Changes at Elderton as senior winemaker Richard Langford moves to Two Hands

Elderton senior winemaker Richard Langford has resigned from the winery after 17 vintages and has accepted a position with another Barossa winery, Two Hands.

“Richard is leaving with the absolute blessing of the Ashmead family, who believe this is a great opportunity for him,” Allister Ashmead says.

“It has been a remarkable journey – Richard will always be a friend, and be remembered favourably in the history of our family wine company.

“Richard has given his all at Elderton. He entered our fold after a tumultuous 2003 harvest in our then new winery on Railway Terrace in Nuriootpa.

“In the 16 years since, he has helped Cameron and I to steward and evolve the wines of Elderton to reflect the uniqueness of our three estate Barossa vineyards in Nuriootpa, Craneford and Greenock.”

Julie Ashmead (above) will take on the newly created position of head of production, overseeing both viticulture and winemaking at Elderton.

“Along with raising half of the third generation of Ashmeads with Cameron, Julie is the fifth generation winemaker at Campbells of Rutherglen, has worked vintages around the world and previously held positions at Two Hands and Turkey Flat,” Allister says.

“She has helped Richard in the winery at Elderton over many years and is excited about the opportunity of this new position.

Elderton is approaching forty years since Lorraine’s father, Wellington, helped Neil and Lorraine to buy the property in 1980.

Julie will be aided in the vineyards by head viticulturist Peter Wild and his new understudy, Conrad Pohlinger. Conrad is a graduate viticulturist/winemaker from Adelaide University who has recently joined the Elderton team to help take the vineyards to the next level.

Elderton is on the search for an operational winemaker to complete the team.

With Lorraine Ashmead (first generation co-founder) wishing to step back from the board of the company in recent months, Cameron and Allister, as co-managing directors, created three new non-executive board member positions. They are chair Paul Evans (Ironbridge Capital), Steve Smith MW (NZ’s first Master of Wine, and most famous for his work setting up Craggy Range) and James Hooper (managing director of the company’s external accountancy firm, HLB Mann Judd Stephen).

Photo: Allister, Lorraine and Cameron Ashmead.