For the footy-loving Schiller family, the adrenalin rush of finishing a hectic vintage isn’t too different from playing a Grand Final.
Robert and his sons, Tom and Ben have each donned the boots for Tanunda over the years and whilst they are fiercely proud of their long association with the Magpies; off-field, it’s the land their ancestors developed through the generations that deeply connects this trio.
Wagon wheels mark the start of a long driveway through Johanns Find, the name given to the Schiller vineyards where the original homestead overlooks the North Para River.
Robert is the fifth generation to reside within the home, he’s only ever spent 7 years away in the early days of his marriage to Wendy.
“There is vineyard behind our house here that dates back to 1880 and those vines are still there and doing well…that’s where it all started,” says Robert.
He speaks of two men named Johann, hence the property’s name, one a Grocke the other a Schiller who were integral to the original 16 acre vineyard’s history.
“Originally, my great-grandfather leased this land off a Grocke for about 5-6 years, then he bought it,” Robert explains.
“That’s how it started off and we’re still here. We’ve expanded across the Para and we’ve got about 160 acres now. Each generation has just bought a bit more…There’s about 65 acres of vines now and the rest is cropping with a bit of grazing land.”
Robert, who has just completed his 51st vintage, has fond memories of working in the vineyard alongside his parents, Rex and Adeline and grandpa, Ben (Bernhard).
“My grandma, Sophie died very young so grandpa was a widow in his early thirties and never remarried. He actually lived with us, I grew up with him, he was part of the family.
“Between him and Dad and also my uncle who worked here in those earlier days, I had three mentors.”
Robert now mentors his own sons who both agree working on the property is “definitely in the blood”.
“It was probably in the back of my mind, eventually wanting to come back here full time,” says 36 year old Tom.
“I enjoyed working with plants and farming interested me and it just followed through…I did viticultural science at Adelaide University, then came back here and worked for Lincoln Grocke for awhile – half for him, half for Dad. The wine industry dipped away for a time there, then came good and now dad and I have worked together full time since 2012.”