When did you realise you wanted to become a viticulturalist?

Like many kids who grew up in vineyards, I couldn’t wait to do something different.

But life has a funny way of bringing you back to where you belong. Looking back now, I realise those early years working alongside my dad gave me a respect for the land that has shaped everything I’ve done since. What began as childhood chores became a lifelong fascination with understanding how soils, climate and vine physiology influence the wines we enjoy.

Please tell us about your career so far.

I have travelled through Italy, Greece and Cyprus, studying their indigenous varieties, then returning home and watching Sangiovese, Nero d’Avola, Xinomavro and Xynisteri establish themselves in our own vineyards has been incredibly rewarding. Those first harvests presented much more than new wines, it represented years of curiosity, patience and belief in an idea.

What do you love most about being a viticulturalist?

People often think it’s about growing grapes, but for me it’s about constantly learning. Every season is different and every vineyard has something new to teach you. I still get excited working in a vineyard, digging a soil pit or discovering something I hadn’t noticed before. The vineyard never stops asking questions, and I don’t think I’ll ever stop trying to answer them.

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

Paulmara Estates APOTIGI Cabernet Sauvignon paired with a grilled rib-eye steak topped with anchovy butter, served with crispy roasted potatoes and grilled asparagus. The richness of the beef and the savoury, umami notes of the anchovy butter beautifully complement the wine’s depth, structure and fine tannins.

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

We don’t start with a wine. We start with a question. Does this variety belong here?

If the answer is yes, then we ask why.
Does it suit our climate? Will it express our soils? Can it produce wines with authenticity and purpose rather than novelty? That’s exactly what led us to varieties like Australia’s first commercial Xinomavro and Xynisteri. They weren’t chosen because they were different, they were chosen because we genuinely believe they belong in Marananga.

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

Probably the most challenging ones. Easy vintages, like 2021, are enjoyable, but difficult seasons teach resilience, patience and the importance of understanding your vineyard. They remind you that no two years are ever the same, and that the best decisions come from observation rather than habit.

Every vintage leaves you a little wiser than the one before, this arms you with more knowledge to allow you to focus on the small actions that give you the biggest results.

How does the local climate/soil affect the wine you make?

Everything starts beneath our feet. Marananga’s ancient limestone and clay soils encourage vines to send their roots deep in search of moisture and nutrients. That struggle produces fruit with remarkable concentration, structure and character. Anyone who knows me will tell you I can talk about soils for hours, but that’s because I genuinely believe they’re the foundation of every great wine we produce.

Which of your own varieties do you typically indulge in?

The Xynisteri variety is currently exciting me. Not simply because it’s Australia’s first commercial planting, but because it challenges people’s expectations. It’s a variety with centuries of history in Cyprus, yet it feels perfectly at home in the Barossa.

Watching it thrive in our climate has reinforced my belief that Mediterranean varieties have an exciting future in Australian viticulture.