Wine The Time Is Right

What does the future hold for winemaking? Steph Dutton, senior winemaker for Penfolds, has some ideas.

- FARHAN SHAH

STEPH DUTTON SINCERELY BELIEVES that winemaking might soon be considered an art form. "I believe our industry has done really well with scientific developments over the last few decades," the senior winemaker for Penfolds says. "My request for all winemakers now is to lean into the big, bold, and crazy ideas. Trial things, take the long shots, the things that may not pay off, hoping we may bring the beautiful art back into our industry and put it front and centre."

The oenologist joined the wine behemoth back in 2007 while wrapping up her master's degree. From working the tables at Magill Estate Restaurant and the Penfolds Cellar Door, the Melburnian went on a fantastical journey exploring the grape, until finally agreeing to lead the winemaking team in 2017. Now, she splits her time between South Australia and California, checking on the vineyards, spreading the Penfolds House Style gospel, and crafting exceptional wines.

AUGUSTMAN caught up with Dutton during a short Singapore stopover to talk more about wines.

How have you seen Penfolds grow and develop in the past 17 years?

When I first joined Penfolds over 17 years ago, we were already committed to quality and excellence. We had this beautiful culture of innovation, but I've seen it all grow probably 10-fold in the last 17 years. With more and more demand for our wines globally, we have truly committed ourselves to the luxury space. This commitment meant that we fast tracked excellence and quality in the vineyards and winemaking practices. This has even translated to outside of winemaking, to how the brand shows up in different markets around the world.