Jacob's Creek ready-to-drink wine revolution from Barossa Valley in South Australia in 1976 pours around the globe
From one shiraz/cabernet/malbec in 1976, the Jacob's Creek range has expanded to 51 wines.
The worldwide phenomenon of Jacob’s Creek wine brand started in 1976 with the then-revolutionary idea of a ready-to-drink wine at a reasonable price for the common man.
From G. Gramp & Sons, part of Orlando in South Australia’s Barossa Valley, Jacob’s Creek quickly found a niche with growth spurred by a gold medal at the Canberra wine show for a 1973 blend of Keppoch, Coonawarra and McLaren Vale. From only a few thousand cases in 1976, it was the No.1-selling red wine in Australia within four years.
Jacob’s Creek was pouring into the UK during the 1980s, where it was almost synonymous with Australian wine, followed by what in the 21st Century is exports to more than 65 countries and the offerings that expanded from one shiraz/cabernet/malbec to 51 wines. The range continues to evolve including Wa, originally only for Japan, and Thailand-focused Lamoon. It became No.1 Australian wine brand in Asia and No.3 in Europe.
Almost 75 million bottles were sold in 2013-14 (6.2 million cases) across ranges which now include Classic, Reserve, Cool Harvest, St Hugo, and Heritage, and include white, rose and sparkling varietals.
Jacob’s Creek, named after the creek where young Bavarian immigrant Johann Gramp planted the Barossa Valley’s first commercial vineyard in 1847, was originally developed by Orlando’s technical director Gunter Prass, chief winemaker Mark Tummel, new red winemaker Robin Day, with another Roseworthy College newcomer, winemaker Bernard Hickin, part of the first tastings.
Hickin, who’s added to the range, spent his whole career with what became owned by French company Pernod Ricard after the takeover of Orlando Wyndham in 1989.
Jacob’s Creek’s marketing has come a long way. It started out in the UK with a campaign splashed across London’s double decker buses, as “Australia’s top drop’’. Since then it has been a sponsor of South Australia’s Tour Down Under, the Australian Open golf, and a long-running association with tennis, including Novak Djokovic as an ambassador.
