Winemaking

JEFF BYRNE, WINEMAKER

In 2008 Jeff joined Agnew Wines as Chief Winemaker overseeing the production of Audrey Wilkinson, Poole’s Rock and Cockfighter’s Ghost wines for 11 years. Over this time, Jeff had the opportunity to do two Vintages in Burgundy. He was a scholar at the 2009 Len Evans Tutorial and has become a leading judge in the Australian wine show system, currently the Chair of the NSW Small Winemakers Show.

In 2019 Jeff and Bridgette made the decision to make a ’tree-change’ leaving Newcastle for Orange NSW.

"For me winemaking is all about balance and paying attention to what the conditions are like each Vintage and to hopefully pull the right winemaking - levers to create a wine with fruit power, structure and balance. It all starts in the vineyard ensuring the crop is clean and not too heavy. 

"In the winery I like to think we have more of a ‘hands off’ approach, letting the fruit and vineyard do the talking. Our aim with whites is to keep them clean and varietal, chardonnay is the only white fermented and French oak adding another dimension of complexity. 

"Red production we generally de-stem all varieties to have whole berries with fermentation in small open pots so we can hand plunge through out ferment.

"Once the ferment is finished we press the reds and mature in larger French oak of 9 - 12 months (depending on variety) keeping them bright in colour and fruit driven."