Pieter van Gent Winery

Pieter van Gent emigrated from Holland in 1959, hoping to obtain a job in the wine industry, having gained experience in the family wine firm in Holland. He was offered a job at Penfolds as a cellar hand, hosing out casks in the table wine section. He steadily rose through the ranks in Penfolds NSW operations, including a vintage at Dalwood in Hunter Valley, and in 1970 was hired by the then owners of Craigmoor, to fill the role of chief winemaker. The following year he made a 100% Chardonnay, the same year as Tyrrell's made the first vintage of Vat 47 Chardonnay. After nine years at Craigmoor he established his own winery. It is here that son Philip van Gent has taken the lead role as winemaker, drawing on the estate plantings of muller thurgau, verdelho, chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon, shiraz, durif, sangiovese and viognier. Exports to Italy, Switzerland and Singapore. -JAMES HALLIDAY