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Michael Slater - our winemaker...
He’s Back!
Fresh from a stint working for the huge Miranda operation in Griffith, one of Mudgee’s favourite sons, Michael Slater, returns as winemaker to his old stomping ground at Robert Stein’s. He made some brilliant, trophy winning wines before – with this experience under his belt, a vintage in New Zealand and a seemingly cracker Mudgee vintage on the horizon, we are very excited!!! (No pressure whatsoever, Michael).
We asked Michael about the move and the pros and cons of boutique vs big business: “I wanted to move back to Mudgee as it is a great winemaking region, particularly for Shiraz and Cabernet which are my favourite varieties.
Working in a big operation was certainly an eye opener but it soon became clear that large wineries have limited scope for anyone with the ambition of making unique, top quality wines. I felt my skills were better utilized in a winery such as Steins where the potential is there to make wines as good as anywhere in Australia. However, I will be able to implement the systematic approach to winemaking that I learnt in Griffith to consistently produce wines of the highest possible quality.
One advantage of a big operation is that you have a lot of different vineyards to draw on, sometimes across various regions, which gives you a much greater choice when putting blends together. But with a smaller operation you have more time to spend on your better wines and you are not bound in your decision making as is generally the case in the larger operations.
When it comes to winemaking I am a perfectionist. I don’t accept anything but the best going into bottle. And it’s a very simple process – as long as you have it clear in your mind what style of wine you want to produce! Saying that, for reds I aim for wines with good concentration and flavour that can be enjoyed young but which also have good ageing potential. In whites I look for softness and good acid balance to ensure the wines are easily enjoyed as well.”
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