Winemakers
Brothers Richard and Malcolm Leask started Hither & Yon in 2012, the Old Jarvie label added in ’16. The grapes are sourced from 78ha of family vineyards at 7 sites scattered around McLaren Vale. Currently there are 20 varieties, with more to come. Richard manages the vineyards while Malcolm runs the business. The historic, tiny cellar door in Willunga has a vintage feel with a cafe and music events. The Hither & Yon labels feature the brand's ampersand, with a different artist creating the artwork for each wine.
Massena is an artisan winery run by Jaysen Collins, with vineyards spread out throughout Barossa Valley. With the motto "Small batch, hand crafted wines", this winery is famous for ensuring the quality of grape input, going through the manual winemaking process, from which the output is full of impressive & well-balanced wines.
The winemaker, Jaysen, has been in winemaking since a young age. His styles are no artificial yeasts, no fining, no filtration, hand-picked grapes and minimal sulphite - basically a natural wine approach. The only difference between Massena wines and natural wines is that Massena loves to oak-age their wines, which gives them a more familiar profile to conventional wine drinkers. Their wines are perfect for those who are switching from conventional wines to the world of natural wines.
Unico Zelo, driven by an unwavering passion for Australia's fertile soil and its remarkable yield, is the brainchild of two devoted winemakers - Brendan & Laura Carter. Their mission is clear: to introduce the world to the extraordinary flavors of native Australian ingredients and pay homage to the indigenous custodians who have nurtured this land for centuries.
With the launch of two distinct wine labels that support both farmers and the planet's well-being, Unico Zelo's commitment extends beyond the vineyards. Unico Zelo's overarching goal is to convey the essence of the Australian identity through their creations, making these Australian wines accessible to a global audience. Their aim is to foster an appreciation of the rich heritage that Australia holds and share it with the world.
James Erskine - one of the pioneers of Australian natural winemaking movement - founded Jauma, with its first harvest in 2010. James's journey from chef to award-winning sommelier to natural winemaker is a story that could make anyone raise a glass in celebration.
After having travelled the world experiencing different winemaking styles, James got bored of all-the-same conventional wines that were full of chemicals.
So in 2010, while working for a famous restaurant in Adelaide, James decided he was gonna make his own wine. Long story short, the wines he made got so popular, James dropped his sommelier career and fully converted to natural winemaking. His wines travelled to top natural wine markets like Japan, Denmark, Norway, UK, France, and well, never left.
"Milan Nestarec is not a winery — I always correct people when they say that. Milan Nestarec is ideas that just happen to be represented through wine. I'm not selling wine. I'm serving a world view. Using wine as a medium. I could have chosen another one, but this one is so fun. And social." said Milan - the winemaker behind Milan Nestarec.
To them, winemaking is not just about producing bottles; it is a medium through which they convey their ideas to the world.
Founded by the husband and wife duo (Alex Schulkin and Galit Shachaf), The Other Right are passionate about crafting pure and exciting wines. Their winemaking philosophy centers around using only grapes, with no additives, allowing the wines to evolve naturally. This approach ensures the wines showcase the vibrant essence of the grapes. Their wines celebrate youth, freshness, and the natural rhythm of the grapes.
A fun twist about the name "The Other Right":
Alex used to work at the Wine Institute, where he heard a lot about the "right" way to make wine. He decided to shake things up and go his own way – "The Other Right" way. And that's how the name came to be. Cool, right?
David Geyer and Koen Janssens - the winemakers behind Yetti & The Kokonut - met in 2015 and set forth to experiment with grapes in exciting new ways, think of it as drinking outside of the box. These two adventurous souls are taking the world of wine by storm, and Vietnam is their next thrilling destination!
For those who crave adventure, fun, and unexpected twists in their wine journey, Yetti & The Kokonut are your new partners in crime. Together, they craft original and exhilarating wines sourced from sustainable vineyards. Yetti tends to the vineyards, while Koko handles the business side, and together, they work their magic. They are deeply committed to the farms they work with, co-farming or providing strong input into the vineyards they source from.
Their wines are just as vibrant and cheeky as their personalities, and are meant to be enjoyed with good friends and a ton of positive vibes.
Dave Geyer - the winemaker behind Geyer Wine Co (Barossa, SA) - pours his heart and soul into every bottle, creating natural wines that resonate with his unique perspective. The easygoing wines with real characters that tell stories with every sip!
In an ode to ancestry, but with eyes fixed firmly on the future, Dave revives and nurtures the neglected vineyards of the region to make honest, innovative, unconventional and thoroughly delicious wines. It’s like the artful convergence of heritage and heresy!
Alex Craighead and his partner Josefina Venturino are the founders of Kindeli Wines, a label that specializes in zero additives winemaking. They started making zero-sulfur wines in 2013 when they couldn’t find many options in New Zealand. In 2016, they bought an organic winery and vineyard in the South Island. Including three other leased vineyards, they got certified for organic farming methods through Biogro New Zealand. They use natural fertilizers, cover crops, and livestock to enhance the soil and the ecosystem around the vines.
To make their wines, Craighead uses a meticulous process that avoids nasty microorganisms, chemicals, and additives that can alter the flavor and character of the wine. He only uses natural methods to prevent spoilage and oxidation, such as temperature control, inert gas, and natural antioxidants. The wines are not filtered or fined and are sealed by hand with VINC+ Corks, which are a line of TCA taint-free micro-agglomerated. The Kindeli wines are truly “alive” and will change with each tasting.
Kunoh Wines is a wine label created by Yuki Nakano, a young and talented winemaker from Japan. Mr. Nakano was born in Kyoto and became interested in wine when he visited Australia as a university student. He started making wine in 2015 while working at restaurants in Osaka. He also gained experience at wineries in Italy, New Zealand, and Japan.
