THORN CLARKE

Thorn-Clarke has a strong belief in the age old saying “you can't make good wine from bad grapes” and to this we owe a lot of our success. In the late 1980's, governments were sponsoring growers to pull vines in an attempt to overcome an oversupply in the industry. Against trend, David Clarke, a geologist by training set about testing soils and buying land (at one time under car headlights to avoid local farmer suspicion) with the intention of establishing his own vineyards in the Barossa. Developing a great understanding for the diversity of the Barossa, David purchased land in two sections of the Eden Valley and two in the Barossa Valley. The Eden Valley has since become synonymous with high quality white wines and the Barossa with high quality reds.

Derek Fitzgerald

Having originally gained a degree in Chemical Engineering from the Sydney University, Derek decided his talent would be better used making wine. As a result he completed a Graduate Diploma in Wine Making at Adelaide University. Since his winemaking studies, Derek has worked in various wine regions - including the Hunter Valley, Franklin River, and Langhorn Creek. These experiences have given him the opportunity to produce a variety of styles from cool and warm climate viticultural regions. Derek's winemaking ability has won him several trophies at wine shows - including 'Best White of Show' at the 2002 Royal Sydney Wines Show. Now part of the Thorn-Clarke team we are sure the success will continue.