The Bainton Family has been involved in viticulture in the Broke-Fordwich region of the Hunter Valley since 1982. The Fordwich vineyard has 48 hectares (117 Acres) planted to Shiraz, Semillon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Verdelho, Muscat and Chambourcin.

The vineyard was originally owned by Dan Hanly, who received it as a 'Soldiers Grant' on return from the First World War.    The first grapes were planted in early 1920's by the Grandfather of a local celebrity, Snowy Brickman.  The property was subsequently sold to James Harold Tulloch on the 15th March 1928 for a sum of 1,000 pounds.

Since then it has been owned by the Elliot Family, J.Y. Tulloch & Sons P/L, Len Evans, and more recently by a consortium supplying fruit to Wyndham Estate. A memorable collection of Hunter names, to say the least.

In 2000 a modern winery was constructed to enable the production of our own range of premium wines.

 The oldest vines in the vineyard, low cropping, non-irrigated Semillon, are today producing fruit of excellent quality. The oldest Shiraz vines, planted during the 40’s & 50’s, are pruned heavily and then bunch thinned to produce only 4 tonnes of grapes to the hectare, enabling the winemaker to produce wines of exceptional depth of flavour and colour.

Since 1982 the fruit has been purchased by two giants of the Hunter Valley, Tyrrells and The Rothbury Estate. Small parcels of fruit have also been sourced by other winemakers of the region who have experienced firsthand the quality of the fruit. The grapes from the Bainton Family vineyard have enabled them to produce many award winning wines.