Langmeil’s original vineyard, the Freedom, was planted in 1843 and survives to this day.  Planted by our Lutheran forebears who were escaping religious persecution and war in Prussia, just seven years after the state of South Australia was colonised.  They came to their new homeland, from ‘Persecution to Freedom’, to worship and find peace in our beloved Barossa.   The Freedom is Langmeil’s first and foremost vineyard.  A small block of Shiraz planted by Christian Auricht and his family in 1843, not only survive, but thrive on the banks of the North Para River, adjacent to our winery. 

Since the Bitter and Lindner families re-established the abandoned vineyards and winery in 1996, we have vinified the Freedom 1843 separately from other Shiraz at Langmeil.  These thick trunked, dry grown, low yielding, gap toothed old vines, which we believe to be the oldest surviving Shiraz in Australia, are guided through the cellars in their 164th vintage by fifth generation family winemaker, Paul Lindner.

The 1843 Freedom Shiraz is the winery’s flagship. The 2006 was sourced from its dry-grown vineyard planted in 1843, aged for 24 months in French oak, 80% new and bottled without fining or filtration. It delivers an exotic, kinky bouquet of pain grille, lavender, black cherry, and wild blueberry. Elegantly styled, sleek, and full-flavored, it has an extra dimension of complexity that only old vines can yield. This pleasure-bent Shiraz conceals enough ripe tannin for another 6-8 years of development and should be in its prime from 2015 to 2030. Wine Advocate # 181 Feb 2009 Jay Miller 97 points

Made from vines that are over 170 years old. Humbling thought, really. Exceptionally persistent. And quite beautifully flavoured. It tastes of blackberry, coal, spice, chocolate and toast, its wealth of gravelly fruit power more than a match for the (French) oak it has been matured in. It’s not the densest wine on earth, but it’s powerful and tangy and balanced, with exotic notes of charcuterie giving it a seductive slant. Another wine to win my favour only after having been opened for some hours. Rated : 95 Points Alcohol : 15.5% Price : $100 Closure : Cork Drink : 2013 - 2030 Campbell Mattinson The Wine Front

Blue Gold for the Freedom at the 2008 Sydney International Wine Competition

One of my favourites. Big, dense, powerful, plum, chocolate and liquorice. A nice succulent, fleshy wine. Very approachable. The lamb dish enhanced the complexities of the wine. Peter Forrestal

The 2006 (95 points) is reminiscent of some of the great 1999 Barossa shirazes (Grant Burge Meshach, Rockford Basket Press). It's intense and fresh with blackberry, mocha and aniseed aromas, a lovely core of pure fruit and brambly and chocolatey tannins. It's young but it's evocative and Barossa to its bootstraps. Andrew Caillard MW,  Gourmet Traveller WINE

As the name implies, this shiraz comes from vines planted in 1843. The Freedom shiraz is even more beguiling than the Orphan Bank. Dense and brooding, it will mature gracefully for decades. Due for release next month in tiny quantities." Click here for more. 5 stars; Fergus McGhie, The Canberra Times, 10 September 2008