Tim Adams Wines

Tim Adams began his winemaking career as an apprentice to Mick Knappstein at Stanley Wine Company (later known as Leasingham) in Clare Valley in the late 1970s. Stanley Wine Company, founded in 1894, was Clare Valley's most important commercial winery through the mid-20th century and was instrumental in establishing the bone-dry Clare Riesling style that defines the region today. Working under Knappstein, Adams absorbed both the technical and stylistic traditions of Clare Riesling that traced back through the John Vickery Leo Buring lineage of the 1950s and 1960s. In 1986 Adams left Stanley to establish his own estate, building a portfolio focused on Clare Valley Riesling and structured Shiraz. The estate has grown significantly over four decades, including the 2009 acquisition of Quelltaler Estate in Watervale, an historic winery and vineyard site dating to 1860 that had been operated by the Sobels family for generations.

• Tim Adams trained under Mick Knappstein at Stanley Wine Company (later Leasingham) in late 1970s
• Stanley Wine Company founded 1894; instrumental in establishing bone-dry Clare Riesling style through mid-20th century
• 1986: Tim Adams establishes own estate in Clare Valley
• 2009: Acquires historic Quelltaler Estate in Watervale, founded 1860; winery and cellar door now operate from this site

Tim Adams Wines farms approximately 100 hectares across Clare Valley's major districts. Estate-owned vineyards include Watervale plantings on terra rossa over limestone (the source of the flagship Watervale Riesling), Polish Hill River blocks on broken slate (source of the Reserve Riesling), and the iconic Aberfeldy block at Auburn, where Shiraz vines planted in 1904 provide the fruit for the Aberfeldy Shiraz. Additional fruit is sourced through long-term contracts with grower families including the Schaefer vineyard in Watervale (source of the Schaefer Vineyard Riesling). The Quelltaler Estate at Watervale, acquired in 2009, brings additional vineyard area and the historic 1860 winery. The diversity of estate parcels supports Tim Adams' broad range of Clare Valley expressions across white and red varieties.

• Watervale estate plantings on terra rossa over limestone: source of flagship Watervale Riesling
• Polish Hill River blocks on broken slate: source of Reserve Riesling
• Aberfeldy block at Auburn: Shiraz planted 1904; source of iconic Aberfeldy Shiraz
• Quelltaler Estate (acquired 2009): historic 1860 winery and vineyards in Watervale; current cellar door site

Tim Adams' winemaking approach reflects the Stanley Wine Company Riesling tradition: bone-dry, naturally high in acidity, stainless steel fermentation with cultured yeast, no malolactic, and Stelvin screw cap closure. Watervale Riesling is the foundational expression: lifted lime, white flowers, chalky-saline minerality, 12 to 12.5 percent alcohol, and 10 to 15 year cellaring potential. The Reserve Riesling from Polish Hill River shows more austere slate minerality. The Schaefer Vineyard Riesling, from a long-term grower agreement, offers a single-vineyard Watervale expression at the premium end of the white range. Aberfeldy Shiraz is made traditionally: hand-harvested from the 1904 block, open fermentation with a small whole-bunch component, basket pressing, and ageing in mixed French and American oak hogsheads for 18 months. The wine shows dark cherry, sage, graphite, and the structured tannin signature of Clare Valley cool-climate Shiraz.

• Riesling winemaking: bone-dry, stainless steel ferment, cultured yeast, no malolactic, Stelvin screw cap from 2000
• Watervale Riesling = foundational: lifted lime, chalky saline, 12-12.5% alcohol, 10-15 year cellaring
• Reserve Riesling (Polish Hill River) = more austere slate minerality; Schaefer Vineyard Riesling = premium single-vineyard Watervale
• Aberfeldy Shiraz: hand-harvested 1904 block, open ferment with whole-bunch component, basket press, 18 months mixed French/American oak

Tim Adams' range spans Clare Valley's varietal palette with consistent quality and accessible pricing across tiers. White wines include Watervale Riesling (entry/benchmark), Reserve Riesling (Polish Hill River), Schaefer Vineyard Riesling (premium single-vineyard), Pinot Gris, and Semillon. Red wines centre on Aberfeldy Shiraz (the flagship from 1904 vines), Shiraz (entry-level), Cabernet Sauvignon, and the The Fergus blend (Grenache-led Clare blend). Production scale at approximately 80,000 cases per year places Tim Adams among Clare Valley's larger boutique producers, supporting wide Australian distribution and export to over 30 countries. The cellar door operates from the historic Quelltaler Estate winery building in Watervale, which Tim Adams restored after the 2009 acquisition. The estate is widely cited as a steward of the Stanley Wine Company / Leo Buring Riesling tradition, carrying that lineage forward through Tim's apprenticeship and four decades of consistent regional expression.

• White range: Watervale Riesling, Reserve Riesling (Polish Hill River), Schaefer Vineyard Riesling, Pinot Gris, Semillon
• Red range: Aberfeldy Shiraz (1904 block flagship), Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, The Fergus Grenache blend
• Production ~80,000 cases/year; wide Australian distribution; export to 30+ countries
• Cellar door at restored Quelltaler Estate winery (1860) in Watervale

Tim Adams Wines has built a reputation as one of Clare Valley's most consistent and trusted producers across four decades. Tim Adams has been awarded Clare Valley Winemaker of the Year multiple times, and the Aberfeldy Shiraz appears regularly in Australia's premier Shiraz tastings. Tim Adams was among the Clare Valley Winemakers Association group that adopted Stelvin screw cap closures collectively in 2000, alongside Grosset, Pikes, Jim Barry, Mount Horrocks, and the rest of the original fourteen producers. The estate's market position emphasises accessible pricing for benchmark quality, particularly at the Watervale Riesling level (typically $20 to $25 retail), with the Aberfeldy Shiraz and the Reserve Riesling occupying premium tiers. Tim Adams Wines anchors a deep middle-of-the-market presence in Clare Valley alongside Pikes, Kilikanoon, Sevenhill Cellars, and other family-owned producers.

• Multiple Clare Valley Winemaker of the Year awards over four decades
• Participated in 2000 Clare Valley collective Stelvin screw cap adoption alongside Grosset, Pikes, Jim Barry et al.
• Market position: accessible pricing for benchmark quality, especially Watervale Riesling ($20-25 retail)
• Estate widely cited as steward of the Stanley Wine Company / Leo Buring Riesling tradition