Kersbrook Hill History

About Kersbrook Hill Wines & Cider

Welcome to Kersbrook Hill Wines & Cider. We are a family owned & operated vineyard, winery & cellar door located in the Adelaide Hills in the small township of Kersbrook. Kersbrook Hill is a premium 5-star producer specialising in cool climate wines & cider.

Kersbrook Hill Wines was established in 1997 by Managing Director Paul Clark with the purchase of the current Kersbrook property.

The first plantings were undertaken in a small 0.4 hectare vineyard site which now supplies the premium Shiraz “Don’s Acre”. This initial planting was undertaken to test the suitability of the site, and encouraged by the results, two years later more land was purchased and the larger vineyard had 3 hectares planted to Shiraz and 1 hectare planted to Riesling.

Considerable care was taken in laying out the vineyard to take advantage of the afternoon sun, particularly during the slightly cooler ripening period found in late March and early April. The western aspect of the site has proven to be ideal for producing fruit of the highest standard.

Attention was also paid to the existing native vegetation, with the vineyard being constructed in such a way as to avoid disturbing the existing native habitat. The huge gum tree right in the middle of the Stag’s Leap Vineyard is an arresting feature and is thought to be hundreds of years old.

In June 2009, Paul and Mary opened the Kersbrook Hill Cellar Door in the main street of Kersbrook. Two existing buildings were repurposed — the old Kersbrook CFS Station and the Kersbrook Cold Store (Farmers CO-OP). With a mix of minor and major modifications, these spaces were transformed into the current cellar door and winery, with improvements continuing over time.

In 2012, we expanded into contract winemaking and bottling for other Adelaide Hills and Barossa wineries, alongside a more structured approach to marketing our products and services.

On January 2nd, 2015, the Sampson Flat Bush Fire devastated our Bagshaw Road property, destroying the vineyard, sheds, plant and equipment, and much more — sparing only our family home. While the loss was immense, it also provided an opportunity to rebuild, improve, and move forward with a renewed vision.

Today, the cellar door is well established, with an active wine club and a range of unique offerings for visitors.

Kersbrook Hill is also home toThe Horse & Vine Experience— a one-of-a-kind combination of nature, animals, food, and wine.