Family Winemaking
The Tomich family hails from the Adriatic Coast in Croatia where winemaking is a way of life. Jack Tomich Senior arrived in Australia in 1903 bringing with him all of the grape growing and winemaking skills of his forefathers.
The family had always made their own wine for home use and grew sultanas and wine grapes after moving to the new irrigation settlement of Mildura in 1936. Jack’s son Ivan showed a real passion for wine, and by 1946 was producing wine and selling it to local farmers. 3 generations of grape growers and winemakers later, the Tomich family now owns one of the best sites in the Adelaide Hills and had kept its ancestral way of softly farming the land and is pushing for sustainable growing practices.
Tomich Wines Philosophy
The Tomich family has a rich history in winemaking, viticulture and farming stretching back three generations and we believe in ‘giving more back to the land than you take’. Our family has been making wine since 1936. Family patriarch John Tomich learnt first hand the skills and knowledge from his father Ivan and grandfather Jack, who migrated from Croatia in 1903.
Tomich Wines is dedicated to sustainable wine growing with a multitude of environmental practices that have been implemented in and around the family vineyard at Woodside. The bee featured in our logo symbolizes the family’s philosophy of hard work, attention to detail and environmentally sensitive farming for future generations.
“We farm with a natural approach, treading softly. Soil structure is key to allowing vine roots to spread out and explore more soil. We rely on the natural systems which the vines thrive on”.
-Randal Tomich,
Viticulturist & Winemaker
John Tomich Patriarch, Surgeon, Master of Wine Student
John’s initial passion for viticulture and wine making began during childhood when living on the parents’ vineyard at Coomealla near Mildura. A successful career in the medical profession did not stop him from returning to the Adelaide University to achieve a post Graduate Diploma in Oenology.
His passion for the art and craft of wine making shared with his wife, Vicki and his thirst for greater knowledge has led to him currently undertaking the challenging Masters of Wine Course from the Institute of Masters of Wine in London.
Randal Tomich CEO Winemaker
Randal manages the vineyard and together with his father, is the major driving force behind the Tomich label. Randal project managed the vineyard development, overseeing every detail from the conception of the vineyard through to harvesting the grapes.
Experience gleaned from managing broad-acre farming properties and a recognition that traditional development methods are inadequate has led him to researching ripping technology with soil scientists, viticulturists, the CSIRO, mechanical engineers as well as a study trip to Europe. As a result of the research, assisted by Soil Scientist, John Rasic, he designed his own ripping technology. Randal called the new ripper the ‘Vibrosoiler’ – a vibrating winged ripper. The ripper has the ability to mix top soil with the underlying subsoil improving water penetration and root growth. The technology has now been exported and is in use in California in the USA.
Jack Tomich
Being immersed in viticulture from a young age, wine quickly became one of Jack’s many passions. From pruning as a boy, through to blending with his father and grandfather as a teenager, his love for wine was well established long before he could legally drink. Jack is completing a Bachelor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship along with finishing a Bachelor of Oenology, so the future looks bright for the Tomich family.
John Tomich
Patriarch, Surgeon, Master of Wine Student
John’s initial passion for viticulture and wine making began during childhood when living on the parents’ vineyard at Coomealla near Mildura. A successful career in the medical profession did not stop him from returning to the Adelaide University to achieve a post Graduate Diploma in Oenology.
His passion for the art and craft of wine making shared with his wife, Vicki and his thirst for greater knowledge has led to him currently undertaking the challenging Masters of Wine Course from the Institute of Masters of Wine in London.
Randal Tomich
CEO
Winemaker
Randal manages the vineyard and together with his father, is the major driving force behind the Tomich label. Randal project managed the vineyard development, overseeing every detail from the conception of the vineyard through to harvesting the grapes.
Experience gleaned from managing broad-acre farming properties and a recognition that traditional development methods are inadequate has led him to researching ripping technology with soil scientists, viticulturists, the CSIRO, mechanical engineers as well as a study trip to Europe. As a result of the research, assisted by Soil Scientist, John Rasic, he designed his own ripping technology. Randal called the new ripper the ‘Vibrosoiler’ – a vibrating winged ripper. The ripper has the ability to mix top soil with the underlying subsoil improving water penetration and root growth. The technology has now been exported and is in use in California in the USA.
Jack Tomich
Being immersed in viticulture from a young age, wine quickly became one of Jack’s many passions. From pruning as a boy, through to blending with his father and grandfather as a teenager, his love for wine was well established long before he could legally drink. Jack is completing a Bachelor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship along with finishing a Bachelor of Oenology, so the future looks bright for the Tomich family.
Vineyard
The Tomich Family owns 320 acres of vineyard in the Onkaparinga Valley, in the GI region of Adelaide Hills. The Hills are the premium cool climate area situated between Barossa and McLaren Vale in the same mountains range. Our vineyard is one of the largest in the Adelaide Hills and immediately adjacent to other outstanding Vineyards owned by leading Australian premium cool climate producers.
The vineyard is approximately 365m – 400m above sea level, has an annual rainfall of approximately 800mm and records temperatures that are five degrees centigrade cooler than Adelaide.