"Pirramimma’s comerstone philosophy is to produce wines from grapes grown in its own family estate vineyards, thus ensuring that the highest possible quality standards are met, and that the wines showcase the unique regional characteristics of McLaren Vale.”
“Pirramimma produces premium quality wines at an affordable price - a philosophy seen as the key to a successful future”
Alex Johnston of Pirramimma winery talks to us about the ongoing history of wine in the McLaren Vale.
He speaks to local conditions and the basis for award-winning qualities.
Alex Johnston
Your vineyard is called Pirramimma. What does that mean?
The derivation of the name is “the moon and the stars” in the dialect of the aboriginals and that was the name of the property when my grandfather bought it.
And you grew up there?
The vineyard that I grew up on was established by my grandfather, in 1892. He started off as an accountant in Adelaide, but didn’t enjoy that. He felt that a life on the land would be better.
In 1892, there was a period of drought and recession in South Australia so land was cheap and available here in McLaren Vale. He came and purchased what we called sections. Sections are 80 acres. He bought two sections at that time.
In those days there wasn’t very much grape growing. There was mixed farming—hay and grain for sheep and cattle grazing. Grapes were just starting to be planted. And he joined the group that was planting grapes.
When did you decide to be a winemaker?
I grew up on the same property, and really didn’t have any strong indications of what my career might be.
After leaving school, I thought it would be a good idea to get some tertiary education, and I enjoyed life in the open air. So, I attended Roseworthy Agricultural College. It stood alone as an agricultural college.
I completed my diploma in agriculture, and went on and did a diploma in oenology – which is the study of winemaking.
Colin Kay spoke to us about the two of you starting your own wine consulting company. How important is that kind of collaboration?
That’s still very much in evidence up to the present time. I think it comes from the easy nature of Australians.
Collaboration amongst winemakers comes from Australian winemaking being one of the youngest, winemaking enterprises in the world.
Most of the other countries, that have winemaking, have been doing it for a good many more years than Australia has. Going right back to the Europeans, their development was by trial and error. Try something and follow that and if it didn’t work then try something else.
Australia has the advantage of not having any traditional procedures that they have to follow. So, the development of the Australian industry has been very much based on science, which emanates from the universities.
But also, anyone that has difficulties either with grape growing or winemaking has been able to go along to the winemaking schools and associations set up and get their problems sorted out.
That has lead to the development of wine shows. The wine show scene is very highly developed. Most winemakers attend most shows, and, they all talk to each other. This is where the collaborative philosophy comes forward.
There are associations like WFA (Winemaker’s Federation of Australia). That is set up to assist winemakers in communications with governments. Winemakers and grape growers are encouraged to join those associations and so it becomes like a great big family.
The pleasure of wine consumption is an appreciation of how the winemaker has achieved that balance.
Tell me about the wine shows.
We submit our wines in most of the capital city shows. There are shows in the capital cities and some of the larger country towns. McLaren Vale winemakers have their own shows as well.
With so many different shows, how do you know when you’ve been successful?
When you receive a gold medal! (laughs)
The gaining of medals is assistance in marketing your wines. But, you’ll find, you might get a gold medal, for example, in the Sidney show, but you mightn’t get anything at all in Adelaide. That has happened quite a number of times.
So then, when do you personally feel good about the wine you’ve made?
I relate more to communication from customers. We’ve had many complimentary correspondents from customers.
Customers, who have said, ‘we tasted your wines at Joe Blow’s dinner, and can we buy some? Or can you pass on some information?’
These are really the success stories that I like the best because to consumers are the most important part of the industry. If there weren’t consumers, we wouldn’t exist.
What inspires you when you are making the wine?
I think I’m striving for balance and harmony in the wine all the time. You’ve got the basic compounds of fruit flavor, alcohol, acid and tannins. And, you’re striving to get all that in balance. So, that when you taste the wine it’s a harmonious whole, not with any particular characteristic being stronger than any other.
That’s what I look for in the wines we make here and in other people’s wines. When I’m tasting others’, which is what I do quite regularly, I’m looking for that as well.
The pleasure of wine consumption is an appreciation of how the winemaker has achieved that balance.
Where would you take us to in McLaren Vale?
We’d take you to the Salopian Inn. The food is magnificent. It has a very good range of McLaren Vale wines and also selected wines from other areas.
There’s also, a very nice restaurant, in Fino’s in a little town south of here called Willunga.
Who should we talk to next?
I would certainly mention D’arry Osborne as being a patriarch of the McLaren Vale wine industry.
There are a lot of people I admire that I’ve come to know over the years. Another lovely person is John Hugo, at Hugo Wines. And, one of the Italian families that have done very well is Michael and Fillippo Scarpantoni.
