Sarah Fletcher
Sarah's lush Sauvignon won at our Aussie Angel's Den
- Sarah is one of our winners from Angel's Den, and her Alta range is just wonderful
- A believer in being green, Sarah also says its not best to fiddle - "just blend it and leave it alone"
- Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd recently rated her Sauvignon in his top 5 wines!
Sarah Fletcher's Story
Sarah Fletcher's Story
We asked Sarah how she got into winemaking:
To be honest, it was the night before I had to lodge my university preferences and I couldn�t chose between Marine Biology and Winemaking so I flipped a coin. It turn out to be the luckiest coin flip ever and I have never looked back.
I love that every vintage presents new challenges. I have not stopped learning since day one at University. There are always new grape varieties and wine styles emerging. There is always new competition forcing you to work harder and improve. There is always new research to keep on top if. At the end of the day, I love that I can craft something that brings so much enjoyment.
My winemaking philosophies:
- Always remember that only 50% of people will like the style of wine you make and not to take it personally. You cannot please everyone
- Do not fiddle. Make the wine, blend it and then leave it alone
- There is a time and a place for every wine style. Just because you personally do not like it, does not mean that you should not try and appreciate what the winemaker has done
Another factor that is important to me is being green. There is a big movement in Australia toward this. Many of my grape growers are turning to biodynamics to improve soils and vine health. The winery itself is focused on mass water usage reduction and more energy efficient processing. There is a long way to go, but technology and research is helping us get there.
There are of course certain things I don't love about the job I.e. the Shmoozing involved to get your wine on wine lists!!! But in general it's a career I'm very passionate about.
The most extreme thing I've done for the love of wine? Well... I had bought my husband a very special Barolo and after one incredible glass, I headed back to the kitchen for a top up. To my horror, my daughter (only two at the time) had climbed onto the bench and poured the wine into a large platter sitting by the sink. I felt I had no choice, and driven by the desire to get my second glass, I grabbed some aluminum foil, made a funnel and put that wine straight back into the bottle. It was not quite the same but it was worth the effort!�
A few other Naked facts about Sarah:
- She can't name her favourite wine. For Sarah it's all about the where you drink it, what you're eating and who you're drinking it with
- Is she were to compare herself to a bottle of wine, it would be a Riesling: focused and restrained but becoming more interesting with age
- She likes nothing more than cracking open a bottle of her finest, after the kids are in bed, and drinking it whilst preparing a five star meal with her husband
- Recently the Prime Minister of Australia, Kevin Rudd, listed his five favourite wines. Alta Pinot Grigio was one of them
- And her pearl of winemaking wisdom? Do not hesitate to stray form the main stream, and do not be dictated by consumer trends
