Vineyard Manager: Fred

I was raised in the town of Renmark, on the Murray River about an hour east of Oxford Landing. My parents grew grapes and apples and peaches on land that my grandfather owned before them and that I now own.

One of my earliest memories as a 4-year-old is being taught to prune T-trellis Shiraz vines by my father, and I distinctly remember being shown the 2-bud spur. Like most 4-year-olds, though, I had a very short attention span and soon decided to bury the snips in the sandy cultivated soil. Only problem was I couldn’t find them again – much to my father’s disgust. That was about the time I decided to give away the dreams of becoming a fire man for the lure of farming.

After working my way through university, my dream job opened up back in the Riverland, and so I began my job at Oxford Landing in 2001. I started  under the guidance of the late Bill Wilksch, Marty, Rod, and the list of mentors here just goes on. I was in good hands. Bill had been a part of the Oxford Landing way of life since 1965, and he was the best friend, boss and mentor any boy like me could ever have. Even when I wreaked havoc in the vineyard trying new ideas.

Now as Vineyard Manager I just pay attention to the vines. The plants will always tell you what they want – it just depends on whether you’re paying attention.

Outside the vineyard, I spend time with my family, my girlfriend, Olivia, and my fruit property. I’m a keen fisherman and regularly travel to the west coast of South Australia to a little town called Elliston. I’m not sure if it’s the fact that you are in barley county over there and they all drink beer that makes it a good getaway, but the fishing is great, as is the place and the people. A bit like Oxford Landing.