90 POINTS – 16 YEARS IN A ROW! We know a lot of you love the punchy and bold packaging “The Ball Buster” has had for over 12 years, however we felt it was time for a change. The new design for our range is more elegant and the names of the wines more subtle, however the wine is still the same taste profile. We wouldn’t dare mess with what works so well ! The stories on the back labels remain for “The Ball Buster” and “The Wild Ride”, so you will still be able to refer to the “tongue in cheek” banter that has drawn you to the wines! Since it’s first vintage in 2002, TAIT “The Ball Buster” has scored 90 points or more for 16 consecutive years in “the Wine Advocate”. NO OTHER wine in the world has achieved this at this price point. What an accolade!

The inspiration behind Tait Wines was Giovanni Tait (1927-1997).  Giovanni Tait migrated to Australia from Italy in 1957 to take up work as a cooper in the Barossa Valley.  His high skill and craftsmanship in his chosen trade led him to B Seppelts and Sons where he took an active role in the production and maturation of wine in oak casks. He learnt cooperage from his father and grandfather before migrating to Australia. Made in the same full-on style that proprietor Bruno Tait has been pursuing since its first vintage in 2001, The Ball Buster Proprietary Red. Like previous vintages, it’s a full-bodied, plushly textured red, dominated by Shiraz (93%), with smaller amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon (4%) and Merlot (3%). Hints of dark chocolate accent black cherry and plum fruit, while the velvety tannins linger on the finish.

As the back label suggests, the wine was going to be called “Michelle’s Block” after my wife Michelle however we really wanted something punchier and eye catching; something that would standout and say “buy me”!! The quality of the wine would then lead them to buy the next case or two. As soon as our USA importers tasted the barrel sample they got onto the phone and explained this wine needed another name, as “Michelle’s Block” conjures up visions of a soft and elegant sort of wine – and trust me mates, this little beauty is nothing like that.

Sitting down with our neighbors, a thesaurus and the wine in our glasses, we brainstormed many ideas for the wine and back label. We laughed how the wine industry can ‘bust your balls’ and cause blood, sweat and tears. So, with our ideas in mind, the discussions with our US importer and our US agent’s brilliant word-play ability, ‘The Ball Buster’ was created.

Initially we did have reservations on the name, however, after a few hours of soul searching we decided to go for it! We wanted this wine to make a statement; we wanted to break the wine snob barrier; we wanted to make great tasting wine at an affordable price; wine that people could enjoy and have a laugh about. All too often wine is described with certain adjective’s, but lets face it the majority of us only know if we like it or not. This is the way I like to make my wine. I hope that you all do to.

Since the first vintage in 2002, demand has been steadily increasing. The majority of these cases are sent straight to the US. The rest of the supply is distributed to Canada, Asia, Denmark and here in the Australian domestic market, including cellar door. Tait Wines Ball Buster makes an appearance, 2017 scoring 36 in the Wine Spectator Top 100. Born at a time when Aussie wines were flying out the door at ridiculous prices - thanks to the Dot.com boom, this wine bucked the trend and hit the streets at $15 and made a lot of noise. It has maintained its track record in the media. No short cuts - just honest wine making and consistent over-delivering. Do you really need another reason to consider tis wine for your Aussie set?