THE Crittenden family celebrated 40 years of wine making on the Mornington Peninsula on October 18, taking time to reflect on the successes and dedication of founders Garry and Margaret Crittenden.
The pioneering couple started the winery in the early 1980s, after horticulturalist Garry decided to combine his love of growing things with his penchant for good wine and bought a greenfield site in Dromana, at the foot of Arthurs Seat.
With the help of friends, the Crittendens embarked on their grape growing venture with gusto, planting five acres (2.02 hectares) of grapes in the second weekend of September 1982 and, in doing so, doubling the amount of vines in the fledgling peninsula wine growing industry to 10 acres (4.04ha).
Daughter Zoe, who now helps to run the estate with her brother Rollo, said her parents were quick to see the potential of their venture had to build on the tourism aspects of the winery experience by offering good food as an extension of the cellar door.
“Mum was a beautiful cook who dreamed of having a restaurant, so in 1992 she opened up her first cellar door and restaurant,” she said.
“Everything was made from scratch, she was just amazing at what she did and it was very successful.”
The kitchen is now leased to chef Zac Poulier for his Stillwater at Crittenden, but the restaurant remains an integral part of the Crittenden Wines experience.
While the couple originally planted cabernet, pinot noir and chardonnay, their commitment to making great wines saw them soon branch out, introducing new grape varietals such as barbera, nebbiolo, dolcetto and sangiovese to Victoria and Australia, and eventually expanding to include 11 acres (4.45ha). Crittenden wines are now sold in most Australian states and exported to the United Kingdom.
Garry, who was the first winemaker in Australia to commercialise Italian wine varieties, also a pioneered sustainable farming and regenerative practices, abandoning all synthetic chemicals and using only biological farming methods to restore and maintain the health of the soil.
“Now, we have a large compost heap, and we mulch and spread every year, we also plant inter-row crops like fava beans and rye grasses – it’s a very different way of farming to when the winery started,” Zoe said.
“Within a year or two of making those changes, we started to see a difference in the grapes, and it’s all down to improved soil health and having the right bugs.”
Like her husband Garry, Margaret was also a visionary and established accommodation on site, making Crittenden’s one of the first wineries to do so. Margaret died two years ago but has left a legacy that will likely continue for generations.
While Garry is semi-retired, Zoe says he is proud of what he and Margaret achieved at Crittenden Wines over four decades, and still likes to be involved as much as he can.
First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 25 October 2022
