Three generations of Tullochs are now working at the Keith Tulloch Wine vineyard and cellar door on Hermitage Road, with chief winemaker Keith Tulloch at the helm.

By his side are his dad Harry, who planted some of the estate’s original vines, wife Amanda, son Alisdair and daughter Jessica.

Each member plays an integral role in the business’s success and will all have a hand in the winery’s first open day on May 26 which will co-incide with Hunter Valley Food and Wine Month.

Keith started making wine under his own name in 1998, after decades of experience in the Hunter Valley and abroad.

In his youth, he learned about the land and the vine as a fourth-generation winemaker, working with his father Dr. Harry Tulloch. Harry is an internationally qualified viticultural research scientist; therefore he was (and continues today) to be Keith’s mentor in all things vine, and all things grape.

Keith’s early years were spent in the vineyard and the winery, before following his father’s footsteps through wine study at Roseworthy College.

Winemaking with Hungerford Hill in Pokolbin was followed by promotion to the iconic Hunter Valley wine-producers Lindeman’s and Rothbury Estate. This included winemaking sabbaticals around this country and in France.

During this time, the resonance of the Rhône was the formative intellectual experience, with multi-vintage insights to the world’s greatest Rhône producers.

This included work with Jaboulet in Hermitage in 1996 and 2003, and studying Guigal to the north at Côte Rôtie. 

The open day will include food, wine, tastings in the winery, entertainment, even a few games of croquet.

”We are, apart from being grape growers, specialist winemakers, directly family involved across all facets of the business,” said Alisdair.

‘We have been consistently producing some of the region’s best shiraz and semillon for the past 20 years.”

Alisdair said having three generations working together on the vineyard doing everything from pruning to working side-by-side in the winery is pretty special.

“It’s really a home away from home, a place for the family to catch up and all pull together in one direction,” he said.

“We’re very blessed having he whole family involved, particularly with the experience of my grandfather Harry who has made a great contribution to the Australian wine industry,” Alisdair said.

“Just having him on hand to teach us and help us understand the life cycle of wine, the climate, the soil is an amazing experience.”