You say your wine is made 'in the vineyard'. How does that work? 'It's like anything that involves raw ingredients, whether you're a chef or a winemaker. If it has flavour and balance, the fruit will produce a wine that has elegance and a tangible level of quality. So you have to understand the raw ingredients. A lot of winemakers don't understand that the fruit's flavour is paramount. There's the saying, 'You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.' A lot of commercial wines are made out of ordinary fruit, but, to get to the next step, you've got to have outstanding grapes.'
What did you learn from your father - himself a renowned winemaker - and the wineries you worked at in Europe? 'I grew up in a wine family, so there's certainly an influence there. However, winemaking is very much about your own development, when it comes to flavour and techniques, and I think more of that came externally. For me that was in Italy, France and even Armenia. The family side gives you a head start, but then you develop your own techniques and aspirations.'
Is winemaking an art or a science? 'You need a science background to know how to push the artistic boundaries. I am guided more by the artistic side in flavours, aromatics and the overall personality of a wine, but have the scientific knowledge to know something artistic can become a failure if I push it too far. A good example is my Anaperenna, which is a shiraz and cabernet blend. I leave the cabernet grape's skin on for a longer period, so it goes through primary and secondary fermentation. I have to know about airtight seals, pH balance, bacteria levels, temperatures and what to do at particular and critical times. Art comes into it when allowing a natural process to occur rather than trying to influence it. It's like a minimalist painting: the more you fiddle with it, the more you affect it. I'd rather guide a natural product.'
You were named new world winemaker of the year in 2006. Was that a backhanded compliment, like 'you're OK, for Australia'? 'Not so much. Certainly, when you're selling wine in Europe there is a huge differentiation and mindset between the new and old worlds. But new world is seen as emerging, fresh-flavoured, an exciting and cool place. The old world is more staid and tired. If I wore jeans and an open shirt like I am now to an old world wine dinner, I would probably be chastised. When I got that award, it was done positively - like the new world is up and coming, and you're the most up and coming of the up and coming.'
On Twitter recently, you wrote, 'It takes a lot of beer to make good wine.' Care to explain? 'I like beer. And champagne. I think you'll find in Australia, South Africa and a few countries of that new world ilk, most winemakers are like that. When you're tasting wine all day - on some days, I'll taste 400 ferments - there's nothing better than cracking open a beer. When I drink wine I automatically analyse it and break it down. But a beer just has to be cold and clean. It cleanses the palate.'
Your wines are relatively small productions. Any plans to expand? 'The Glaetzer vineyards in the Barossa Valley are all generally small and we're already at maximum production. I don't want to increase that [and affect] the integrity of the brand. It's supposed to reflect a small sub-region.'
