Every good story starts with a leap of faith. But for the Mansers, there were many such leaps before the first vintage. It began last century when country boy Bernie Manser left Mount Gambier in search of a better life. He built a career helping rural family businesses, learning to love wine along the way and sharing that love at the Manser’s kitchen, dinner and outdoor tables.

His sons, Kevin and Phil, grew up with more than a cellar stocked with iconic Australian reds. They absorbed a fascination with wine, a love for the land and respect for its people. Years later, Phil leapt on a chance to buy a tonne of spare grapes to make his first wine. And Kevin acquired a vineyard; a labour of love grown by a renowned winemaker. Manser Wines was born.

The Leaping Man that appears on our bottles reflects the journey we took, a journey which many Aussie families have taken too. He represents optimism, curiosity and the belief that life's best opportunities often begin just beyond the comfort zone. Today, Manser Wines remains proudly family-owned, estate-grown and quietly renowned for bringing together exceptional fruit with mindful winemaking to produce outstanding wines.

“Great wine is born in the vineyard. I simply guide it to the bottle with as little interference as possible,” our winemaker, Phil Christensen, often says. We’ve worked with the Phil, a veteran boutique SA winemaker, from the get-go, sharing a philosophy that is rooted in respect for the fruit and its provenance. Each wine is approached as a unique expression of season, site and variety, underpinned by quality through nurture in the vineyard. Fruit is harvested when flavour and structure align.

Fermentation and maturation are carefully managed to preserve character. Oak is used thoughtfully and with restraint to support the wine, not dominate it. The result is a collection of wines that are expressive, balanced and true to their origins. How is this different to other wines? Well – it’s the origins that we think are quite unique.

Our family vineyard sits at the very southern edge of the Adelaide Hills, on the border with McLaren Vale. Halfway between the hills and the sea, 1,100 feet above sea level, sixteen acres of Shiraz experience a remarkable convergence of influences. Altitude, aspect, ocean breezes, lingering seasons and ancient soils all play their part.