DEAKIN

Deakin Estate’s vineyard and winery complex is at Red Cliffs, near Mildura in the Murray Valley of North West Victoria. There are 350 hectares (865 acres) under vine. It is warm and sunny there, where the great Murray River brings life to the region. In the 1880s, Alfred Deakin, a former Prime Minister of Australia, encouraged California's Chaffey Brothers to bring their irrigation expertise to the vast inland valley of the Murray River in North West Victoria. The Deakin Estate property and its wines are named in honour of that visionary, Alfred Deakin.

Deakin Estate’s efforts are focused on producing fruit of the highest quality and expressive wines brimming with flavour and varietal character. The range of wines was launched in 1994 in limited quantities. Since then, investment in extensive vineyard plantings has allowed them to share their distinctively Australian wines with customers around the world. Deakin Estate wines can now be found in over 30 countries across the globe.

Frank Newman & Aidan Menzies

Frank Newman joined Deakin Estate in 2014, after decades of rich winemaking experience. He was Senior White, then Red Winemaker at Penfolds, working alongside Max Schubert in the creation of Grange. Frank was also Chief Winemaker and Production Manager at Angoves for more than a decade and also made wine for BRL Hardy's Renmano. Frank's experience in small and large wineries has consolidated his expertise in crafting wines across most styles and price points. Frank says of his winemaking, "My aim is always perfection and my football team's motto is something that has been a driving influence over the years. 'Nil satis nisi optimum' – not satisfied with less than the best.' Aidan Menzies began with Deakin Estate in 2016, an archaeologist turned winemaker, graduating with honours from the University of Brighton, UK. After vintages in Chianti, Napa, Sussex, New Zealand and Greece, Aidan started his Australian winemaking career in 2011 at Phillip Shaw wines, then Angoves and Kingston Estate.