Bremerton Wines | Langhorne Creek

About Bremerton Wines

Bremerton is located in the South Australian wine region of Langhorne Creek and has been awarded a 5-Star top rated winery in Halliday's Wine Companion—a distinction that ranks them in the top 5% of all Australian wineries. This family-owned and operated estate has maintained this prestigious rating for the past 11 years, testament to their unwavering commitment to quality and excellence. With 120 hectares of high-quality vineyards and a modern winery, Bremerton's wine production has grown from 680 dozen in 1993 to fluctuating between 34,000-40,000 dozen depending on vintage conditions, reflecting both their success and their dedication to quality over quantity.

The Willson Sisters' Vision

Winemaker Rebecca Willson and Marketing Manager and sister Lucy Willson have focused the family's wine range on high-quality and individualistic wines that showcase the distinctive character of Langhorne Creek. Since they took the reins of the business, Bremerton has become one of the best-known brands from South Australia's Langhorne Creek wine region. Rebecca's winemaking expertise, combined with Lucy's marketing acumen, has elevated Bremerton's profile whilst maintaining the family values and hands-on approach that define the estate. Their leadership represents a new generation honouring tradition whilst embracing innovation, ensuring that every vintage reflects both the region's terroir and the family's vision for excellence.

Langhorne Creek Wine Region

Langhorne Creek sits on the rich soil of the Bremer River flood plain, creating one of South Australia's most distinctive viticultural areas. The area was first settled in the 1850s when Frank Potts (Bleasdale), an English shipwright, took up a tract of land and planted grapes, establishing the region's winemaking heritage. The district grew to 450 hectares of vineyard until 1990 when expansion began, taking it to approximately 6,000 hectares—making it the second-largest grape-growing region in South Australia. Located approximately 70 kilometres southeast of Adelaide, Langhorne Creek benefits from its proximity to Lake Alexandrina and the Murray River system, creating unique climatic conditions that set it apart from other South Australian regions. The region has earned a reputation for producing exceptionally high and consistent quality fruit, with a record of reliability that makes it highly valued by winemakers across Australia.

Climate & Terroir

Langhorne Creek is classified as a cool-climate region, with fresh cool evening breezes from Lake Alexandrina providing a microclimate of mild to warm summer days and cool evenings—perfect conditions for the long, slow ripening of grapes that produces intense and sought-after cool-climate flavours. This significant diurnal temperature variation allows grapes to develop full flavour maturity whilst retaining natural acidity and aromatic complexity. The region is relatively disease-free due to its dry summers and consistent breezes, reducing the need for intervention and allowing for more sustainable vineyard management. The rich alluvial soils of the Bremer River flood plain, deposited over millennia of seasonal flooding, provide excellent water retention and nutrient availability, supporting healthy vine growth and consistent fruit quality. These deep, fertile soils combined with the moderating influence of Lake Alexandrina create ideal conditions for producing wines of elegance, structure, and longevity.

Bremerton Wine Varieties & Range

Bremerton's 120 hectares of vineyards are planted with varieties ideally suited to Langhorne Creek's cool-climate conditions. The estate is particularly renowned for Shiraz, which thrives in the region's terroir, producing wines with dark fruit intensity, peppery spice, and fine-grained tannins. Cabernet Sauvignon performs exceptionally well, developing classic blackcurrant and cedar characters with elegant structure. The estate also produces outstanding Verdelho, a variety that has found a natural home in Langhorne Creek, offering tropical fruit flavours with refreshing acidity. Other varieties in the portfolio include Malbec, showcasing the region's ability to produce structured, age-worthy reds, and Sauvignon Blanc, delivering crisp, herbaceous whites. Each wine reflects Rebecca Willson's winemaking philosophy of allowing the fruit and terroir to express themselves, with judicious use of oak and minimal intervention techniques that preserve varietal character and regional identity.

Sustainable Vineyard Management

Bremerton's approach to viticulture emphasises sustainability and respect for the land that has been in the family for generations. The relatively disease-free environment of Langhorne Creek allows for reduced chemical inputs, whilst the rich soils and access to water from the Bremer River system support healthy vines with minimal intervention. The family's long-term commitment to the region means they manage their vineyards with future generations in mind, implementing practices that maintain soil health, preserve biodiversity, and ensure the land remains productive for decades to come. This stewardship approach, combined with modern viticultural knowledge, creates vineyards that consistently produce high-quality fruit whilst minimising environmental impact.

Winemaking Excellence & Innovation

Rebecca Willson's winemaking combines traditional techniques with contemporary innovation, creating wines that honour Langhorne Creek's heritage whilst appealing to modern palates. The modern winery facility provides precise control over fermentation and maturation, allowing Rebecca to tailor winemaking decisions to each variety and vintage. Careful fruit selection, gentle handling, and thoughtful oak regimes ensure that Bremerton's wines showcase the purity and intensity of Langhorne Creek fruit. The individualistic approach to each wine in the portfolio means that rather than following a single house style, each expression is crafted to reveal its unique character—whether that's the power and structure of their flagship reds or the freshness and vibrancy of their whites.

Family Heritage & Community

As a family-owned and operated winery, Bremerton embodies the values of dedication, quality, and community that define the best of Australian wine. The Willson family's commitment to Langhorne Creek extends beyond their own vineyards, with active involvement in regional promotion and support for the broader wine community. Their success in achieving and maintaining 5-star Halliday status for over a decade reflects not only their winemaking excellence but their role as ambassadors for Langhorne Creek, helping to elevate the region's profile and demonstrate its potential for world-class wine production.

As independent liquor specialists, we're proud to offer great prices on Bremerton's exceptional range of Langhorne Creek wines, bringing this 5-star Halliday-rated family estate's dedication to quality and the distinctive character of this historic South Australian region directly to wine enthusiasts across Australia.