Editors note:
We take this opportunity to congratulate Peter Gago on his being appointed Companion of the Order of Australia,.. and I am sure the InternationalWine community joins in this congratulations,..as Peter has been a great Wine Ambassador for an iconic brand,.. but also for Australia!
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Peter Gago thinks luck landed him a job at Penfolds almost 30 years ago, before he climbed the ladder to become the brand’s chief winemaker in 2002.
Ever the humble producer and now ambassador, he fails to consider his talents in crafting the sought-after reds at one of the world’s most recognisable labels, and his obsession, dating back decades, with collecting wines and educating others about them.
“One of my career highlights was the day I applied for the assistant winemaker role at Penfolds and being successful, that was a huge thrill,” Mr Gago, 60 said.
“I was in the right place at the right time in 1989.”
Wikepedia Entry
Gago was born in Newcastle, England, where he lived until the age of six before emigrating to Australia, settling in Melbourne. He became a high school teacher of mathematics and chemistry in the early 1980s after graduating from the University of Melbourne with a Bachelor of Science. At age twenty-nine, he undertook a Bachelor of Applied Science (Oenology) degree at Roseworthy College, graduating as dux.[3][4]
According to his Wikepedia entry ,…Gago started a job with Penfolds Wines in 1989, initially producing sparkling wine before moving on to reds, and eventually being made Penfolds Red Wine Oenologist. Gago succeeded John Duval as Penfolds Chief Winemaker in 2002,[3][4] becoming only the fourth person to hold the position since Max Schubert was first appointed in 1948.[5] Gago has been involved with the market promotion of Penfolds wines since the early 1990s, travelling extensively to attend wine shows and conduct tastings and master classes.
On winemaking, he has said, “I would not say that my style is particularly evident in the winemaking, although I’m a firm believer in no filtration or fining, natural yeast, open-top fermenting and other noninvasive techniques. For me, it’s about knowing when to interfere and when to stay out of the way”.
*”Peter has been appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia, for service to the wine industry and, as an internationally acclaimed winemaker, to global promotion of excellence in oenology, marketing and research, and as a mentor. The recognition adds to a swag of accolades over a decade, including being the second person ever given the Winemaker’s Winemaker Award by The Institute of the Masters of Wine in 2011.” *The Australian
Mr Gago’s family immigrated from Britain when he was five, and he lived inthe state of Victoria until 1984, when he changed careers.
