Grant Burge estate escapes ‘huge bushfire’

Fifth-generation Australian winemaker Grant Burge has praised firefighters for averting the potential destruction of his Krondorf winery in Barossa Valley, as bushfires hit South Australia.

The fire in and around grazing land at the Krondorf winery. Image credit: Roy Van Der Vegt

Fire crews battled through the night to subdue a fire that had encroached onto grazing land at the Krondorf winery in Tanunda, Barossa.

Burge said today (15 January) that a ‘huge bushfire’ continued to burn close to the winery, but he praised firefighters and Barossa locals who helped to bring the situation under control.

‘We are very lucky that our homes, winery, cellar door and vineyards were not affected,’ Burge said, adding that the Krondorf ‘cellar door’ was open as usual.

An intense heat wave has sparked a series of bushfires across South Australia in the past few days, and their path is often unpredictable due to sudden changes in wind direction.

A spokesperson for Penfolds and Wolf Blass owner Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) told decanter.com, ‘at this stage no TWE vineyards have been directly impacted by bushfires, however the presence of such fires in the Barossa region is an obvious concern and something we are keeping a close eye on’.

Smoke taint is less of a concern prior to grape ripening, which has not yet occurred, he added.

For a photo gallery of the fire near Krondorf winery, click here.

Written by Chris Mercer