Boston Bay Wines, on the Eyre Peninsula, is for sale for the first time in 34 years
ONE of the Eyre Peninsula’s pioneering winemaking families has put its property on the market for the first time since it established 34 years ago.
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“THEY must be mad” is what people were thinking when the Ford family decided to grow wine grapes on the edge of the Great Southern Ocean, at Port Lincoln.
But fast-forward 34 years and Boston Bay Wines has a reputation for helping pioneer the Eyre Peninsula as a wine region and for its award-winning white wines.
Now the 15ha property, cellar door and function centre is for sale, giving others an opportunity to take over an Eyre Peninsula landmark.
Winery manager Tony Ford said the decision comes as his parents and winery founders, Graham and Mary Ford, reach their 80s and want to step away from the business.
“It’s certainly an emotional time – there are lots of memories here,” says Mr Ford, one of four children.
“We’re receiving lovely thank you cards from people who got married here 30 years ago and we joke the birthrate went up when the winery started.
“Everyone in Lincoln has been connected to the winery in some way, shape or form.”
Former abalone diver Graham and his wife moved from Sydney in 1982 to the Eyre Peninsula, where the idea for a vineyard was born.
Advice from family friend and Clare Valley winemaker Rick Robertson led to the couple ripping out an oat crop to lay the foundation of Boston Bay Wines in 1984.
It was one of two wineries to be established on the Eyre Peninsula at the time, the other being Delacolline Estate Wines, started by the Beefsteak and Burgundy Club and which is now Peter Teakle Wines.
“It was an extremely brave venture,” says Tony Ford.
“There was a vine pull in the Barossa Valley and they were paying people to pull them out because of an oversupply (of grapes), and here we were putting them in.”
But with the risk also came reward.
The isolated wine post now grows premium riesling, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, cabernet sauvignon, merlot and shiraz grapes, crushed at O’Leary Walker, in the Clare Valley.
Its premier label “The Great White’’ sauvignon blanc has garnered a strong following since its inception in 2009.
“The wine has been perfectly matched with the seafood from the region … especially oysters and the white wines,” says Mr Ford.
“It really does complete the food and wine experience.”
The property, which includes a four-bedroom house and offers further development opportunities, has attracted up to four serious buyers.
It is being sold by Kemp Real Estate. Expressions of interest are open until October 29.
