14/10/2026
A 100-YEAR MILESTONE: The 1993 Thomson Family Shiraz
The first release of the flagship Thomson Family Shiraz was to commemorate 100 years since the Thomson family settled in Rhymney, Great Western, Victoria.
This special single vineyard w**e was made from the 15 rows of the original 1868 Shiraz vines, planted by Henry Best, and once referred to as ‘Hermitage’ in Henry’s daily journal. Today, this w**e is only made in the very best vintage years and is called Thomson Family Shiraz.
Master of W**e, Andrew Caillard says, “Best’s Thomson Family Shiraz is one of Victoria’s greatest w**es and represents a window to Australia’s w**emaking past. Like Henschke Hill of Grace and Penfolds Block 42 in the Barossa Valley, the Best’s Concongella Vineyard 1860s plantings at Great Western belong to Australia’s rich heritage of ancient genetic and pre-phylloxera vineyards.”
The 15 rows of original vines produce only very small amounts of fruit. They are cropped at less than two tonnes per acre (four tonnes per hectare) and are meticulously hand-harvested, selected and sorted.
The vines are referred to by the CSIRO as the Concongella clone, and it is the mother clone of all subsequent Shiraz plantings at Best’s Great Western.
The Thomson Family Shiraz was elevated to the highest and rarest Langton’s Classification of “1st Classified” in the 2024 Classification VIII.
