Jared Stringer is Chief Executive Officer at The Lane Vineyard.
Born and raised in rural South Australia, Jared completed a Chefs Apprenticeship after graduating high school. He well and truly caught the ‘wine bug’ after doing a harvest in the Adelaide Hills in 2008 and then went on to complete his BSc Oenology and Viticulture at the University of Adelaide.
After graduating in 2012, Jared obtained winemaking positions in the Barossa Valley, Coonawarra and Rheinhessen in Germany before coming back to the Adelaide Hills in 2016.
Jared was winemaker at Bird in Hand for the 2016 harvest, transitioning to General Manager until October 2019, when he became CEO and Vigneron at The Lane Vineyard.
Jared oversees the entire wine business including more than 50 hectares of estate vineyards, a 600-tonne winery, the restaurant, the tasting room and function centre, as well as managing The Lane’s export markets.
When he’s not at the vineyard, he and his young family run a cattle farm in Echunga, 10 minutes down the road from The Lane in the Adelaide Hills.
Jessica Hill-Smith, generational descendent of Yalumba’s founder Samuel Smith.
Jessica Hill-Smith, generational descendent of Yalumba’s founder Samuel Smith, was destined to be involved in the family business. With the winery as a giant playground for Jessica and her two sisters, she spent the weekends roaming the winery and vineyards. While never sure what her future might hold, there was no denying the intrinsic value of growing up in the vineyard played in determining her path into the family business.
After being encouraged to gain experience and outside of the family business, in 2019, Jessica returned to the Barossa and became the sixth generation to enter the family fold, aligning with the winery’s 170 year anniversary.
Representing Yalumba today is Jane Ferrari (featured below), who worked at Yalumba Wines for over 25 years and has had a highly regarded career in winemaking and storytelling. Jane was recently awarded the title SA Legend of the Vine at the WCA Royal Adelaide Wine and Spirits Show in 2023.
Garth Eather joined his brother Rhys at Meerea Park full-time in 1999.
After working eleven years in the electrical industry and eight years part-time with Meerea Park, Garth Eather joined his brother Rhys at Meerea Park full-time in 1999.
Meerea Park, a family-owned winery situated in the beautiful Hunter Valley has established a reputation over the last decade as one of the leading Hunter Valley wineries.
While taking a modern approach to winemaking, Meerea Park’s winemaking roots are firmly established in the region. In the 1850’s, Alexander Munro, the family’s great-great-grandfather established the ‘Bebeah’ vineyard at Singlton and was at one stage the largest and most successful winemaker in New South Wales. During his career he won over 2000 awards at wine shows around the world.
Meerea Park has been rated as one of Australia’s Top 100 wineries by James Halliday and holds the prestigious 5 Red Star and Red Name Rating in the James Halliday Wine Companion.
Andrew Quinn, Chief Winemaker at Hentley Farm.
Since 2008, Head Winemaker Andrew Quinn has influenced the evolution of the vineyard with a focus on crafting high-quality, expressive and vibrant wines from traditional Barossa varieties.
With his firm conviction that the best wines are made in the vineyard, it is no surprise that Andrew was drawn to Hentley Farm after returning home from vintages in France and the USA. His original field of study was – in fact – horticulture, and for Andrew, winemaking provides the perfect opportunity to combine his scientific and technical knowledge with his artistic talent in the pursuit of ultimate quality.
Meticulous attention to detail continues from the estate vineyards through to the winery. Each of the viticultural blocks and sub rows are assessed at time of harvest for optimal ripeness, with some vineyards receiving multiple picks throughout harvest. Andrew’s approach to these wines is about thoughtful and minimal winemaking intervention – to craft wines of balance, power and elegance, with the distinct Hentley Farm hallmarks of vibrancy, velvet silky tannins, and intense flavour richness.
Each Hentley Farm wine shows varietal diversity and while attractive and expressive when youthful, are crafted with the depth and structure for extended cellaring. Under Andrew’s care, Hentley Farm has cemented its position as one of Australia’s leading boutique wineries with accolades across the globe – including 2015 James Halliday Winery of the Year and the prestigious Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy in 2022. A story of vineyard and vintage told with every wine release; each restricted in volume by the boundaries of the estate, and vintage conditions.
