Nigel Blieschke
LEADING THE EVOLUTION
The Barossa Valley is home to the oldest grapevines in the world – and some of these are in the hands of viticulturist Nigel Blieschke, who deftly balances tradition with innovation.
Since joining the acclaimed Torbreck Vintners in 2015, Nigel has become an integral part of the company’s mission to be one of the world’s great wine estates. Nigel looks after 10 vineyards (five owned by Torbreck, three leased and two managed) across the Barossa Valley, producing fruit for some of the region’s best wines. It’s his job to protect history by tending to precious old vines, while helping to drive the evolution of the Australian wine community as an industry leader.
Mastering the vine
When you work in the wine industry, you’re never working in isolation. Collaboration is key, and it’s a part of the job that Nigel loves. At Torbreck Vintners, he works closely with chief winemaker Ian Hongell to produce intensely flavoured, award-winning wines, with a focus on Grenache and Shiraz.
“I need to understand what Ian’s trying to do with the wines and he understands what I do in the vineyard, and when you get that synergy working, you get the best results,” says Nigel. “Ian and I spend a lot of time together.”
Some of the vineyards that Nigel manages contain precious old vines, including some that are more than 125 years old, so the pressure is on.
“We’re custodians of some of the oldest vines in the world,” he says. “And there were some very old soils here before we even started farming. So, it’s about maintaining these old vineyards and developing vineyards that are going to be here for another 100 years.”
Unwaveringly passionate about producing premium grapes and wines, Nigel has worked for some big names, including Yalumba and Peter Lehmann Wines. He’s been highly active in the wine industry and in 2015 was chosen as one of 15 rising stars – from a record number of applicants – for the national Future Leaders program.
Future Leaders graduates are encouraged to innovate, question the status quo and find new solutions to drive the Australian wine community forward. Nigel has embraced this mission, working to improve the industry he’s been a part of for over 25 years.
“The Australian wine community is very diverse,” he says. “If you look at the Barossa Valley, we’ve got some young winemakers doing some really new and innovative things. But then we’ve got the traditional ways of doing things. And I think that there's room for everyone in our industry.”
“We’re custodians of some of the oldest vines in the world. So it’s about maintaining these old vineyards and developing vineyards that are going to be here for another 100 years.” – Nigel Blieschke
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