Best's

Great Western,  Australia

ONE NAME: Best’s continuing a tradition of excellence since 1866
To live and work amongst vineyards, to craft wine year by year from those vineyards, and declare it by our name – this is what it means to be a vigneron.
At Bests we make wine in a personal way, caring and guiding it through every stage from the first bud-burst to the wine in the glass.
For over five generations as vignerons we have learnt from the vines, the soil and the climate. These lessons have taught us how to marry our passion with the magic of nature producing individual Australian estate wines that proudly carry our signature.
TWO PIONEERS - ONE DESTINY
Throughout its history, there have been only two owners – the Bests and the Thomson’s.
Established in 1866 by Henry Best, who knew little about wine, but whose capacity for work was mammoth, the winery flourished. After Henry's death, his son, Charles, sold the enterprise in 1920 to neighbour and second-generation vigneron, Frederick P. Thomson.
Under the Thomson family, the Best's name continues to thrive. Fourth generation vigneron, Viv Thomson and son Ben continue to combine traditional methods with today's technology. Forward thinking and a no-compromise approach to quality create wines of integrity.
That it is still in the hands of the Thomson’s is a tribute to the tenacity of this family, now in its fifth generation at Great Western.

THE BEST'S
In 1866, Henry Best looked at his brother Joseph’s vineyard, turned his eyes a couple of miles westward and saw a pretty, meandering stream called the Concongella Creek. He took up 73 acres with a frontage of about two miles on the creek and called the property “Concongella”.
This was the beginning of the vineyard which is with us now, the wines from which we still drink.
THE THOMSON'S
Viv, a graduate of the acclaimed Roseworthy College joined the family business in 1960 and together with his wife Christine, has ensured that Best’s will enjoy a fifth generation of family vignerons headed by their eldest son Ben 39, now working at Best’s Concongella Vineyards, Great Western; Ben is the vineyard manager for Best’s three vineyards.
At wine shows, Best’s enjoys a high quota of success: the fact that Viv Thomson, 64, has a fine palate, must certainly be one reason for the company’s stature. Viv has been judging at national shows since 1972 and possesses a keen sense of both style and quality which he applies to the production of his own wines.