Bleasdale is not only one of the oldest wineries in the Langhorne Creek region, but one of the oldest in Australia. Frank Potts, who founded Bleasdale in 1850, has a fascinating history. Born with sea legs, he joined the British Royal Navy at 9 years old and served on Lord Nelson’s famous ship HMS Victory. He sailed around the world before landing in South Australia in 1836. He planted the first vines in 1858 and sold fruit to Thomas Hardy. He then expanded the vineyards in the 1860s. He was an innovator and a pioneer who played his role in establishing Australia’s wine industry. The Potts family still own Bleasdale and descendants Michael and Ben Potts handle the winemaking duties, along with Paul Hotker. They make wines from fruit grown on their 61 hectares of vineyards from varietals like Verdelho, Shiraz and Malbec in sparkling, table and fortified styles. Each parcel of fruit is carefully selected to produce a range of wines that can be enjoyed immediately, or cellared for that special occasion.
