PHILIP

WINEMAKER / Philip Shaw

Born in Adelaide, South Australia in 1947, Philip began making wine when he was 12 years old, after a visit to Roseworthy as part of a school excursion – utilising Woodroofe lemonade bottles, raisins and some water and bakers yeast.

At 14 years of age, he began working in wineries in the Adelaide area, notably at Penfolds and Wynn’s Magill -initially washing bottles then graduating to running the cellar during vintage at Wynns.

After graduating from Roseworthy in 1969, Philip joined Lindeman’s, which was the biggest wine company in Australia. He was Head of Production at Corowa, then Lindemans largest winery.

At the age of 23 Philip moved to Mildura in charge of building Lindeman’s Karadoc winery - designed to be the largest winery in Australia - with a planned capacity of 200,000 tonnes. He was appointed General Manager.

In 1980 after 8 years in Mildura, Philip transferred to Head Office in Sydney with responsibility for winery development and production for all company wineries.

In 1982 Philip became Rosemount Estate’s winemaker and was instrumental in Rosemount’s extraordinary success around the world. From 1982 until 2000, the company grew from around 20,000 cases to 6 million cases.

Whilst at Rosemount, Philip was also responsible for a joint venture with Mondavi in the USA as well as making a range of wines for Rosemount in the USA.

Following the merger of Rosemount and Southcorp Wines in 2000, Philip became Head of Production for Southcorp Wines - a position he held until 2003.

Southcorp, at the time, was considered the largest premium wine company in the world, producing 23 million cases and having 17 wineries scattered throughout the world. The portfolio included many famous Australian brands - Penfolds, Wynns, Rosemount, Lindemans, Seppelt’s, Devil’s Lair and Coldstream Hills.

He has twice won the coveted International Winemaker of the Year at the London International Wine and Spirit Competition, in 1986 and 2000.

He was also the 1999 Qantas Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine’s Australian Winemaker of the Year and was awarded the 2000 Graham Gregory Trophy for his outstanding contribution to the Australian wine industry.

Over the years, Philip has consulted in many countries including China (East Coast), USA (J Lohr) & Chile (Santa Rita).

It was also in this period that Philip established his own vineyard, Koomooloo, in Orange in 1988/89 after years of searching Australia for the best site to make exceptional wines with flavour and finesse. The opportunity to pioneer a region also appealed.

In 2004, after leaving Southcorp, Philip began working full time in the Orange district for both his own brand and as interim CEO of Cumulus Wines.

Philip Shaw Wines was originally established in leased premises in 2004. After several moves, in 2008 the first vintage was undertaken in the current premises at 100 Shiralee Rd, Orange.

The first commercial vintage – 10,000 cases, was in 2004.

By the 2017 vintage, Philip Shaw Wines was selling over 30,000 cases per year in Australia and overseas.

The Philip Shaw Wines are sourced mainly from the Koomooloo Vineyard. The vineyard rises to an altitude of 900m (2,950 feet), which gives ideal cool climate.

Then in 2015, after 11 years building Philip Shaw Wines into a successful family wine brand, Philip handed the business over to his sons, Damian & Daniel and started his new wine brand HOOSEGG.

Using the fruit from selected sites at Koomooloo, which is now 30 years old, HOOSEGG makes small parcels of exceptional quality wine. 

Achieving the best quality doesn't come easy. Site, variety and clone all play a part as do the wide range of vineyard inputs. Bud, shoot, bunch numbers and minimal irrigation are also critical factors, Philip personally plucks, pinches and polishes the chosen grapes! He is totally immersed in every step of the vineyard and winemaking process. It is his life and love!

 

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