- Tuesday 10 October 2017
- Written by Sian Gard
Sian Gard from ABC Central Victoria was one of the thousands of visitors to last weekend's Heathcote Wine and Food Festival. Here's her story about a day exploring the wines and the people who are passionate about making fine Heathcote wines.
Sian writes: Many people enjoy a good drop of red or white, but for Madeline Marson the appreciation of wine is a passion that has been passed on from father to daughter.
“As a child, me and my sister were always taken to the wineries that my father worked at in the Yarra Valley,” she said.
“I’ve kind of grown up in the industry, with my father being a career winemaker with almost 40 vintages.”
Madeline is pursuing a career in the industry, working and learning in the family vineyard at Heathcote.
“My sisters and I, we’ve been involved from the beginning [and] bit by bit I've become more involved and now helping my father, Mario, in the winery with winemaking as well as other things in the business.”
As a winemaker in training, Madeline says there is a lot to love and appreciate in the wine business.
“I love the variety. I think every day is different.
“There are so many different jobs in the winery. It requires many different skill sets, a lot of practicality that I'm learning about and there is also a creative side with an attention to detail with wine making during vintage is quite remarkable.”
With about 60 wineries in the Heathcote Wine Growers Association, Madeline is among a growing number of women who are choosing to work in the wine industry and she says she is excited by that.
“I think there's a growing movement of women in wine so it's really exciting to see that in Heathcote.
“There are quite a few female wine makers and eventually to become part of that will be a really fun, process.”
With a four-year Bachelor of Science Degree ahead of her, Madeline says that this is just the beginning of her career.
“Education in the industry according to my father doesn't stop.
“It is important to keep learning, do vintages overseas, work with some other varietals that we produce and continue learning for years and years and years.
“It's a great part of the industry, you learn, you get to travel as well. I'm looking forward to exploring that for as many years as I can.”
Story/Photo by Sian Gard