Ben Thomson
GUIDING THE EVOLUTION OF AN ICON
Ben Thomson, the man at the helm of one of Australia’s most historic wineries, just wants to keep things simple.
You can’t talk about the Great Western area of the Grampians wine region without talking about Best’s Wines. Founded in 1866 by Henry Best and bought by the Thomson family in 1920, it’s a large wine estate that’s long been producing elegant, award-winning wines, from sparkling to Shiraz. These days it’s run by fifth-generation family member Ben Thomson, who’s also the vineyard manager. He’s humbled in his approach but unafraid to evolve and passionate about protecting the winery for future generations.
In the footsteps of history-makers
Ben has been picking grapes since he was a teenager in a vineyard his family has owned for five generations. He’s worked at Best’s Wines for over 30 years, and now manages the family business and its vineyards.
“I grew up 30 feet from the winery, so it just becomes part of you, and all of a sudden you’re in it before you actually even know you're in it,” he says.
Based in Great Western in the Grampians, Best’s is a historic winery in a pioneering Australian region.
“I think the Grampians is a beautiful and very special region,” says Ben. “We’ve got some great wineries and a lot of history. I don’t think a lot of people realise how much history there is here at Great Western.”
Ben has watched the region and the industry transform over the years, while Best’s has continued to shine, celebrated for its old vines and premium wines.
“Twenty or 30 years ago, there were only 20-something Victorian wineries, now there’s 700,” says Ben. “With all the competition, we’re still here and we’re still making very good product.”
With Ben constantly looking for opportunities to grow better fruit and make better wine, Best’s is always evolving. Most recently, the family bought a new vineyard, and Ben hopes to experiment with some new varieties. But the core ethos remains the same.
“Authenticity, honesty and integrity are a big part of our winery,” says Ben. Being good people is very important to us.
“My philosophy is don’t over-complicate things that don’t need to be complicated. I just think we should keep it simple and let the wine do its thing. We want to make nice, elegant wines that people can drink and don’t have to analyse.
“I’m not after much, I don’t want to take over the world. I’d just like to be known as someone who's been good, honest and hardworking.”
“My philosophy is don’t overcomplicate things that don’t need to be complicated. We keep it simple and let the wine do its thing.” – Ben Thomson
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