Sarah Fagan, winemaker, De Bortoli wines
Drinking good wine and getting your hands dirty. They're the two parts of the job of winemaking that Sarah Fagan could easily indulge in every day.
"A lot has to be said for being out in the vineyard with the vines, knowing where they are at, and having an appreciation of good wine," says the 27-year-old rising star of De Bortoli's Yarra Valley winery.
"For me, I try to drink decent whites to try and understand stylistically what makes them so good."
She is one of the new breed of winemaker who trusts her tastebuds and her knowledge of the grapes and when they should be picked rather than the molecular breakdown of a crop.
"I was doing an agricultural science degree and decided to take a year off. So I came here to the Yarra Valley and started as a cellar hand, dragging hoses around, in 2003. It was going to be a job for three months."
She stayed and finished her degree externally. Then in July 2004 Sarah travelled to California to do a vintage at a winery called Littorai.
"They are very hands-on and I spent a large amount of time in the vineyard," she says. "The winemaker knew what his site was capable of and paid a lot of attention to detail."
Sarah was asked to come back to Australia to make whites at De Bortoli in the Yarra Valley, and Sarah has just been promoted to winemaker in charge of pinot noir.
"We want the site to be reflected in the wines," she says. "It's about letting the vineyard speak for itself and getting the balance right in the vineyard.''
The key to making good wine is about getting the picking right. "This is paramount," she adds. "That's why experience in the industry is quite invaluable."
If you're interested in getting into the winemaking game, Sarah says it's important to approach people and wineries where the wine styles match your tastes.
"The cooler climate wines are more my thing, which is why the Yarra Valley is a great place for me to be.
"So people should go somewhere that interests them with their wine styles, and maybe drag hoses for a vintage," she suggests.
Sarah thinks that determination and persistence are integral personality traits if you want to be a winemaker. And you need a willingness to learn and an attention to detail: "it shows you care," she says.
Like in any agricultural industry, there are times when things don't go right and there are pressures to still produce: "This year I decided to pick a block of chardonnay at a certain time and I almost pulled my hair out worrying over the decision," she says.
"It was the right one, but if you don't stress a little bit you don't care enough."
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