Patrick Sullivan
The wild-haired Patrick Sullivan is a farmer first, a winemaker second.
His pride and joy is his vineyard in the Strzelecki Ranges in the Gippsland G.I. of Victoria. On this plot of land, Pat farms with organic principals alongside Bill Downie, one of the most revolutionary winemakers of his generation.
Bill takes the Pinot Noir from the vineyard, Pat takes the Chardonnay. The Chardonnay wines emerging from his cellar are some of the most exciting in the country. Addicted to volcanic soils and the power and energy that those soils bring to Chardonnay, Pat is amassing a formidable stable of Chardonnays that articulate a small slice of Australia's ancient terroir.
The wines are un-tinkered with, fermented in neutral vessels with little or no sulphur and are made to express their special site and the vagaries of vintage. In Pat's words, "The wines are inspired by emotion, a moment in time and a sense of place."