Vineyard Address: Seaview Road, McLaren Vale (Ros and Barrie’s property)

Year Vineyard Developed: Late November, 1999. I didn’t get the OK to develop until late August ‘99 and then it was a race against time trying to get contractors in when I needed them; like NOW!

Varieties Grown and Trellis Type: Eight acres of Shiraz 1654. I followed what our older and wiser neighbours were doing on similar soil structure (sandy over clay) with a simple single wire cordon trained system. 6m bays @ 2m spacings.

What prompted you to develop a vineyard: Madness! I was studying Viticulture at Willunga High so I was gaining some knowledge of our local industry (not enough as it turned out; Adam had to come and rescue me!). Ros and Barrie own this beautiful 40 acres where we live, overlooking McLaren Vale which, at the time, wasn’t being utilised. We pooled our resources and said “let’s give it a go, let’s spend lots of 
money we don’t have!”

Favourite Food and Wine: “C food and eat it!”. I love it all, especially seafood. Freshly peeled prawns or yabbies or freshly caught Whiting simply panfried in butter and lemon juice. All washed down with either a good champagne or chardonnay!

Family Details: I’ve had a complete change of lifestyle. Nearly four years ago I was living in town, married, with four children - Ryan now 16, Brett 15, Hayden nearly 13 and Rebecca 11. When I did the D word (divorced), Hayden, Rebecca and I moved to McLaren Vale to live in a “Shed” on the property. That lasted for three years and we are now happily settled into our own home in McLaren Vale.
Occupation: Full-time mum, part-time vineyard manager and part-time Vit 3 student. (If anyone has any part-time work going during school hours, let me know!)
Where do you see the wine industry progressing in the next five years? I’d love to have a crystal ball—but feel we are living in a very unique and privileged area with so much to offer the tourism and wine industries. If we can keep growing and working together as a community, producing our premium fruit and produce,
 then I think the world is our oyster!