Sam Plunkett - Chief Winemaker

Chief Winemaker Sam Plunkett (B Ec Monash) is a highly respected figure in the Australian wine industry. As winemaker he has amassed more than 230 medals from Australia's highly competitive wine show system. His best-known creation, the Plunkett Reserve Shiraz (now The Rule), has won more than 30 gold medals, including several awards for best red wine of show. His reputation for excellence and consistency in winemaking led to him to build an ancillary business as an integrated contract winemaking operation for over 20 other wineries in central Victoria. Since entering the industry he has helped build the winery from a tiny facility attached to a farm shed to a major Victorian winery with crushing, fermentation and bottling equipment. An inveterate tinkerer and innovator, a lot of the winemaking equipment features his own designs and modifications. Sam has an advisory position on the wine technology committee at the University of Melbourne, and he has worked closely with leading wine schools including the University of Melbourne's Dookie campus and the Australian College of Wine. His latest challenge, in early 2009, was to begin his Master of Wine. Sam was born in 1968, the year his father Alan first planted wine grapes on the family property in the Strathbogie Ranges. He and his wife Bronwyn Dunwoodie, an architect, have two sons Felix and Ed.

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Matt Fowles - Managing Partner

Matt Fowles (LLB, BA Monash) has stepped up from a successful legal career to the post of managing partner with Plunkett Fowles. One of the key figures in the creation of the company, Matt brings his commercial legal experience with the leading Melbourne law firm Baker & McKenzie to the new entity. He takes up the key tasks of coordinating the sales and marketing of new and continuing wine brands, as well as developing the strategic direction for the partnership. But most importantly Matt has a keen interest in all things outdoors, and most particularly wine. Matt was recently admitted to the year-long Future Leaders program being run jointly by peak wine industry bodies including the Winemaker's Federation of Australia and the Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation. Program graduates are expected to become the next generation of industry leaders in these and other bodies. A keen sports fan, he is a member of the Melbourne Cricket Club and the Melbourne Football Club. His wife Luise lives with him and their pooch, Saxon, in the Strathbogie Ranges.

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Lindsay Brown - Winemaker

Before becoming a winemaker, Lindsay Brown worked as a research scientist and technician at the accomplished Commonwealth Serum Laboratories in Melbourne for 18 years. He completed a degree in wine science at Charles Sturt University in 2001. Lindsay went on to work for wineries in Rutherglen, Victoria and later at Miranda Wines in Griffith, New South Wales, where he rose to become senior winemaker. He has considerable experience in crafting red wines and botrytised (sweet) wines, and has also tried his hand at making and blending fortified wines. Central Victorian Shiraz is his personal favourite. One of his key responsibilities with Plunkett Fowles is to be the main contact with the smaller wineries for whom the partnership makes wine. He lives with his partner Marta on Upton Hill, close to Plunkett Fowles' winery. Lindsay is also a dedicated supporter of the Melbourne Football Club.

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Victor Nash - Senior Winemaker

A recent finalist in the Young Australian Winemaker of the Year contest, Victor Nash is one of the most talented members of the Plunkett Fowles team. Born in Sydney to immigrant Polish parents, Victor discovered a love for wine while studying at the University of Sydney. After completing a Bachelor of Applied Science (Wine Science) at Charles Sturt University, his devotion to cool climate wines took him to the Strathbogie Ranges. His particular passion is for the great French varietals of Bordeaux and the Rhone, although his experience in contract winemaking has strengthened his abilities with a wide array of varietals from Spain, Portugal, Germany and Italy as well. Victor's technical expertise in wine chemistry underpins his rigorous approach to guarding against any contamination risks during the winemaking process. He has a well-deserved reputation for effective and professional wine production management. Victor and his wife Jo live in Avenel with their two children.

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Joelle Martin - Assistant Winemaker

Joelle Martin is the Assistant Winemaker and Lab Technician at Plunkett Fowles and analyses wine and grape samples as well as setting up trials for the other winemakers. She combines this with duties as an Assistant Winemaker and she is also in charge of barrel husbandry. A French passport holder by virtue of her grandparents, Joelle worked on the 2006 vintage in the Fronsac region north of Bordeaux. Her current focus is on mastering Cabernet Sauvignon, the classic Bordeaux varietal. Joelle previously worked at the Tahbilk, Scotchmans Hill and By Farr wineries in Victoria, and at the Charles Sturt University Winery in New South Wales. She also has experience in export coordination and management. She holds a degree in wine science from Charles Sturt University and a degree in business (agricultural commerce) from the University of Sydney. She lives with her husband known by all as ‘Stretch’.

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Bub Kelly - Cellar Hand

Bub has been with Plunkett Fowles since 2006, moving into the wine industry after working in hospitality for 12 years. With a natural appetite for hard work, she spent many of those years managing hotels and country pubs. She plays a very important role in the winery as captain of the barrel shed. She has also been a leading Cellar Hand for vintages 2007 and 2008, and Cellar Manager for 2009 vintage. She helps educate our international workers, and is rapidly becoming multilingual – although majoring in Aussie slang! Bub is the "go to" gal at Plunkett Fowles and is the ‘glue’ for our whole crew.

Tegan Clydesdale - Laboratory Technician 

Tegan joined the team at Plunkett Fowles in late 2008 and is responsible for all the analysis on wine and grape samples, as well as conducting bench trials for various additions within the cellar. She gained most of her experience in the Ozpak Laboratory but strengthened her abilities with our wine making team. She is now also managing the successful wine show circuit, entering and preparing wines for shows. She is currently living in Avenel with her partner Mick.

