There’s a quiet confidence about Peter Fraser – the kind that comes not from flash or fanfare, but from decades of coaxing greatness from the soil underfoot.
As winemaker and general manager at Yangarra Estate Vineyard in McLaren Vale, Fraser has crafted more than just wine – he’s stewarded a legacy. Voted Winemaker of the Year in 2016 and at the helm of one of Australia’s top-rated wineries, Fraser’s accolades are many, but it’s his philosophy that leaves the lasting impression.
Long before it was fashionable, he championed organic and biodynamic farming, eschewing synthetic chemicals and fertilisers in favour of soil vitality and vineyard health – believing, quite rightly, that better earth makes better wine.
Nowhere is that more evident than in his beloved grenache, which he calls “the jewel in the crown” of McLaren Vale. With only 125 hectares of old-vine grenache (70+ years) remaining in the region, Yangarra’s expressions – particularly the award-winning Old Vine and High Sands – are both rare and revelatory: medium-bodied, radiant with ripeness, and laced with the finesse McLaren Vale does so well.
Fraser isn’t just making wine – he’s restoring reverence to a variety that’s weathered every trend and come out, thanks to him, more luminous than ever.
We caught up with him over a couple of glasses – grenache, naturally.
Square Mile: What was your first experience of wine?
Peter Fraser: Wine was always part of family meals; however, I don’t think I took much notice until attending a wine dinner with my parents. It was during harvest, and the winemaker was very charismatic – wearing shorts. I wanted a job where I could wear shorts to work – and go out in shorts.
SM: What was the first wine you tasted which really caught your attention?
PF: I was in Pomerol, tasting at the winery, when I tried a very light-coloured wine that had the most vibrant aromas and flavours, with so much depth. It was an early realisation of how great an ethereal wine can be.
SM: When did you decide ‘I want to make wine!’?
PF: At the same wine dinner with the winemaker wearing shorts.
SM: Where and when was the first wine you made? And was it any good?
PF: At Roseworthy College, studying winemaking at the University of Adelaide. A group of four of us made four wines, including a vintage port. Let’s just say, you keep on learning.
SM: What’s been one of your favourite memories from your career?
PF: The travel. As a winemaker, you have incredible opportunities to visit beautiful wine regions filled with incredible culture and wonderful people all over the world.
SM: And the proudest moment from your career? Winemaker of the Year must be up there?
PF: Yes, receiving Halliday Winemaker of the Year in 2016 was very much a personal highlight. However, it was trumped by winning Wine of the Year twice with the same variety – a feat achieved by no other winery in Australia.
SM: What’s the most important lesson you’ve learnt in your career?
PF: It takes a team to grow and make award-winning wine. We set out with a clear goal, and everybody in the team contributes to bringing all the small details together.
SM: For some of your roussanne and grenache, you use ceramic eggs for fermentation and ageing. Can you talk us through why you decided on this approach?
PF: Kiln-fired ceramic eggs nurture a wine during its maturation. They are much less permeable to oxygen than a barrel, which slows down the aging process while preserving all the delicate fragrance, leading to the purest expression of variety and place.
SM: What are you working on next – any new varietals or blends in the pipeline?
PF: We have recently released a new grenache blanc from the 2024 vintage, which should be available in the UK in the latter half of 2025. We love the freshness of this wine and its savoury, textural nature. Coming into summer, it embodies the Aussie laid-back spirit – long lunches with friends, picnics in the park, wine bar catch-ups, or simply unwinding after a busy day.
SM: How has the industry changed since you started in it?
PF: You have to be careful in wine not to chase trends too much, as they come and go. We have always made more medium-bodied wines with finesse. In the early 2000s, wines of power were more lauded, but the trend toward more food-friendly, medium-bodied, fresher styles is being appreciated far more now. That is great for us.
SM: Who is your winemaking hero – and why?
PF: I try to learn from as many people and experiences as I can. I don’t have one specific hero. I take inspiration from many great wines, many people I admire in all walks of life, and sometimes just from something as simple as someone being true to who they are or being the best at what they’ve attempted. Those are things I really admire.
SM: If you could only drink one grape for the rest of your life, what would you choose and why?
I really don’t like the thought of that. But I have to say grenache noir is my deepest love as a grape variety. It’s my lifelong pursuit. It’s a challenging variety to grow and make, but when done well, it has the capacity to rival the very best pinot noirs and nebbiolos of the world.
SM: What’s your death-row bottle and vintage from your own line-up?
PF: Our High Sands Grenache, grown from a 1.7-hectare block of old bush vines planted in 1946 in ancient sands at the highest elevation of our estate. It has all the attributes that culminate in great wine: intensity, finesse, complexity, and the finest long finish
Our 2016 was awarded Halliday Wine of the Year a few years ago among over 7,000 wines reviewed that year. However, the 2019 is probably in a super sweet spot right now, and I think there are a few bottles available in the UK if you can hunt them down. (And it’s a 100-point wine.)
SM: And from another winemaker?
PF: Château Rayas is the pinnacle of grenache in the world. It is my true north in winemaking – its purity, texture, and expression of terroir are what I strive for in our wines. Unfortunately, it’s a little out of my price league, so I don’t get to taste it as often as I’d like. But every time I do, it’s a reminder of what grenache is capable of at its finest – and I’d like to think we are headed in the right direction.
For more info, see yangarra.com
