Tim Smith

Tim Smith's Story

"My chosen home, the Barossa Valley, has given me the opportunity to forge a lifestyle, and life long relationships with a core of devoted wine growers and fellow winemakers.

I've worked as a winemaker for larger companies in the past, and was a little disillusioned with being in a position of having to make wines that conformed to some sort of market trend,or made to a budget, so I decided to make wines with my own 'thumbprint' (no pun intended-see the label) on them... With my own brand, I can make the wines I truly believe in, which to me unashamedly draws inspiration from the classic wines of Frances' Rhone Valley, both north and south. I do, however, put a New World spin on the wines, while being respectful to those Old World origins. In fact, my decision to embark on my own winemaking business was made quite literally while drinking Condrieu, sitting at the chapel on 'Hermitage Hill' in Tain l'Hermitage.

Some winemakers view their vocation as a job. For me, it is not a job, but a challenge to deliver, each year, albeit against the weather Gods at times, the very best possible result from the Vintage. It means that usually no two vintages are the same, but the expectation to over deliver each vintage does not waver. If I have to concede defeat in not producing something I dont genuinely believe in, I wont release the wine. If the wine has my thumbprint on the label, you can be assured that I am more than happy with the result.

The wines that I make, need to offer the following; lifted varietal aromatics typical of the variety, and great palate weight and texture. This is a very important point. It is relatively easy to make wines that are 'thick' and concentrated, but I want to see a sense of 'life' to the wines. In laymans terms, I guess you could say drinkability. In the case of the blended red wine, the Mataro Grenache Shiraz, I want to get great complexity and interest, and I believe this fundamentally only comes from vineyards that typically have some age to them..

I usually take the approach that I dont want to be making good wines. I want to be making truly great wines.

While I have won numerous awards in my 'career' (I hate that term by the way) as a winemaker, there is none so rewarding as seeing the appreciation of my wines by people of varied experience with wine. Ultimately, great wine should bring good cheer and appreciation, and when I see this I feel vindicated in the way I make my wines..

Best regards,

Tim Smith"