Winemaker / Manager
This is an exciting opportunity to lead a new Australian wine brand, established by Georges Thienpont – fourth generation of the renowned Thienpont family who have been producing wine in Bordeaux since 1921. The Winemaker/Manager will oversee the final stages of the new winery build, which is due for completion in 2025.
The brand will focus on premium Chardonnay from the Adelaide Hills and Cabernet Sauvignon from McLaren Vale, with the inaugural vintage planned for release in 2026. The Piccadilly Valley estate is the first vineyard acquisition outside of France for the family and though operating independently of Domaine Jacques Thienpont, this new brand will share a close connection and reflect the extensive history and expertise of the family wine business.
Reporting to the owner, this is a hands-on role that will manage all winemaking operations and be responsible for site stewardship of the estate.
Requirements:
- Tertiary qualification in Oenology
- 10 years relevant experience
- Wine sensory & quality analysis training, such as AWAC, Len Evans Scholar or show judging
- Experience in producing high-quality wine, with strong technical knowledge
- Excellent palate & broad understanding of domestic and international wine styles
- Commercial acumen
- Excellent communication skills
- Eye for operational efficiencies
- Proactive and energetic approach
- Driven to achieve outstanding results
- Ability to work autonomously
- Physically capable of performing operational duties
- Capacity for light domestic travel
- Ability to work extended hours when required
- Valid forklift & driver’s licences
More Information
New Winery
Significant investment in the construction of a purpose-built winery, with state-of-the-art equipment, is underway and will be ready for vintage 2025.
Winery specs:
- 500m2 winery and warehouse
- Epoxy flooring with stainless steel drains
- 12 tonnes of Nico Velo concrete red ferment capacity
- 4 tonnes of stainless steel red ferment capacity
- All temperature controlled with heating and cooling
- 40HL Bucher Origin Press
- Bucher Oscillys 50 destemmer & sorting table
- Waste water treatment, fresh water filtration
- Initially equipped to process 30 tonnes, expandable to 50 tonnes
Vineyards
Estate Vineyard – Piccadilly Valley
Planted in 1998 for Petaluma and now managed by Viticulturist Dr Dylan Grigg, the vineyard currently has 1.68 Ha of Chardonnay (I10V1), with an additional 0.95 Ha of clones 548, 95 and 76 to be planted over the coming months.
Clarendon & Hickinbotham Vineyards – McLaren Vale
The Cabernet blend is produced with fruit purchased from these two McLaren Vale vineyards, using Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.
The Clarendon Vineyard Estate dates back to 1842 and is now owned by Toby & Emmanuelle Bekkers.
Situated on the high elevation hills of Clarendon, the Hickinbotham vineyard was first planted in 1971 and is farmed using organic and biodynamic practices.
Wine Business
Georges Thienpont
A fourth-generation winemaker, Georges Thienpont has been involved in the family wine business since a young age and will be taking on a role alongside the Managing Director of Domaine Jacques Thienpont in the coming year. After moving to Adelaide to study Wine Business and complete a postgraduate degree in Viticulture and Oenology, he has started his own wine business in the Adelaide Hills. Acquiring a vineyard in the Piccaddilly Valley, Georges saw an opportunity to establish a new brand in Australia, exactly 100 years after the acquisition of the family estate in Bordeaux.
Domaine Jacques Thienpont
In 2021, Jacques Thienpont formed Domaine Jacques Thienpont which includes his three châteaux on Bordeaux’s right bank – Le Pin in Pomerol, L’If in St-Emilion and L’Hêtre in Côtes de Castillon.
The Thienpont Family
The Thienpont family have been involved in the wine industry since 1842, when they started a wine merchant business based in Etikhove in the Flemish Ardennes. Thienpont Wine has become one of the top wine merchants in Belgium and is run by Georges’ parents, Jacques Thienpont and Fiona Morrison MW. The family has been producing wine in Bordeaux for over 100 years, which began with the purchase of Château Troplong Mondot in Saint Emilion in 1921 (sold in the 1930s), followed by Vieux Château Certan in Pomerol in 1924.
The evolution of the family wine business and its legacy now involves multiple generations and a range of ventures.
Read more about the Thienpont family and their wine legacy here: