WOMEN IN WINE

In the traditionally male-dominated wine industry, more women are making their mark. Annabel Tan speaks to five inspiring winemakers and winery owners from both the Old and New Worlds.

- Annabel Tan

SKYE SALTER

Co-owner and winemaker of Paralian Wines, and winemaker of Willunga 100

Derived from ancient Greek, “paralian” refers to a person who lives by the sea. It is a fitting name for the boutique South Australian wine brand, Paralian Wines, which is based in Port Willunga, a coastal town in the McLaren Vale wine region. It is also no coincidence that co-owner and winemaker, Skye Salter, was born in the same state – in the coastal town of Ceduna on the Eyre Peninsula.

“Growing up near the sea had a big influence on my wine brand and on where we live now by the coast in Port Willunga,” says Salter, who founded Paralian Wines with her husband in 2018, after spending more than a decade living the nomadic winemaker lifestyle and working for wineries around the world, from Canada to France and around South Australia. “The slower pace of life here really takes me back to my roots.”

The 37-year-old, who is also a winemaker at another McLaren Vale winery, Willunga 100, chose to settle in the region for its pristine beaches and to be in the birthplace of South Australian wine. “From a winemaking perspective, McLaren Vale not only has a rich history of winemaking but is also an innovative and progressive region. It has a lovely community of small producers and is quite collaborative and easy-going. It is this side of McLaren Vale that makes it an exciting place to live and work.”