In 1966, Geoffrey and Ursula Pridham purchased a property in Coromandel Valley with old grapevines already growing on the land. The following year, Ursula completed her first vintage under the guidance of the late Sid Hamilton, beginning a remarkable career that would see her become Australia’s first commercial female winemaker.
What began as small quantities of wine shared among friends grew into Marienberg Wines, an award-winning family label. Ursula brought with her more than 350 years of Austrian family winemaking tradition and a deep respect for the relationship between soil, plants and wine, while Geoffrey brought the business and financial skills needed to turn that vision into a successful enterprise.
Their son Ben grew up amongst it all — working in the vineyard, helping through vintage and developing the connection to farming and viticulture that would eventually shape his own career.
After more than two decades, Marienberg Wines was sold and the family moved to Kuitpo in the Adelaide Hills, where they established a mixed farming enterprise. It was another formative chapter, strengthening the family’s interest in horticulture, soil health, livestock and biodynamic farming principles.
Ben briefly took a different path, establishing Jump City Custom Sailboards in the 1980s. The business manufactured high-performance sailboards and gave him valuable experience in manufacturing, innovation, marketing and, importantly, understanding what customers actually need.
When the family farm needed support in the early 1990s, Ben and Louise returned to the land.
Ben and Louise married in 1986 and raised their three children, Byron, Lachlan and Jemma.
In 1995, they planted vines once again, returning the family to its viticultural roots and laying the foundations for what would become Pridham Viticulture.
For Lachie and Byron, the business was simply part of growing up. School holidays were spent around the farm and vineyard, learning alongside Ben and gradually becoming more involved. By the mid-2000s, the next generation had begun joining the business in their own right.
Today, Pridham Viticulture is entering another chapter.
After decades of building the business, Ben is beginning to step back from day-to-day operations and allowing Lachie and Byron to take greater responsibility for its future. It is a gradual transition, with Ben’s knowledge and experience still very much part of the business while the boys bring their own skills, experience and ideas to the table.
The business itself has grown too. While viticulture remains at its heart, Pridham Viticulture now works across vineyard and land management, olive grove management, harvesting, super high-density olive systems, irrigation and structural netting.
A lot has changed since Geoffrey and Ursula first bought those vines in Coromandel Valley, but the family connection to farming and viticulture has remained throughout.
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| Ben Pridham | Lachie Pridham | Byron Pridham |
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