Outstanding Langton's Classification. Thomson Family Shiraz is produced from Henry Best's original 1866 plantings, only ever made in exceptional years, on average about six times a decade. The vines are cropped at less than two tonnes per acre and are meticulously hand harvested, selected and sorted. Thomson Family Shiraz was first made in 1993, one hundred years after the Thomson family settled in the area. It is produced predominantly from the fifteen rows of vines planted by Henry Best, referred to as Hermitage by Henry in his daily journal.

This very special planting of Shiraz is referred to by the CSIRO as the Concongella clone, the mother of all subsequent Shiraz stock at Best's Great Western. The property, established 1866, takes its name from the picturesque creek which runs beside the vineyard. Climatically cold to very cold winters and frequently dry and cool summers, with occasional bursts of hot weather, are the norm. A little stress concentrates grape flavour, at Concongella it happens naturally. Despite these natural adversities, Concongella consistently produces high quality grapes of intense flavour. Hand harvested, hand plunged and vinified in small open fermenters, produced only in years when the quality is second to none.