About Graeme Miller Wines
              

Graeme Miller, Winemaker

with the 1978

Jimmy Watson Trophy

Miller's Dixons Creek Estate

view over dam

Cellar Door views

Vineyard view towards winery

Vineyard views

Winery views

. Winemaker & Viticulturist Graeme Miller is one of the pioneers of the 1960s/70s rebirth of the Yarra Valley as a wine region. In 1971 he established Chateau Yarrinya at Dixons Creek, which he sold to the De Bortoli family in 1986. He began planting  Dixons Creek Estate in 1988, a kilometre from his original site. Winner of the 1978 Jimmy Watson trophy, Graeme made a return to winemaking because of his belief in regional difference and the Yarra Valley as an excellent wine producing area. Graeme and his wife Bernadette built the winery on the new site and finally opened cellar door there in 2005. They are working to produce long lived wines, not dominated by alcohol, and which reflect the subtle depth and complexity that the Yarra Valley , as a cool climate region, can produce. With 37 years experience Graeme maintains that having a good and professional team is of vital importance. 

Bernadette Miller, Marketing : Graeme's wife Bernadette completed a Master of Wine Business at the University of Adelaide in 2005/2006. She undertakes the marketing, promotions, oversees cellar door and administration, as well as supporting the vineyard and  winery team.

   Shaun Crinion Assistant Winemaker joined Millers in January 2008. Shaun completed his winemaking qualifications at Charles Sturt University and has an impressively broad experience in cool climate winemaking . Since graduating he has worked  as Assistant Winemaker at Tasmanian wineries Pipers Brook and Bay of Fires, before relocating to the Yarra Valley where he gained valuable cellar experience at Domaine Chandon. Shaun has also completed vintages in West Australia at Houghton’s in the Swan Valley and Devil’s Lair at Margaret River, in Queensland at Barambah Ridge, as well as three overseas vintages with Californian wineries: Laetitia in Santa Barbara , Corbett Canyon on the Californian Central Coast and Williams Selyem in Russian River. Shaun is passionate about his winemaking and is a valued addition to the team.   

   Robert Peterson Vineyard Supervisor: Bob joined the Viticultural team in February 2009. He was formerly Assistant Vineyard Manager at Mount Mary vineyard before joining our team and had been at Mount Mary  for 9 years, working under both John and David Middleton. Prior to this period he had worked in viticulture at various sites around the Yarra Valley. Bob completed his degree in Viticulture at Charles Sturt University, undertaking viticultural research during his studies, while at Mount Mary.

 Michael Pitcher, Vineyard Leading Hand:  In August 2007. Michael  joined the vineyard team and is completing his  Viticulture studies through Swinburne.  Michael is highly competent with tractors and machinery and is a hard working addition to the team.

     Jo, Administration, Cellar door and Promotions assistant: In 2006 Jo Bowie joined the team working in administration and as cellar door and marketing assistant. Jo has been involved in several of our winery promotions including Cellar Doors at Southgate , Melbourne Good Food and Wine Shows, Wine & Spirits Australia, Federation Square, Gulf Station, On the Palate and the Werribee Park Harvest Picnic.

Kerry,  Winery Dog & Sensory Technician. A hard working  member of the team, Kerry loves to greet cellar door customers in the car park and escort them to cellar door.

Environment: Graeme and  Bernadette share an interest in local history and Australian art and a love of their environment and this is reflected in the cellar door, the surroundings and the environmental practices in the winery and vineyard. In the sales area is an overview of the history of the Yarra Valley wine industry and a display of indigenous art, principally from the Central and Western Desert areas. In partnership with Melbourne Water, Graeme and Bernadette have, over a number of years, extensively revegetated the stream front of Dixons Creek where it flows through the vineyard. They are continuing to landscape the area around  cellar door with native beds, including an Eremophilia bed and an indigenous (local species) bed. In keeping with the environmental focus, all winery waste water is redirected through percolation to a large dam where it is recycled through a drip irrigation system to the vineyard. Winery solid waste (stalks and marc) is recycled to the vineyard to replenish the soil, with some going to the cows on the property. All winery packaging decisions are based on our recycling focus. Vineyard practices are based on a committed sense of environmental stewardship.