Turkey Flat Vineyards
Barossa Valley , South Australia
Brands
Turkey Flat Vineyards, Butchers Block
Winery Overview
Turkey Flat was established in 1990, though the history dates back to the late 1830’s. The property was the first to be surveyed in the district, with the land title of Lot1 100 of Moorooroo.
In 1847 Johann August Frederick Fiedler, who became the muse to generations of Barossa Viticulturists and winemakers, planted on the banks of Tanunda Creek in the heart of Barossa where bush turkeys once roamed, Shiraz vines (amongst 72 varieties of grape vine) on his property at ’Turkey Flat’.
It was the preservation of the same vines in the face of the 1987 vine pull scheme which prompted the Schulz family (now 4th generation owners of the Turkey Flat property) to begin a new more personal approach to winemaking. Thus, after years of hard work bringing the garden back to life, in 1990 Turkey Flat Vineyards was born.
Christie Schulz is the fourth generation of the Schulz family to become caretaker of this remarkable estate. Extensive viticulture research has been undertaken in the vineyards, allowing Christie and her team to sensitively blend traditional Rhône varietals which speak confidently of their origin.
Turkey Flat’s approach to vineyard management is one that seeks to operate within the local ecosystems instead of in competition with them. All aspects of Turkey Flat Vineyards are committed to reducing their environmental footprint, harvesting all our rain water for use in the winery and solar panels to provide the main source of power. We will continue to expand our vision of a truly sustainable agricultural business which operates as a functional and not just a consumptive part of the ecosystems we occupy.
Turkey Flat consistently delivers award winning wines of great integrity showcasing just how exciting the Barossa Valley and its complexities of evolution and history can be.
Available in
Canada, China, Denmark, Fiji, Hong Kong, Ireland, Luxembourg, Macao, New Zealand, Russia, Singapore, Switzerland, Thailand, UAE, UK
Seeking Distribution in
Austria, Belgium, Cambodia, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Russia, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, USA, Vietnam
Chief Winemaker/s
Mark Bulman Chief Winemaker
Sean Morgan Winemaker
Mark Przibilla
Winemaker Bio
Mark Bulman, Winemaker, has always had an infatuation for taste and flavours. Strong influence from his German relatives saw him grow up around a family that viewed food as a celebration.
A curious nature and an insatiable appetite, led him on a path of food discovery that gradually revealed the wider world of fine wine. A passionate physics teacher introduced Mark to the thought of winemaking and it was during secondary school that Mark decided to unite his interests of science and food by enrolling in Oenology at the University of Adelaide. An ability to make the most of his opportunities saw Mark work in a variety of regions for esteemed producers in Australia, New Zealand and Europe. During this time Mark gained a philosophy that wines should be judged by far more than just flavour and taste alone, a summation of culture; the people, history of a region and local foods are all required for a wine to find true context.
Arriving at Turkey Flat in late 2008 Mark was pleased to find a winery where quality and integrity were priority. He quickly began to implement his skills with the Turkey Flat wines looking to add definition and balance to the naturally generous Barossa Valley style. He continues to enjoy the challenges of working in a warmer climate, and though he values all the wines he makes, Mark has developed a love for Grenache that borders on the obsessive.
