The Foundation
of a Great
Glass of Wine
Bleasdale was founded in 1850 by the extraordinary Frank Potts. Already with an amazing life story, Frank arrived in Adelaide on the HMS Buffalo in 1836.
His journeys brought him through a place then called Langhorne’s Crossing. The rest is history…
1815
FRANK POTTS IS BORN - July 11th
Born in Hounslow, England in July 1815, Frank Potts joined the British Navy at the youthful age of 9. He became a ‘Powder Monkey’ whose duty was to carry bags of gunpowder to the guns. After serving on the HMS Victory (which was being used as a training vessel at the time) for several years, Frank sailed on HMS Challenger from 1828-1833.
During this time he traveled to Australia, the Middle East, India, China and back to Australia (Fremantle) before sailing back to England via South America to complete a circumnavigation of the globe. So, until the age of 18 Frank was raised in the British traditions of global exploration and achievement.
1836
FRANK ARRIVES IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA
- December 28th
Frank came to the new colony of South Australia aboard the HMS Buffalo, alongside Captain Hindmarsh who would go on to be the first Governor of the state.
Starting colonial life as a carpenter, Frank built some of the first houses in Adelaide. He then worked under the first harbour master, Captain Lipson, constructed his own ketch which he named the ‘Petrel’, and became a trader on Kangaroo Island, trading salt back to Port Adelaide.
1850
BLEASDALE IS BORN - April 4th
While on his way to Wellington to undertake a Ferry Master position in 1849, Frank crossed the Bremer River and noticed the fertile floodplains of what was then known as Langhorne’s Crossing. Frank purchased the first Section of the new town of Langhorne Creek in 1850, and together with his new wife, cleared the land of its huge red gum trees and began farming.
When Shiraz and Verdelho were vines being planted a few years later, Bleasdale became the first winery established in Langhorne Creek.
Late 1800s
BLEASDALE IS BORN - April 4th
Frank Potts liked building things – a home, a workshop, a winery, water pumps, floodgates, vats, a lever press and a dynasty. When he added more land to his original holding, the vineyard area expanded and so the winery, and the family, grew.
In his later years, Frank handed over the daily workings of the vineyards and winery to three of his sons and went back to boat building. He built three paddle steamers and a number of barges along with several yachts which he and his sons enjoyed racing on nearby Lake Alexandrina – very competitively.
In 40 years, the estate had transformed and the family became a significant part of the burgeoning wine industry in South Australia. The basis for a strong viable family estate was established.
On Alice’s death in 1935, her eldest son A.B. (Artie) Potts took over the helm of the winery and the original section, other sons inherited vineyards and the daughters inherited money. By 1939, A.B. Potts had a weir built across the river and added vineyards and additional floodgates to control the floodwaters, further developing the unique irrigation system of the Langhorne Creek wine region.
The bounty of the Bremer River was more fully utilised.
1880-1948
THE SECOND AND THIRD GENERATIONS
On Frank I’s death in 1890, the original section with the winery was inherited by his son, Frank II. Two other sons, Fred and Henry, had adjoining properties and they all worked together building the fortunes of Bleasdale in harmony. The original Shiraz and Verdelho vines saw new varieties added – Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec – and the wines produced continued to be mostly fortified Ports, Sherries and Madeira.
Frank II died in 1916 and for 19 years, his wife Alice, along with her large family of 10 children, ran the property and winery. Through the First World War and the difficult years of the 1920s the grapes grew, wine was made and sold, and the business survived. Bleasdale could easily have been lost at this time, but hard work, vision and family commitment saw it through.
1948
BLEASDALE BECOMES A COMPANY
In 1948 the privately owned property became a Company, Bleasdale Vineyards Pty. Ltd., with shareholders being A.B. Potts’ own family and several of his brothers.
Following World War II many things changed in the wine industry, with immigration, mainly from Europe, changing social structures. Table wines were introduced and wineries raced to adapt. At this stage, and to provide post-war employment, the current cellar door and a spirit store were added. Bleasdale also took on a number of Greek migrants who were not only very industrious in the vineyards and winery, but built a house and other additions.
Bleasdale kept pace, making its first varietal red, a Malbec, in 1961. In the winery, stainless steel tanks and refrigeration were installed. The sparkling wines entered our culture and, in 1964, ‘Bremer Gold’ was released – the first of a large range of bubbles, including a “Sparkling Burgundy”. The range of varietal reds expanded and the whites followed.
