Sholto Wines

Jake Carter began his career as a winemaker when he turned 18, working for Rob Howell of Jeir Creek Wine and Greg Gallagher of Gallagher Wines. That was 9 years ago, and he has now launched his own label to concentrate on alternative varieties (read natural) wines. He says he doesn't like the idea of sticking to any sort of recipe, so 'I change or tweak the ferment a bit for every wine coming through in the new vintage'. Fortune favours the bold it seems, and he's now embarking on planting a vineyard on a property purchased by his family just north of Canberra, outside the village of Gundaroo. There he will plant 2ha of 'alternative' varieties, and set up a rustic-style cellar door converted from an old horse barn. -JAMES HALLIDAY