OUR STORY...
The Zerella family have a long and rich history in farming and viticulture.
The Zerella Wines recipe is tradition, innovation, and a truck load of passion.
In 1956 life’s daily struggles in Campania, Southern Italy, forced two poor families to search for a better future. Led by two very brave men Francesco Zuzolo and the late Ercole Zerella, the two families migrated to South Australia. They embraced all they knew; life on the land, a passion for farming, grape growing and winemaking and in doing so they laid the foundation for what would become a family’s life-long love affair with the land and more particularly the wine industry.
The late Vic Zerella, (son of Ercole) followed in his father’s footsteps becoming an icon of the South Australian farming, produce, viticulture and wine industries. Among his many successes Vic founded Tatachilla Winery and this is where his son and our Managing Director, Jim Zerella’s, love of the wine industry was ignited.
Embracing his ancestors’ passion for the vines along with their ambitious nature, work ethic and spirit of entrepreneurship Jim founded Zerella Wines and has taken it from strength to strength.
​Jim celebrates his ancestry in our La Gita range that features Italian varietal wines while our Single Vineyard Series is proof of a phrase coined by Jim’s Dad “you can make bad wine from good grapes, but you can’t make good wine from bad grapes”.
Unlike his Nonni, Jim doesn’t crush the grapes with his feet anymore and innovation has also seen us produce exceptional quality wines that are vegan friendly whilst adhering to organic and biodynamic principles.
From humble beginnings Jim and the team have achieved a lot:
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Halliday 4.5 Star Winery
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Halliday recognition for Best wineries of the region
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Best Single Vineyard Wine (other than Shiraz) – McLaren Vale Wine Show
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Best Single Vineyard Viticulturist – McLaren Vale Wine Show
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Chairperson's Trophy – McLaren Vale Wine Show
The journey continues………..
