About us
919 Wines is a family owned boutique winery near the Murray River in South Australia. Founded in 2002 by Eric and Jenny Semmler, the company focuses on high quality, small batch wines from warm climate varieties. We are based in Glossop, approximately 3 hours from Adelaide and 90 minutes from Mildura. The company was founded in 1999, with the first vineyard established in 2002, and the first vintage in 2004. Our vineyards and wines are certified organic, in keeping with our philosophy of living sustainably within the environment.
The winery can handle a crush of 60 tonnes of fruit, grown on vineyards under our direct management or from growers who can meet our stringent viticultural and production standards. We purchased a second vineyard in 2011 to assure supply and to provide for the continued growth of the company. Our team includes the principals, an assistant winemaker and a team of talented people who assist with vineyard and winery operations and our cellar door.
Our company and wines have won numerous awards, including Winestate Fortified Wine of the Year, Winestate Organic Wine of the Year and The Adelaide Review Wine of the Year.
Nothing artificial. Natural intelligence.
Meet our team
919 Wines is a private, family owned company with a small but flexible workforce. Between the two Principals the company has over 40 years experience in the wine industry. The company has a commitment to training young people, and employs people in cellar operations, administration, sales and production.
Seamus Donaghey Winemaker
Seamus Donaghey is our young assistant winemaker, currently undertaking his study of a Bachelor of Wine Science through Charles Sturt University. Acquiring a keen interest in wine through work at the Riverland Wine Centre he has quickly picked up the skills and enthusiasm required to be a great winemaker and we look forward to seeing where his studies lead him.
Other roles:
Committee member, Riverland Wine Show
Eric Semmler Director & Chief Winemaker
Eric Semmler is a Director and Winemaker for the company, overseeing the vineyards, cellar and winemaking operations. Originally a horticulturalist, he studied winemaking, worked with Brown Brothers and All Saints wineries, and then became the Fortified Winemaker with BRL Hardy. He is now one of Australia’s most respected fortified winemakers, and acknowledged as an Australian authority on the production of the heritage Apera and Topaque styles of wine.
Eric is a regular wine judge for Winestate Magazine.
Other roles:
Berri Lutheran Pastoral Assistants
President: Riverland Sport Aviation
Previously: Chair, Riverland Wine Show
Jenny Semmler Director & Head of Marketing
Jenny Semmler is the Company Secretary and Director, and oversees the marketing, bottling and administration of the company. Originally a pharmacist, she studied winemaking, later undertaking research in wine flavour development. After working for Strathbogie Vineyards, Pennyweight Wines and St Huberts, she took a position as Quality Manager for Constellation Wines, and was recognised as one of the world specialists in bag in box wine production.
Other roles:
President: Barossa Archery Club
Previously:
Convenor: Riverland Small Winemakers Showcase
Board member, Destination Riverland,
Member, Riverland Wine Show Committee
Our vision, core values and certifications
Our purpose
Vision
919 Wines wants to make the best and most exciting wines from our region, and that reflect the land as our most precious resource.
Mission
We want to make the wines with flavours you thirst for: an honest expression of the vineyard, the varieties and the environment. Our wines reflect your values: purity, integrity and sustainability.
Objectives
To achieve this we will:
- put our customers’ experience first
- practise integrity with everything we do
- practise low input and organic viticulture and winemaking
- support our community in the search for a kinder, better world
Core values
Quality
We believe that our approach to viticulture and winemaking produces high quality wines that reflect our soil, climate and the grape varieties. We aim to continually improve our products, our service and our customer relationships.
Sustainability
Relationships
We believe in building long-term relationships with our suppliers and our customers, based on shared goals and mutual understanding of business.
Ethics
We believe that we engender trust by behaving ethically in the marketplace, and by forming relationships with other businesses with similar ethical standards.
Environmental footprint
We believe that we are custodians of the environment, and that we have a responsibility to minimize the impact of our business activities on the natural world. We have implemented low water and organic grape production techniques to reduce chemical and water consumption. We minimize the use of processing aids to maximize wine flavour and reduce our process stream waste. We are certified organic so our customers can be assured that our product is free from chemical contamination.
Identity
We believe that by working with the land and climate we can produce wines that reflect the regional characteristics of the Riverland of South Australia. We are proud to acknowledge our regional and cultural heritage as winemakers and as a business, and have worked hard to raise the profile of the region’s wines. We are acknowledged as a Regional Ambassador by Wine Australia.
Certifications and codes of conduct
Organic Certification
919 Wines holds organic certification with Southern Cross Certified for our grapes and our wine.
Our two vineyards produce certified organic fruit to the Australian Organic standard. This means we use no systemic fungicides, but instead use nutrient foliar sprays that we produce ourselves and sustainable farming practises.
Our winery is certified to produce certified organic wine. We make wine to the Food Standards Australia & New Zealand standard 4.5.1 and the Australian Organic Standard. We use minimal processing aids and preservative - just enough to bring you a product that is fresh and inviting without the addition of enhancers. Just plain, good old-fashioned winemaking.
Some of our products are not certified, but we still make them using organic growing and winemaking techniques. Our fortified wines are made using non-certified organic spirit, and our sparkling wine is made under contract by another processor.
Our certification number is SXC 20044
Sustainable Winegrowing Australia
919 Wines has held associate membership of Entwine, and later Sustainable Winegrowing Australia, for its Ella Semmler’s Orchard vineyard since 2014-15. Since 8 August 2022, 919 Wines has been fully certified with Sustainable Winegrowing Australia for both vineyards and the winery.
Certification details:
919 Wines winery #01919
919 Vineyard and 809 Vineyard (Ella Semmler's Orchard) #00940
This certification will expire on 31st July 2025, however all wines bearing the trustmark are still considered to be certified.
We have chosen to discontinue certification as the process to certify is not sustainable for small wineries.
amfori BSCI Code of Conduct
919 Wines adheres to the principals of the amfori Business Social Compliance Initiative Code of Conduct for supply chain performance. This includes initiatives for no bonded or child labour, good work health and safety conditions, no discrimination, fair remuneration, and protection of the environment.
Organic certification
What's happening at 919 Wines...
Latest news
919 Wines listed as a top Australian winery!
Fortified Wine of the Year 2022