The Tyrrell’s story began in 1858, when Edward Tyrrell purchased a 320-acre parcel of limestone country nestled in the foothills of the Brokenback Range in the Hunter Valley. On arrival at the new property, Edward constructed a simple one-room hut from slabs of ironbark, hand cut with an axe. This small hut still stands today, adjacent to the winery.
Edward proceeded to plant 70 acres of grapevines on the original holding, which he named Ashmans after the family holdings in Suffolk, England. Fortuitously, the land he bought happened to represent one of the best vineyard sites in the Hunter, and by 1864, he was producing wine from his newly planted vines. In 1869, Edward married Susan Hungerford and they went on to raise a family of ten children, two of whom, Dan and Avery, went on to take over the business. A block of Edward’s vines, planted in 1879, is consistently bearing fruit today and is one of the oldest vineyards still in production in the Hunter Valley.
From its founder’s early vision until today, the long tradition of quality winemaking continues, strengthening Tyrrell’s position as one of Australia’s pre-eminent family-owned wine producers.
