Winemaker Interview: Andrew Fleming part 2

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A few weeks ago, Coldstream Hills chief winemaker, Andrew Fleming took time out of his insanely busy schedule to talk to WineDown. Between slurps of Chardonnay juice as he monitored the wine press, he discussed his explosive early attempts at winemaking, how he got his start in the industry, and what life is like at Coldstream Hills.

Now read on...

WD: So, you left uni, and scored a job as assistant winemaker at Mildara pretty much straight off the bat. How was that?

AF: Well, the first couple of months were great – I was in the cellar. But then vintage started, and I was put in charge of a shift, and I was just like... a blindfolded idiot trying to lead a tsunami. But you learn quickly! Hang on... I just need to have another taste...

WD: How’s it coming along?

AF: Nearly there. Where was I?

WD: Leading a tsunami, blindfolded.

AF: Yeah. You learn quickly. And then, over time, you start to see the fruits of your labours and then things start getting really interesting.

WD: But you didn’t stay there. You went to France to study, right?

AF: Yes – a two-year post-graduate degree in Bordeaux. It was fabulous and terrifying. I didn’t speak a word of French.

WD: Non?

AF: Nope. I learned Russian and German at school, which didn’t help much. But full immersion is a great way to learn a language. To learn anything, really. And after a while, you stop being terrified, and you realise that they’re just like us, just normal, decent people – and we had a great time with them. OK! I’ve done it.

WD: What?

AF: I've pressed the stop button. My work here is done.

WD: Seriously? That’s it?

AF: Not quite, but I do get to go back to the office and wash these sticky hands, and get a cuppa.

WD: How do you do that? How can you taste the same juice umpteen times in the space of an hour, and perceive such minute differences – AND then make decisions based on that?

AF: It takes some practice. But there’s also a technique: you pin the experience to something. Like, how do people recall the tiny variations in vintages? I remember all those years ago in France, I was picking grapes and the first question I was asked by the owner of the place was: What year were you born? I said was born in ‘61, and he said, fantastic vintage! I suddenly felt as though I had some credibility. But it was more that he remembered that vintage. Or, more correctly, he remembered something in particular from that vintage – it could just be something tiny. He had a memory to pin to every vintage. It’s something I try to do here at Coldstream Hills.

WD: You arrived at Coldstream Hills in 2001?

AF: Yes, twenty years ago.

WD: Happy Anniversary! How did that happen?

AF: Well, after I scored my diploma [Diplome National d’Oenologue], I headed home, and picked up a gig at Lindeman’s Karadoc up in Red Cliffs. It was a great opportunity to learn large-scale winemaking – understanding how to deal with people, and to manage processes at scale. Lindeman’s Chief Winemaker, the late, great Phillip John, always said that it didn't matter whether it was cask wine or your top product – we want it to be the best. And I thought that was such a great mantra to follow. The business also had a joint venture project in the south of France, so I got to go back and complete a few vintages over there, which was a wonderful opportunity.

WD: You were at Lindemans for six years?

AF: Yes, then in ’96, I headed south to become Senior Winemaker at Seppelt, Great Western.

WD: What’s your stand-out recollection of that time?

AF: The fruit. We got to play with fruit from all over. The Grampians, Drumborg down towards Portland, the Strathbogies, Bendigo... it was a great opportunity to see what the rest of Victoria had to offer. But then in 2001, I was offered another role.

WD: Coldstream Hills!

AF: That’s the one. Stepping into a role that had been vacated by James Halliday...!

WD: I imagine that could’ve been a bit daunting...?

AF: No, it was bloody terrifying.

WD: So when did you get over your fear of James Halliday?

AF: Who said I got over it? [a guffaw] Great mentors are often terrifying...

WD: Twenty years is a long time to be in one job. How have things changed in that time?

AF: Well, you know what they say – it’s evolution not revolution. You spend the first five years just getting a good understanding of different vintages, so you know how to cope with whatever is thrown at you. And you start to understand which are the better vineyards – and even sections of vineyards. There’s this thing we use called vineyard mapping, where you can actually see the more vigorous parts of a vineyard. It’s really helpful for knowing where to start picking... and anyway, this particular block that we're doing now, there's a much greener area just up near the top, quite close to the Halliday's house. [James and Suzanne still live on the property they founded in 1985] Turns out, it’s the septic tank overflow. So now we can honestly say there’s a little bit of Halliday in the wine.

WD: [Thinks] Pee-no Noir! [Says] So, apart from the super fertile green zone, what is the Halliday legacy?

AF: James doesn’t interfere, but it’s fantastic having him close at hand. We’ll quite often approach him for his opinion when we’re trying something out. [the we, in this case, is Andrew and his offsider, winemaker Greg Jarratt] We’ll give him a taste, then stand back and watch those mighty eyebrows. When they suddenly arch heavenwards, we know we’re on a winner.

WD: And what’s the Andrew Fleming legacy?

AF: Experience is a wonderful thing... You’re not chasing your tail anymore. The older you get, the more you can think in advance about things: What’s the year like? What sort of things we can we try doing here? How can we do it better? But also, with time, comes strong relationships. We’ve been working with the majority of our growers for 10 years or so. They know what we want, and vice versa. Greg and I can take a look at a parcel of fruit and say “This looks pretty handy, let’s try this...”

WD: And then you weave your magic?

AF: We mostly just try not to stuff it up. For us it's about gentle handling. We don't need to add things to soften or whatever... it's just about handling the fruit as gently as possible, while still getting the flavour profile that we want. All of our wines are vegan and vegetarian friendly – which to me says a lot about the handling.

WD: So, you’ve spent two decades giving premium, cool-climate wines the velvet glove treatment in one of the country’s most iconic small vineyards. What’s the next port of call for Andrew Fleming?

AF: Are you kidding? Have you seen Coldstream Hills? Mate, I’ve thrown out the anchor!