When did you realise you wanted to become a winemaker? 

I’m off a farm from the Monbulla plains to the southwest of Coonawarra. Even though growing up I had mates whose families worked in the wine industry, I really had no idea about wine or winemaking, and it was not a job that I had remotely considered.

After finishing school and spending a couple of years in Adelaide studying cartography, I got a vintage cellar-hand role in Wynns Coonawarra Estate – and it seemed to me that the winemakers were always having a good time! Winemaking seemed interesting and varied, so I thought I would have a crack at studying a degree.

Please tell us about your career so far.

A six-week vintage job turned into twelve years of varied winery roles at Wynns, and a wine science degree from Charles Sturt University. I’ve worked a fair bit in the irrigated regions, both in Griffith and Mildura for Lindemans. I then moved back to Coonawarra and spent a bit of time at Katnook Estate, before an opportunity came up at Majella Wines in 2008, and have been here ever since.

What do you love most about being a winemaker? 

Every day is different! As much as winemaking is a process that we follow to

achieve our own style with the varieties we produce, every vintage and wine we produce has a uniqueness to it that is pretty cool.

What is your favourite wine, and what food do you typically pair it with? 

I really enjoy Coonawarra shiraz – it has an elegance and expression of fruit that I think is quite special. I’m probably a bit old school with pairing it to a food and just enjoy a really good piece of eye fillet, cooked just right with a few spuds and some greens.

Is there a specific process you follow when developing a new wine? 

Yes, but also no. I think that it is important that when we’re trying something different, it is still made to our style. For a wine, while it is important to innovate, you still need to be respectful of your heritage.

Is there any vintage you’re particularly proud of creating? Why? 

Each vintage is different, and I think that’s what makes winemaking an interesting job – even the more challenging vintages are fun! You get to the end and think – well, we got through that one! I’ve enjoyed working with a lot of different people over a lot of different vintages, and it’s amazing what can make you laugh while working nightshift, at three o’clock on a freezing late April morning in Coonawarra.