30 years of memories

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30 years of memories

Young Corrina

To mark 30 years of winemaking at Oliver’s Taranga, Corrina has trawled through her photos and memories to put together some of the great highlights of her career…

Starting in 1994 until present day, Corrina has packed a lot into the last 30 years at Oliver’s Taranga, continuing her family’s legacy into an exciting future!

Young Corrina
A young Corrina in the cemetary vineyard
1994 Oliver's Taranga Shiraz
The first vintage from Oliver’s Taranga Shiraz
Corrina in the Fin Review
Corrina in the Fin Review

1994 – In 1993 I had just finished my commerce degree, before going straight into a winemaking degree at Adelaide Uni/ Roseworthy/Waite. I pestered Grandpa HJ & Don to let me have some fruit to make a wine (wasn’t hard to convince them!) I worked with legendary winemaker Pam Dunsford at Chapel Hill to make our first wine, I was very green but very keen. And Oliver’s Taranga Vineyards was born. We even designed the first label on our Commodore 64 computer hahaahah!

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Gallo Sonoma

1997- IN 1997 I got a scholarship from Southcorp Wines & Adelaide University to do my final year of winemaking at UC Davis in California. I stayed on for a year working for Gallo Sonoma. This was a life-changing experience, as it had significantly more international students than Adelaide. On my first day at Davis Dr Roger Boulton (ex Australian iconic lecturer at Davis) said to me that the people that you pass in Wickson Hall will be people you will meet again and again in your future in the greater wine world, and that has turned out to be very true, and I am so very grateful for the experience.

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Pregnant Corrina in the lab at Karadoc

1999 – In 1999 I started on the Southcorp Wines graduate winemaker program working at Penfolds, Seppeltsfield & Karadoc. I ended up staying on at Karadoc until 2003, as Senior White Winemaker responsible for the then 18million litres of Bin 65 Chardonnay blend. I loved my time at Karadoc, I had my daughter Miah, learnt epic time management, people management and organisational skills, with the winery bottling 24 hours a day.  I kept coming back and forward to McLaren Vale to make the Oliver’s Taranga Shiraz with various local wine makers.

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Corrina judging at wine shows

2000 – In 2000, I started wine judging around the country. This is something that I have found super rewarding, being able to travel to regions and look at wines outside what I am making in McLaren Vale. I have made loads of great mates and connections as I rose through the ranks to eventually become Chair of numerous shows. Really enjoy the details tasting and camaraderie and connections across the wine community that this has enabled.

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Corrina accepting the trophy for Wine of the Year
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2003 – Our 2000 HJ Shiraz was awarded Winestate Magazine Shiraz and Wine of the Year.

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Corrina picking her first batch of Fiano

2004 – In 2004 I left Southcorp wines and started working full-time for Oliver’s Taranga. We planted Fiano – joining the pioneers of Alternative Varieties in Australia, which has been such a thrill to be part of. I am still very involved today as president of the AAVWS (Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show) as well as all of our work with Fiano, Vermentino, Mencia, and other alternative varieties in this space.

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The 2005 Len Evans Tutorial (Corrina is front left)

2005 – In 2005, I was thrilled to be selected for the prestigious Len Evans Tutorial in 2005. It was an incredible experience and turned out to be the last one that Len himself attended before passing away. I tasted wines that I never thought I would get to taste, made friends for life and my love for wines and the wine world went to the next level!

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Corrina representing the ASVO

2006: Around this time, I started contributing at an industry level to a number of boards. Over the years, I have been part of the McLaren Vale Grape Wine & Tourism Association, Winemakers Federation of Australia, Australian Wine Research Institute, Australian Society of Viticulture & Oenology, Australian Women in Wine and Diversity and Inclusion in Wine committees and boards. While sometimes challenging, I really enjoy being able to give back to the industry as a whole, following in the footsteps of my family members before me who have always been strong contributors to the region and industry for generations.

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The newly renovated cottage & cellar door
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Young Guns of Wine

2007 – In 2007 we finished the reno of the old cottage on the Taranga vineyard and opened our cellar door. We became a real grown-up business with an office and everything! I was also nominated for 2007 Young Gun of the Year.

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Corrina & Brioni in London
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Corrina exploring the vineyards of Italy

2010: Around this time I started travelling to numerous wine regions and markets, especially being able to travel with Brioni. Love, love, love travelling. I get so inspired in different places, meeting different people. I guess I am an extrovert and I get energy from others 😊 Sometimes I cry when I am in a place that is so different and I am having such a nice time, and it all gets a bit overwhelming!

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Corrina’s husband Dan & son Koen in their vineyard

2010: My husband and I welcomed our son Koen, and we purchased my grandparents’ home and 40 acre vineyard from my mum. Big achievement. Nothing like a massive bit of debt to get you up in the morning!

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Corrina accepting the award for the Fiano

2014: In 2014 we won some incredible trophies at the AAVWS for our 2014 Fiano, awarded by favourite chefs Stefano Di Pieri and Frank Camorra.

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The Australian Women in Wine Board at the Awards

2015: Jane Thomson from The Fabulous Ladies Wine Society started the Australian Women in Wine Awards and asked me to join the inaugural advisory board. This has been an incredible movement to be a part of, instigating real change in the industry, that has less than 10% female representation in winemaking & viticulture. It has been rewarding to celebrate more women in wine, create a diversity, equality and inclusion charter for the wine industry and take the celebration of Australian women in wine to London and New York over the years. Jane and I have also been fortunate to represent Australia in Milan with the Le Donne Del Vino (Italian women in wine association) to sign a memorandum of agreement with women from wine associations around the world.

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Corrina accepting the award for ASVO winemaker of the year

2019: In 2019 I was awarded ASVO Winemaker of the Year. So very humbling to be awarded this by my peers.

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Cousins Sam, Corrina & Brioni opening the new Cellar Door
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The newly renovated Cellar Door

2021: In 2021, we opened our newly renovated cellar door – a massive achievement! Our cousin Sam also joined the business. I have loved working with everyone who has worked at Oliver’s Taranga , it’s been crazy going from a couple of us, to close to 20 staff members!

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Corrina & Valtteri Bottas at the winery making IHANA

2022: In 2022 we started the IHANA project with F1 gun and fellow wine nerd Valtteri Bottas – this has been a crazy adventure, but we have loved every second of it!

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The Oliver & Press team

2023: In 2023, we bought the final piece of our puzzle, and Oliver & Press Winemakers was born. Very proud to have come full circle from grapegrowing for 5 generations, to our 6th generation being part of the creation of a successful wine brand, cellar door and winery.

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Basically, I feel very lucky to love what I do, be able to work with my actual family and staff family who are all the best, to go on adventures all over the wine world, to create wines from the special place that has 185 years of my family’s grapegrowing and farming skill, and to be part of the 6th generation contribution to our ongoing family story.

Thirty years has flown by!

Corrina

 

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