Our Story

In the autumn of 1982, we made our first Coonawarra Shiraz in a humble tin shed, using an old milk tanker as a fermenter.

For us winemaking was new, but the spirit behind it was generations old. Our roots stretch back to Calabria in southern Italy, where our ancestors had grown grapes and made wine since the early 1800s. When our family made the journey to Australia in 1958 – we brought with us a deep love of the land, a culture steeped in tradition, and a dream; to one day own a vineyard and bottle wines under our name.

As fate would have it, 1982 was an exceptional vintage – and our very first Shiraz caught attention, becoming a highlight of the internationally renowned Expovin’84.

This was the first of many defining moments that moulded and shaped our winery. Over the years, there’ve been many milestones – from the satisfaction of seeing a group of happy diners enjoying a bottle of Zema Shiraz at a Sydney restaurant, to the honour of winning a European Slow Food Movement contest in the 1990s. But it’s the everyday moments, the connections with our customers and community, that continue to drive us.

We’ve never strayed far from our beginnings – in fact, our approach is much the same today. We hand-prune every vine, select only the best fruit, age our wines in quality French and American oak, and bottle age our wine until they are ready to share. This traditional, hands-on approach means we can produce wines that are consistently expressive of Coonawarra, regardless of seasonal fluctuations and vintage variations.

We continue to specialise in just two varieties – classic Coonawarra Cabernet and Shiraz – resisting the Australian fascination with new and trending varietals. It’s a respectful nod to the pioneers who came before us – John Riddoch, the Redman’s, and Samuel Wynn. We believe place and provenance are everything in fine wine.

Of course, our Italian heritage still weaves its way into everything we do. From our love of Mediterranean food and celebration – and the sense of trust, security and dependability that comes from family. Everything has been influenced by generations of stories and culture.

Now into our fourth decade we know who we are – a true and trusted Coonawarra winery, forged in Australia but based on the undeniable passions, traditions and values of our Italian heritage.

In vino veritas – In wine there is truth.

Read more about the Zema History.