Saltram’s legacy endures with 160 years of No. 1
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With 2022 marking 160 years of Saltram No. 1, the story of this iconic wine has understandably quite a few pages. Since its inception, it has remained the cornerstone of Saltram winemaking and is an integral component of the winery’s history and future.
Though time marches on, this renowned Australian Shiraz continues to maintain its connection with its past. The many celebrated winemakers who have come and gone over the years have all held an appreciation and humility for this wine. This understanding of custodianship has helped establish No. 1 as one of the most consistent and revered red wines in the nation.
The making of an icon
On the 20th March 1862, the Salters crushed their first grapes and produced a total of 1,800 gallons (8,000 litres) – they appropriately named this wine No. 1.
The bottle was also originally labelled Claret; a word used to describe Bordeaux wines that Australians adopted and applied to local, dry red wines. These were often a blend of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon, but they didn’t need to be.
Claret was never a regional name, such as Champagne, Bordeaux or Burgundy, but nevertheless the French were not happy with its use outside of their borders. In 1994 the EU clamped down on the free use of much of their wine lexicon; those aforementioned regions were out, and so too was Claret.
Today, Saltram crushes a larger volume of grapes for its No. 1 Shiraz than the Salters originally did, but the philosophy remains unchanged. The wine is richly layered, full bodied and plush. It achieves concentration and complexity as a result of the extraordinary heritage of old Barossa vines along the eastern fringes of the Valley floor. Ultimately No. 1 is an incredibly consistent wine that enjoys an approachable and vibrant youth, yet it has the structure to endure and evolve over many years.
If William and Edward Salter were to visit from the past, they may be startled by our modern world. They might be concerned by our fast cars, fast food, and fast life, but they would no doubt be impressed with our winemaking machinery and our logistics capabilities. We like to think, however, that they would recognise and be comforted by the familiarity of the wine that started it all.
Each winemaking team has held a respect for Saltram’s history and their place in it. This reverence can be experienced in the glass and on the palate of any Saltram wine, but no wine exhibits this sentiment more than the No. 1 Shiraz. There is a stoic, enduring presence that can still be felt within each bottle and can be traced back to the legacy and foundation first established by William Salter all those years ago.
Even after 160 years, it is still No. 1.