Pinemount

Imogen Dillon graduated from Curtin University with a degree in oenology, and went on to work two vintages with Houghton, two with Plantagenet, fitting in further vintages at Goundrey, and Tintara in McLaren Vale, while doing the Flying Winemaker trick - completing vintages in the Napa Valley and Bordeaux. In 2007 she joined West Cape Howe as winemaker before moving to Margaret River in '09 working as a winemaker with Larry Cherubino, where she had a number of specific areas of responsibility. She also completed a vintage in Washington State, US, where Larry had a consultancy job at the time. In '13 she gave birth to twins, resulting in a winemaking hiatus. Fermoy Estate was her next job through '14, but this, too, was cut short by her husband Peter being given a winemaking position with Handpicked Wines on the Mornington Peninsula. She started at Yabby Lake for the '15 harvest, and has been retained there through to the present. In between times she has kept herself busy by starting Pinemount, producing Pinot Gris and Syrah from the Yarra Valley in the inaugural '16 vintage. The aim is to expand her grower base with specific styles, extending to Chalmers fiano from Heathcote and an Upper Yarra pinot in the '17 vintage. -JAMES HALLIDAY