ROBIN Brockett, chief winemaker at Scotchmans Hill winery located in the heart of the Bellarine Peninsula, has been inducted into the Geelong Wine Show’s Hall of Fame.<\/p>\n
He joins a small number of other industry titans who have helped to put the Geelong region on the winemaking map.<\/p>\n
Brockett’s winemaking journey, which began unexpectedly in New Zealand, brought him to Australia, and subsequently Scotchmans Hill, in 1987.<\/p>\n
“I thought I’d be two or three years at Scotchmans and I’ve been here for 35 years now,” he said.<\/p>\n
In that time, both the business and the wine industry have undergone significant changes.<\/p>\n
“When I first started there were only two employed winemakers in the whole of Geelong, whereas now there’s probably 25-30,” Brockett said.<\/p>\n
“Down on the Bellarine, we were the second vineyard planted in the area. The industry was quite tiny.<\/p>\n
“Most people under 50 think there’s always been a wine industry but in general it’s probably only 25-30 years old.”<\/p>\n
Brockett’s Hall of Fame recognition is only the latest accolade for Scotchmans Hill, which has managed to continuously win awards and maintain its status as one of Australia’s leading wineries.<\/p>\n
The winery has remained on the James Halliday list of Top 100 Wineries and been rated as a Halliday 5-star winery for more than 20 years.<\/p>\n
“You get a sense of pride from it,” Brockett said.<\/p>\n
“I get a real kick out of people buying the wines and how much enjoyment they get out of it, or even people just saying, ‘I had a special occasion, and I really want the wine you make for that’.<\/p>\n
“When you’re making wine, you don’t think about those things, but it does touch a lot of people and bring enjoyment, even if it’s small.”<\/p>\n
For Brockett, his work remains about creating the best quality wines possible.<\/p>\n
“I work very hard with the guys out there [on the vineyard],” he said.<\/p>\n
“You’ve got to keep innovating and keep moving.<\/p>\n
“Everybody’s a competitor but we also work together. For us, the better everybody does, the better it is for the region. The more recognition, the more people it brings.”<\/p>\n
Brockett’s name will be added to the hand-carved Hall of Fame honour board on display at Geelong Cellar Door on Little Malop Street.<\/p>\n
Scotchmans Hill is at 190 Scotchmans Hill Road, Drysdale.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ROBIN Brockett, chief winemaker at Scotchmans Hill winery located in the heart of the Bellarine Peninsula, has been inducted into the Geelong Wine Show’s Hall of Fame. He joins a small number of other industry titans who have helped to put the Geelong region on the winemaking map. Brockett’s winemaking journey, which began unexpectedly in […]<\/p>\n