Nod for wine making young gun

THE nominees for this year’s Young Gun of Wine Awards have been announced with Emily Kinsman from Lake Eppalock-based ECK Wine earning herself a spot on the list.

The award, in its 17th year, recognises ‘young wine labels and winemakers on the rise’ and nominations come from across the country.

Ms Kinsman said she was excited to earn the nod considering her background consists more of libraries and courtrooms than vineyards.

“I was pretty chuffed to receive the nomination,” she said. “I feel honoured because I don’t really have a wine background and have only been in the game a couple of years.

“So, I am grateful to receive the nomination knowing my wines, my message and what I am trying to do is being recognised.”

While Ms Kinsman said she was always comfortable in a classroom, she still had a natural impulse to use her hands and be out in nature.

“I was always quite academic and studied hard at school,” she said. “I studied law and then worked as a lawyer for five years on Collins Street.

“It was never satisfying or satiated my urge for making and creating. So, my husband and I moved to Mount Macedon in 2016 and just loved being in the country and being in nature.

“We had a few veggie boxes, we were on an acre and just loved gardening and tending to those veggies and herbs we were growing.”

However, it was a fateful day on Lake Eppalock that led to Kinsman’s latest venture.

“We stumbled across the property on the lake in March 2017 by water,” she said. “We were in a speed boat on Eppalock, saw it from a distance, and fell in love with it.

“We thought, it could be exciting to tend to something more substantial than our veggie patches.

“We had no idea what managing a vineyard and winemaking would involve, but we loved the idea that we were in nature and being more active.”

It was a decision that worked out for the best and Ms Kinsman said she is now hoping to add her name to the list of Young Gun award winners.

Yet win, lose or draw taking a chance on wine is a decision Ms Kinsman is glad she made.

“It was very much a jump in the deep end sort of thing,” she said.

“But we have loved making from the land and loved sharing the wines we make with people, family, friends and anyone else who would like to drink with me.”