Jean-Francois Esnault
WINEMAKER AND VINEYARD MANAGER AT SKIMSTONE WINES, MUDGEE
“There’s something magical about starting the season with the pruning shears in hand.”
When did you realise you wanted to become a winemaker?
I’ve been working in the wine industry since I was sixteen, and now I’m forty. I began as an apprentice in Bordeaux, France. After a few years in the sales and marketing side of the industry, I found myself drawn back to production. That’s when I knew I wanted to focus on grape growing and winemaking. I was twenty-five years old, it was 2009 and from that moment, I never looked back.
Please tell us about your career so far, including your education, work experience etc.
My journey began in 2000, at sixteen with a hands on apprenticeship in the Médoc region of Bordeaux. I studied wine production, both viticulture and winemaking, through the traditional French method of ‘learning by doing’. At eighteen, I moved into the commercial side, studying wine sales and marketing. After four years of study, I began my professional career selling wine in Saint-Émilion. It was an intense exciting time working with passionate people from all corners of the industry, both in the vineyards and the cellars.
Eventually, I returned to my first love: production. I completed a technical diploma in viticulture and winemaking while working on an estate near Saint Émilion. From there, I took the chance to travel. First to Burgundy for vintage in 2011 (and again in 2024), then to New Zealand in 2012 and 2013. In 2014, I came to Australia for vintage in Mudgee and I met someone who made me stay. I joined Skimstone in the winter of 2016 and have been the winemaker and vineyard manager ever since.
What is your favourite wine, and what food do you typically pair it with?
There are many wines I love but if I had to choose just one it would be chardonnay from the Beaune region in Burgundy. It’s complex, with just a touch of buttery richness and so much depth.
At home, my wife generally commands the kitchen, but I do make a very good roast chicken – full of citrus, juicy and golden flavours. And of course, that’s when the chardonnay comes out.
Is there a specific process you follow when developing a new wine?
Not exactly. I try new approaches every year, often on a small scale. If the results are good, I’ll apply them to a larger batch.
For example, in 2023 I had big ideas for our top barbera, but a hailstorm just before harvest changed everything. Those ideas are now saved for the next vintage. That’s the advantage of knowing the vineyard well; you can adapt, from hands-on precision to a more relaxed style when necessary.
Is there any vintage you’re particularly proud of creating? Why?
Definitely 2021. It was the year everything aligned. After the devastation of 2020, when we harvested nothing due to smoke taint from bushfires, 2021 felt like a true victory.
That year we also shifted our approach to viticulture, introducing new soil management regimes, nutrition programs and pruning techniques. The fruit was exceptional. The result of hard work and care and we were rewarded not only with beautiful wines but with recognition and trophies to match.
How does the local climate/soil affect the wine you make?
Mudgee has a climate that sits somewhere between Continental and Mediterranean. Winters are sunny and cold, perfect for rest – for the vines and for us. Summers can be hot, but nights are often cool, which is ideal for flavour development.
Traditionally, Mudgee was home to classic French varieties like chardonnay, merlot, shiraz and cabernet. Since the 1980s, Italian and Spanish varieties have taken root and earned their place. They thrive here, and many of us are now proud to champion them.
At Skimstone, barbera and sangiovese have always been at the heart of our story, even before I arrived.
Which of your own varieties do you typically indulge in?
Chardonnay, always. My wife and I both love it, so I make sure it’s good – if only to please her. But we also really enjoy the barbera. It’s a fantastic grape; generous, bright and perfect all year round.
Where do you see yourself in five years? How do you think your winemaking will evolve during this time?
Hopefully, still at Skimstone, deepening my knowledge of this land. I’ve been here nearly ten years already, and I’d love to stay for ten more. The vineyard still has plenty to teach me. It’s a challenging place, but that’s what makes it rewarding. My goal is to bring the viticulture into true balance. Once the fruit is balanced, the winemaking follows. My style is already returning to a more traditional, hands-on approach.
From Wineries of New South Wales – Issue 1, edited by Jess Muller