In 2017, he launched his own brand, Kunoh Wines, named after his maternal grandparents’ surname and the Noh pronunciation of the number nine. He wanted to preserve the name Kunoh, which is rare and might disappear in the future. Kunoh Wines produces wines from Australia, New Zealand, and Japan, but its main base is now in New Zealand.
Mr. Nakano makes wines with zero sulfur addition, expressing his own interpretation of the daily life and the terroir of each region.
Momento Mori Wines is a small-scale winery run by a husband and wife team - Dane & Hannah Johns - in Gippsland (Victoria, Australia). The name “Momento Mori" comes from the Latin phrase “Memento Mori" which means “Remember that you will die”, and perfectly reflects their principle of making wines that above all have respect for the living.
Dane and Hannah farm their vineyards using strict organic principles, sourcing high-quality fruit from like-minded growers throughout Victoria, who also strive for sustainable and natural farming practices.
All Momento Mori cuvées are hand-made using small ferments, wild yeast, no oak, and no wine-making additions. Used to be a sound engineer, Dane began his career with electronic music using modern digital equipment. Dane then soon found it more satisfying to use analog equipment to create his next hit, despite the lack of options and tools to fix problems. Dane is all about keeping it raw and real - both in music and winemaking. Momento Mori wine is not fined, or filtered and nothing is added except for a tiny spray of sulfur before bottling in some cuvées. Dane's 20 years of experience in the coffee industry before winemaking also has a great impact on his approach to wine. Roasting and making coffee for some of Melbourne's top coffee importers and roasters had trained his nose and palate to understand and recognize balance. Knowing well how different aromas and flavors work, Dane never fails to work his magic with blending grapes, making wines that are full of idiosyncratic and aromatic characteristics.
As Dane and Hannah describe, their wines are vibrant, full of character, freshness, purity, and above all, alive.
Domaine Matassa, located in Roussillon, France, stands as a beacon for natural wine enthusiasts worldwide due to its exceptional quality and the approachable nature of its wines.
The winery is under the stewardship of Tom Lubbe - a New Zealander with a South African upbringing and initial winemaking experiences. He then found his way to France through what was intended to be a brief internship at Domaine Gauby, a renowned winery in southern France. Tom's connection deepened when he married Gauby's sister, leading to him settling in France and the establishment of Domaine Matassa in 2003. The couple produced the first vintage in their own living room, before moving into Domaine Gauby's old cellars in 2004.
Domaine Matassa's wines embrace traditional Catalan grape varieties sourced from old vines, cultivated naturally, and harvested by hand. Tom adheres strictly to natural winemaking principles, employing only native yeasts and eschewing any additives, save for minimal sulfur used at bottling. Notably, the wines remain unfined. He uses various vessels for fermentation and aging, including large wooden barrels, barriques, clay, and concrete, although he favors fiberglass due to its neutrality compared to stainless steel.
Tastewise, Matassa's wines are crafted to reflect Tom's personal preferences: 'pale reds and dark whites', exhibiting a refreshing quality that counterbalances Roussillon's hot, intense climate. To achieve this, he opts for an early harvest, resulting in wines with a lower alcohol by volume (rarely exceeding 12%) that further enhances their freshness.
Founded in 2017 by restaurateurs and sommeliers Kazuomi Fujimaki and Takayuki Taira, Grape Republic emerged from a desire to breathe new life into neglected farmland in Taira’s hometown of Nanyo City, Yamagata prefecture (Japan). By bridging Yamagata's aging farming community with fresh and modern perspectives on natural winemaking, Grape Republic became a beacon of hope for sustainable regional development in the city that is steeped in grape growing history.
Under the dynamic leadership of Kazuomi Fujimaki in its initial years, Grape Republic has outlined a clear vision for its wine: vibrant and distinctly Japanese wines, crafted in a “freestyle” manner from grapes traditionally grown in Yamagata’s vineyards - primarily hybrid varieties like Delaware, Niagara, Steuben, Muscat Bailey A, Neo Muscat, and more. Alongside fellow innovative Japanese winemakers like Fattoria al Fiore in nearby Miyagi, Grape Republic has played a pivotal role in fostering appreciation and a new love for wines made from hybrids and non-European grapes. Furthermore, the winery also serves as a global hub for young winemakers, chefs, and general wine enthusiasts, welcoming them into their cellar to explore new Japanese wine.
Many of Grape Republic’s wines are captivating blends of green, pink, and blue grapes - enhanced by touches of skin contact and amphora aging, resulting in refreshing and approachable wines brimming with energy. This approach draws from Fujimaki’s fondness for northern Italian orange wines (such as Josko Gravner and Paolo Vodopivec), as well as younger innovative winemakers from Australia and New Zealand, notably Alex Craighead from Kindeli (New Zealand). Alex plays an important role in the development of Grape Republic, as a partner and mentor to the young winemakers who have been managing the practical work in the winery since the beginning. Similar to Kindeli wines, all Grape Republic are zero-zero natural wines, meaning there is no use of anything that is considered superfluous in winemaking. Everything at Grape Republic is covered in a healthy eco-cycle. Gibberellin treatment - a common practice used in Japanese grape cultivation to eliminate seeds is NOT applied at Grape Republic. This is to preserve the acid surrounding the seeds, which is deemed essential for winemaking.
In 2019, a new chapter began with the arrival of Haruyuki Yano, an enterprising and innovative winemaker. Yano, enriched by experiences in New Zealand under the mentorship of Alex Craighead, now steers the Grape Republic towards even greater heights.