. Now in its fourth decade Zema knows who it is - a true and trusted Coonawarra wine company, forged in Australia but based on the undeniable passions, traditions and values of its Italian heritage. In vino veritas - In wine there is truth

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31/08/2026

Thank you to everyone who came to Gallery 54 SALA events at Zema Event on the weekend. Here are the highlights.

Happy Birthday to the one and only Schulzy! 🎉🍷What would we do without him? Schulzy is always there when you need him, a...
26/08/2026

Happy Birthday to the one and only Schulzy! 🎉🍷

What would we do without him? Schulzy is always there when you need him, always willing to lend a hand, and with an incredible amount of knowledge gathered over 25 years with the Zema family.

A much-loved member of our team, we hope you had a great day yesterday.

GIVEAWAY! 🍷🍷
22/08/2026

GIVEAWAY! 🍷🍷

INTERNATIONAL CABERNET DAY GIVEAWAY!

August 30 is International Cabernet Sauvignon Day, and we’re celebrating with the chance to win two bottles of world-class Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon!

The best part? You get to choose which two bottles you would like to receive from the below selection.

1️⃣ 2019 Patrick of Coonawarra Home Block
2️⃣ 2021 Majella Cabernet Sauvignon
3️⃣ 2022 Leconfield Cabernet Sauvignon
4️⃣ 2021 Zema Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

To enter:
🍷 Like this post
🍷 Follow the Coonawarra Wine Region page
🍷 Tag a friend
🍷 Tell us which duo from the pictured selection you would choose

Entries close 30 August at 11:59 pm ACST.

The winner will be contacted by this official Coonawarra Wine Region account.

Open to Australian residents aged 18 years and over. Please be aware of scam accounts. We will never request payment or credit card details. Prizes are not transferable or exchangeable and cannot be taken as cash.

Patrick of Coonawarra Majella Wines Leconfield Coonawarra Zema Estate Wines

We're thrilled to see two of our wines featured in Young Gun of Wine's Deep Dive: Coonawarra's Best Cabernets:- 2021 Zem...
11/08/2026

We're thrilled to see two of our wines featured in Young Gun of Wine's Deep Dive: Coonawarra's Best Cabernets:

- 2021 Zema Estate Cluny Cabernet
- 2018 Zema Estate Family Selection Cabernet Sauvignon

The Deep Dive describes the region's style as "fresh and elegant, driven more by acidity and red fruit than by heavy-handed oak or the power of ripeness and alcohol."

Read the full Deep Dive here: https://younggunofwine.com/coonawarras-best-cabernets/

Create stunning Prussian Blue artwork using the power of sunshine!As part of the 2026 SALA Festival, join artist Ruth Sc...
10/08/2026

Create stunning Prussian Blue artwork using the power of sunshine!

As part of the 2026 SALA Festival, join artist Ruth Schubert at Zema Estate for a hands-on Cyanotype Printing Workshop.

Discover one of photography's oldest artistic techniques as you create beautiful blue-and-white prints using leaves, flowers, feathers, lace and other natural treasures. No artistic experience is needed!

📅 Sunday 30 August 2026
⏰ 10am – 12pm
📍 Zema Estate, Coonawarra
🎟 $65 per person (includes all materials and a wine on arrival)

Suitable for adults and children aged 10+ (children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian).

After the workshop, stay a little longer to enjoy a complimentary wine tasting and experience everything our Cellar Door has to offer.

Places are limited, so bookings are essential: https://zema.com.au/sala-2026/

We hope you celebrated Shiraz Day yesterday with a glass of great Australian Shiraz!When people think of Coonawarra, Cab...
24/07/2026

We hope you celebrated Shiraz Day yesterday with a glass of great Australian Shiraz!

When people think of Coonawarra, Cabernet Sauvignon often comes to mind, however Shiraz has been part of our region's story from the very beginning.

In fact, Shiraz was Coonawarra's leading grape variety for many decades, and when the Zema family established Zema Estate in 1982, the very first wine we released was a Shiraz. More than 40 years later, it remains one of our signature varieties.

If you'd like to discover why we believe Shiraz is Coonawarra's best-kept secret, read our latest blog: https://zema.com.au/shiraz-day-26/

THIS FRIDAY: Book the Coonawarra Cellar Dwellers Back Vintage Tasting & Dinner, Friday 17 July, from 5.30pm. 🍷This speci...
15/07/2026

THIS FRIDAY: Book the Coonawarra Cellar Dwellers Back Vintage Tasting & Dinner, Friday 17 July, from 5.30pm. 🍷

This special annual event brings together 13 Coonawarra wineries for an exclusive opportunity to taste more than 20 museum release wines, with vintages spanning up to 20 years.

Make a night of it by staying for the Back Vintage Dinner at Parker Estate, featuring a specially curated menu with matched wines. A shuttle bus from Penola is also available, making it easy to enjoy the evening.

📍 Parker Estate, Coonawarra
Tasting $45
Dinner + Tasting $150 per person
Dinner + Tasting + Bus $165

🎟️ Book your tickets today: https://coonawarra.org/event/2026-back-vintage-tasting-july/

Discover why Coonawarra is renowned for producing wines that stand the test of time at the Coonawarra Cellar Dwellers Ba...
12/07/2026

Discover why Coonawarra is renowned for producing wines that stand the test of time at the Coonawarra Cellar Dwellers Back Vintage Tasting, Friday 17 July, 5.30pm. 🍷

This special annual event brings together 11 Coonawarra wineries for an exclusive opportunity to taste more than 20 museum release wines, with vintages spanning up to 20 years. Zema Estate will be pouring our 2016 Family Selection Shiraz alongside the 2006 Family Selection Shiraz.

Make a night of it by staying for the Back Vintage Dinner at Parker Estate, featuring a specially curated menu with matched wines. A shuttle bus from Penola is also available, making it easy to enjoy the evening.

📍 Parker Estate, Coonawarra
Dinner + Tasting $150 per person
Dinner + Tasting + Bus $165

🎟️ Book your tickets today: https://coonawarra.org/event/2026-back-vintage-tasting-july/

Address

Riddoch Highway
Coonawarra, SA
5263

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm
Sunday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

+61887363219

Website

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