When did you realise you wanted to become a vigneron?

I have been working in the Hunter Valley wine industry my entire life. I grew up as part of the famous Drayton Winemaking family and had a real passion for working in the vineyard and producing the best fruit possible each year. As a child, I used to help my father (Reg Drayton) in both the winery and the vineyard until I reached the age that I could start doing tasks on my own. As a fifth generation vigneron, you could say growing grapes is in my blood!

Please tell us about your career so far, including your education, work experience etc.

I have been working in vineyards for more than fifty years and have learnt a lot of things on the job. I find experience comes from mistakes and understanding what works best for the vines when the weather isn’t working in our favour.

I attended Agriculture College where I learnt about different farming practices and processes as well as gaining a more in depth understanding of safe work practices when it comes to vineyard operations.

What do you love most about being a vigneron?

The big thing about viticulture is that no two days are the same. Our role is highly influenced by the weather and seasonal cycles. I think the main thing for me is being able to overcome challenges each vintage to grow fruit which is truly reflective of the growing conditions of that season but also being characteristically Hunter Valley when it comes to style in the bottle.

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

A lot of Hunter winemakers will say their favourite wine is shiraz, and to be honest I am no different. Its rich, textured and delicious, and can be enjoyed either on its own or with food. My favourite food pairing for shiraz is sticky barbecue ribs or a rich slow cooked lamb shoulder.

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

No specific process, but more a train of thought. I like to think about how the wine will be perceived by the consumer, if it is filling a gap in the market or if it is new and unique. With every wine style we work on, it’s about consistency, and ensuring each year after the first vintage is similar but still reflective of the growing conditions that year. The other thing to be mindful of when working on new wines is balance. It is critical that the wine has a balance between palate weight, tannin, fruit and finish – if one thing isn’t cohesive with the others, the wine can feel a bit unfinished.

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

I think the 2014 vintage would be the most celebrated for the Hunter Valley. We had great winter rains during 2013 and then a hot and dry summer which led to healthy vines, high yields and excellent flavours in the wines. Being a drier year, disease wasn’t a main concern for us in the Hunter, but getting the fruit to optimal ripeness was. I think we would have to be one of the only agricultural industries that generally prefers drought over persistent rain.

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

The Hunter Valley climate is very unique and as a region we have a vast array of microclimates which allows producers to make the same wine but with slight nuisances. Our estate has three unique soil profiles which are perfect for growing traditional white grape varieties such as semillon, verdelho and chardonnay. As you move higher up our Hillside, the soil transitions to rich and red loams which is perfectly suited for growing full bodied, Hunter Valley shiraz. Although our ripening season is a bit shorter than that of other regions, we can still push our vines to achieve a ripeness of 14.5be which in turn gives us wines at close to 15% alcohol.