1950
BLEASDALE TURNS 100 & ELECTRICITY COMES TO TOWN
In April 1950 Bleasdale celebrated 100 years since Frank Potts bought his first parcels of land in Langhorne Creek and established the winery.
There were other great milestones in the 1950s with the arrival of mains electricity. This development brought major changes, introducing machinery with greater power and capacity, making vintages and day-to-day pumping around the winery easier.
1960s
BLEASDALE'S FIRST TABLE WINES
In the 1960s the major change to the wine industry was the increasing acceptance of table wines, first red and then white wine, and wineries geared up for this change. As well as making claret and burgundy, Bleasdale made its first varietal red – a 1961 Malbec. We are fortunate enough to have 2 bottles of the 1963 vintage in our Cellar Door museum pioneering smaller format wine bottles which we still produce today. This was the start of particularly popular style of wine. Generally used by others as a blending wine people were glad to be able to get their restricted supply of Malbec each year from Bleasdale.
Mid 1960s
BREMER GOLD! BLEASDALE’S FIRST SPARKLING WINES
Sparkling wines were also trialled at this time with Jeff Scutchings making the popular “Bremer Gold” with an experimental beer keg’s worth. When tested with locals it was so well received that more beer kegs were required! Soon there were bulk tanks of Bremer Gold and the introduction of other sparkling wines including the Bremer Rose pictured. Also in the range was a Brut, Moscato, our first sparkling red wine – Sparkling Burgundy, Cold Duck and Pink and Sweet Sekt. At this time Wolf Blass was acting as a consultant winemaker, making the 1960s a very exciting time in the winery!
In the vineyards the lesser known varietal of Paulos and Doradillos vines that were used to make sherries were replaced by red varieties including Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. In 1967 the boiler was retired and on-site spirit production ceased. Production of fortified wine continued on and Bleasdale is still known for its high quality fortified wines to this day.
Late 1960s
THE RED GUM PRESS RETIRES
With so many technological advances throughout the 1960s, after 70 years the old red gum press was retired. More modern (and much smaller) presses were purchased, increasing speed and efficiency in the winery. The old press was last used for a reenactment that was filmed as a part of Bleasdale’s 160th anniversary. That film has now been specially edited and was released in 2025 for the 175th anniversary celebrations.
1970s
AUSTRALIAN WINEMAKING EVOLVES
More changes were to come to the wine industry and Bleasdale throughout the 1970s. Far more sophisticated winemaking processes were introduced with the use of cold press fermentation and specific yeast choices.
Wineshows began to get traction in the 1970s with Bleasdale’s 1973 Vintage Port, the first vintage port made at Bleasdale, winning a Gold Medal! It was at this time that Bleasdale hired their first fully-qualified winemaker – Iain Riggs. Fresh from graduating from Roseworthy, Iain brought technical and modern winemaking skills to the winery.
Marketing began to grown in importance with wine label design and advertising having much more thought put in to their designs. As the wine industry grew, so too did the need to stand out.
1980s & 1990s
EXPANSION AT BLEASDALE
As the public’s love of Australian wines continued to grow, both locally and internationally, the late 1980s saw the need to increase production. The Langhorne Creek region saw huge growth expanding from 600 hectares to 6,000 hectares by the end of the 1990s. Bleasdale, being one if the region’s largest producers led the way expanding from a 1,000 tonne crush to 2,000 tones with contracts signed with local growers to help with supply and demand. But all this growth in the 1990s resulted in an inevitable oversupply nationally for the Australian wine industry.
2000s to 2013
HARD TIMES LEAD TO POSITIVE CHANGE
A 6 year drought hit most of Australia and especially South Australia from 2003 to 2009, affecting the wine industry in general and Bleasdale was not immune, though fairing better than other vignerons.
In 2013 new shareholders invested in the company. Together with the Potts family’s continued involvement, this paved the way for a stronger future for Bleasdale setting up for great success in the following years through to today.
Today
A DECADE OF SUCCESS
With new shareholders and a strong board that today is led by Iain Riggs AM, Bleasdale’s winery and vineyards continue to develop. The processes in both the vineyards and the winery have further developed with a strong focus on sustainability. All this care and attention to our key assets, and the people who work in the winery and vineyards, has led to some incredible awards and accolades. Notable among these are the Jimmy Watson Trophy and being named ‘Halliday Wine Companion Winery of the Year’ in 2024.
Here’s cheers to many more years of success for Bleasdale.
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