Winemaking

Each variety planted in the vineyard – whether from old or new vines or from traditional or modern stock – reflects its place in the world. Our winemaking philosophy is all about making the most of our unique place – the soil, the Murray River, the climate and the fruit – to create handcrafted wines that truly reflect where they were produced.

From vineyard to bottle, each part of the process is painstakingly overseen by winemaker Nicholas Brown, supported by our dedicated vineyard team, who prune, grow and harvest the grapes for each vintage. From enrichment of the soil and traditional vineyard practices to labour-intensive hand-picking, sorting and gentle pressing in our 135-year-old basket press, we take real care to deliver something very special.

The techniques we employ are designed to allow the fruit grown on the estate to realise its purest expression. Our considered approach is well summed up as a deliberate lack of intervention resulting in elegant, complex wines with integrity and depth. It’s ironic that while our commitment to traditional methods has a huge influence on the wines we produce, perhaps the greatest result is that our methods have little influence at all.

Why not become a 'Winemaker for a Day' and enjoy the experience we have to offer? Check out our experiences page to see what's on offer.

Nicholas Brown - Winemaker - All Saints Estate, St Leonards Vineyard and Mount Ophir Estate

Nicholas has lived and breathed wine his whole life, spending his childhood running around the cellars of his family's Brown Brothers Milawa Vineyard. After school, he initially followed an interest in geological engineering, before travelling and working in Europe for a few years. In 2003, Nick began a degree in oenology at the University of Adelaide. He worked at Bridgewater Mill in the Adelaide Hills and spent his holidays travelling and working in various French vineyards. After completing his degree, he spent some time working at Moss Wood on the Margaret River before deciding to move back to the family winery to work in the old vineyards and continue the winemaking tradition.