IN a region known for world-class wine, there is an emerging boutique producer in the Barossa Valley who is dedicated to crafting an exceptional product.
Tribus Wines was born out of a desire to craft wines honouring tradition while forging new pathways, with three families united by passion, purpose and a shared love of producing wine.
Derived from the Latin word for “tribe”, Tribus have a clear focus on creating a wine label that is rooted in community, hands-on methods and a deep respect for the land.
It reflects the brand’s philosophy of coming together as a tribe to hunt and gather the best fruit from around the country, and winemaker Paul Thomas said it also related to the fact the three business owners all had young children running around.
“Dan Fitzgerald and I worked together years ago in software development, and Chris Gray I worked with in Coonawarra, and we have been mates for a long time and bring different skills to the business,” Mr Thomas said.
“Dan naturally takes care of the software development for the business, and Chris looks after the freight and logistics, as that relates to his current full-time work in the wine and spirits industry.
“It is a passion project at the moment but it is almost starting to get too big, which is exciting and it is great to do it with two great mates.
“It was hard to come up with a name and we were throwing ideas around, and we all have got young families and all our own little tribes, with Dan having three kids, and myself and Chris having two each.
“With Tribus being Latin for tribe, we thought it was a good name to call it.
“The brand was born from the bond of three families that love a hands-on approach, deep respect for tradition, and a love for sharing exceptional wine.”
The foundation of Tribus Wines lies in its fruit, much of which is sourced from one of Australia’s most-renowned growers, the Hoffmann family’s Dimchurch Vineyards, in Ebenezer.
The Hoffmann family are known for producing premium grapes that form the base of many legendary Barossa reds.
Tribus gets all their fruit from vineyards that are certified sustainable and are quite minimal in their approach to chemicals in the vineyard and the winery.
Tribus also sources select parcels from Eden Valley and Clare Valley, adding diversity and complexity to their small-batch range.
Mr Thomas is the financial controller for the Hoffmann family, and has completed a degree in finance and accounting to go with it.
He brings a wealth of experience in producing award-winning Barossa Valley reds, and Tribus were recently named a finalist in the prestigious 2025 Young of Gun of Wine awards.
Mr Thomas said it was an incredible honour.
“To be nominated for such a prestigious award was pretty amazing, and for us it’s a really big thing,” he said.
“Doing what we do it can get you down a bit at times, but to get our name out there and know that people love our wine when it’s in front of them is fantastic and very rewarding.
“It is really difficult to stand out in the Barossa as it is so competitive, and so going along to these events and mingling with our peers in the industry is very important.
“Adrian Hoffmann has been a huge help and we are very grateful to him for all he has done for us.”
Tribus approach every vintage with care and ensure they time the harvest for peak ripeness and character.
Traditional basket pressing is also a cornerstone of the Tribus process, contributing to a softer, rounder texture that showcases the natural quality of the fruit.
Every basket-pressed red and small-batch blend tells stories of the land, the vintage, and the people behind every bottle.
Mr Thomas said he had worked with different types of pressing, and he found basket pressing to be a softer, and more traditional way of making wine.
He said when producing the wine, they wanted to have that Barossa tradition but with a point of difference, and wanted to ensure they avoided being seen as “boring”.
Like several winemakers, Mr Thomas said a recent lack of rainfall had made it tough.
“Water can be so expensive and the dry conditions in recent years has made it really challenging, we really have been chasing our tails,” he said.
“Any rain at the moment is a huge help as our yields are down on last year and how much water in your soil profile has a lot to do with it.
“If you get a 20mm rain event that is gold to us, five of those in a month is amazing, but we just don’t get it and we need so much more to see us through to another vintage, it is really bad at the moment.”
Mr Thomas said making a solid Barossa shiraz was all about where the fruit came from.
“By getting our shiraz from the Hoffmann’s, we can go around with him and see what we want from the vineyards and there are different soils and climates and so much to choose from, so we are very fortunate,” he said.
“Where you get the fruit from is so important as well, and Adrian has fruit from the early 1900s in the ground which is really cool and every now and then we get a piece of that which is amazing.”
As a winery, Tribus are planning to build on their Barossa origins in the future by finding the best grapes from other wine regions to offer new, exciting and more quintessential varieties to their incredible customers.
Tribus Wines is more than just a producer, it is the pursuit of excellence in every bottle.
Restaurants and pubs are starting to take their products and you can also find out more about Tribus and purchase their wine online by visiting the website (www.tribuswines.com/).
