|
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 and works in the cellar door,
vineyard and the winery.
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 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.
%20of%20Jules%20and%20Brisbane%20007_edited.jpg) Michael Pitcher, Vineyard Assistant:
In August 2007 Michael joined the viticulture team and is currently
studying viticulture through Swinburne.
Michael is highly competent with tractors and machinery and is a hard
working
addition to the team.
 Jo, cellar door and
promotions assistant: In 2006 Jo Bowie joined the team 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
Show, Federation Square, On the Palate and the Werribee Park Harvest Picnic.
Graeme and Bernadette
share an interest in local history and Australian art and a love of the
environment, reflected in the cellar door, the surroundings and the
environmental practices in the winery and vineyard. In the sales area is a brief history of the Yarra
Valley wine industry and a fine
display of indigenous art, principally from the Central and Western Desert areas.
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: 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. All winery solid waste (stalks and marc) is
recycled to the vineyard to replenish the soil. Vineyard practices are
based on strict environmental stewardship.
|