Michael Clayden – Commercial Winemaker Manager

Winemaker and emerging commercial sales manager Michael Clayden has particular responsibility for the winery's bulk commercial wines. He nominates Chardonnay as his favourite white varietal, but his special passion is Shiraz. He has had 25 years of experience in the wine making industry and has been involved in judging several major wine shows. Before moving to the Strathbogies he worked at several Lindemans wineries as vintage coordinator and cellar manager, in Victoria and New South Wales. He lives in Avenel with his wife Kerry and their two children.

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Will Shackleton – National Sales Manager

The newest member of our team, Will Shackleton joins us as National Sales Manager with a wealth of commercial knowledge from his experience in many business categories. From Elwood beach in Melbourne, Will comes from a family of enthusiastic gourmets and has a life long passion for fine wine, great food and the highest levels of customer service. He has many years of wine industry experience, starting as a bus boy in a busy Hawthorn hotel and working his way up in sales of boutique, premium and commercial wine brands, followed by senior management roles across several brand arenas (wine, sport and fashion). Will brings to Plunkett Fowles an invigorated focus on our customer needs. You will usually find him either out racing his road bike, on the slopes of Mt Hotham or with a good wine, strong coffee or both(!) somewhere around town.

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Ian Firth – Customer Services Manager

Ian Firth is our Customer Services Manager and wine club supremo. Ian has worked for wineries in the Myrtleford region in north-east Victoria, where he set up restaurant and cellar door operations from the ground up. His efforts resulted in winning the Victorian tourism award for best tourism winery in 2006. Ian is geared up to promote the cellar door as a relaxing, enjoyable venue that reflects the finest of wine, food and epicurean culture. Ian will also be organizing special wine and food events at the cellar door. Ian and his wife Lisa live near the winery, amidst the vines, with their two ridiculously cute daughters!

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Adele Aitken – Head Chef

Adele Aitken, our new Head Chef, is a bit of a local legend having spent some time at Mitchelton Wines and the Ruffy Produce Store honing her expertise in locally sourced products. Adele has created a menu that brings out the best of our region, featuring only the very finest from local producers.When they are not out fishing local streams in search of trout, Adele and husband Matt and children hang out in Avenel.

Sam Booth - Chef

Samantha Booth started Uni like most kids out of school, searching for a vocation and studied Teaching and Arts. But something just didn’t click and she knew it wasn’t for her. She soon discovered cooking and knew she had discovered her passion. Happily her first job in a commercial kitchen was with Adele Aitken – our Head Chef. Having well and truly caught the hospitality bug with help from the infectious Adele, she worked front of house to gain some extra experience before heading back into the kitchen at Tahbilk. She now finds herself working with Adele again as our Second Chef at Plunkett Fowles, as well as supervising the floor at the Cellar Door.

Sarah Knight - Regional Area Manager

Sarah joined the team at Plunkett Fowles four years ago as a waitress in the café and over time became the Cellar Door Manager. She also had short stints in the Laboratory over the last couple of vintages. For the last two years she has been actively and successfully managing regional sales and events. Sarah lives in Nagambie with her children Pegs (Begal) and Lanny (Cockerspaniel)!

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Luise Fowles – Communications Manager

Luise Fowles started her career with one of the biggest advertising agencies in the world, focusing on graphic design and account management. She has spent several years with a leading promotions and events marketing company in Melbourne, where she worked with major brands such as Nestle, Uncle Tobys, TAC, Kraft, Ford and Yellow Pages. Her experience in these fields is invaluable in the wine industry which requires a direct and personable approach. She is an energetic member of the team and never stops smiling!

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Eileen Curtis – Chief Financial Officer

Before joining the team at Plunkett Fowles, Eileen Curtis (B.Bus, MPA, ACPA) worked in regional Victoria as the Financial Controller at a major food manufacturing business. Eileen has developed an outstanding track record as both a Financial Controller and IT Executive. Her vivacious and positive nature has a wonderful impact on her team. Eileen lives locally with her two equally vivacious kids and husband Michael.

Denise Newman – Management Accountant

Joining the busy Admin team of Plunkett Fowles in January 2008, Denise is responsible for the tracking and costing of all stocks as they flow through our winery from raw product to finished bottled wine. After completing all her schooling locally and gaining a Bachelor of Business Degree at Latrobe University – Bendigo, Denise was drawn to management accounting and has worked in many aspects of finance in the Chemical Manufacturing, Fashion (UK), Packaging Supplies and Turf and Sports field Industries. A lover of all things Equestrian, Denise is a keen Dressage rider and lives in Seymour with her husband Keith and their daughter Lauren.

Max Hammond – Accounts Receivable and Logistics Officer

Max Hammond joined Plunkett Fowles in April 1998 after completing a 20 year Army Career. In that time he has worked in many positions in the company from the vineyard, to Cellar Door Manager for 8 years where he did NMIT studies and obtained the Certificate for Food Processing (Wine) Cellar Door sales. He now works behind the scenes in the Admin crew. He currently lives in Seymour with wife Heather (Chef) and son William who is a Baker in town.

Helen Evans – Accounts Payable and Administration

Helen Evans joined the Plunkett Fowles team in the early days of 2005. She is a very efficient and dedicated member of the team.