A Visionary Beginning
Independently owned by the Goelet family, Taltarni has had a strong French influence
from the outset, with initial plantings of Bordeaux varieties, including cabernet
sauvignon, cabernet franc and merlot. Shortly thereafter, Taltarni extended its
plantings to encompass sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, shiraz (sourced from vines planted
in 1868 in Great Western) as well as pinot noir and pinot meunier, allowing the
winemakers to produce crisp sparkling and fresh white wines.
The first wine from the Moonambel vineyard was released in 1977; immediate success
followed with the wine collecting gold at the Royal Melbourne Show – an early acknowledgment
of the potential of the vineyard. In 1979, Taltarni's Cabernet Sauvignon was awarded
the Los Angeles Times International Best Red Wine ahead of world greats.