St John’s Road was born of a chance encounter between founders Martin & Vivienne Rawlinson and a Saint-Émilion vigneron looking to purchase vineyards in the Barossa Valley. Managing a Bed & Breakfast in Bordeaux at the time, they were attracted by the romance of making their own wine in Australia and purchased a small vineyard in Eden Valley in 2001, later acquiring the property on St John’s Road in Greenock. Guided by the best and brightest of the Barossa winemaking fraternity they set about creating a stable of expressive and (unlike the typical Barossa wines at the time) elegant wines, which reflected their experience living in France.

Following the untimely passing of Martin in 2005, successive generations of Barossa winemakers have preserved the Rawlinson’s modern approach to the classic varieties of the region. Continuing that tradition is winemaker Luke Broadbent who is caretaker for the wines on the current leg of the journey. His approach is to focus on freshness and primary fruit flavours via the retention of natural acidity. Modern and fresh wine styles that embody the mantra of ‘flavour with elegance’.

Based at our winemaking facility in Nuriootpa, Luke is supported and mentored by winemaking director Andrew ‘Ox’ Hardy, and Keeda Zilm with whom he worked at O’Leary Walker in the Clare Valley. Luke and our winemaking team work closely with a carefully aligned group of local growers, many of whom are from multi-generational Barossa grape growing families. These growers not only supply fruit for our wines, but also contribute their heritage, stories, and personalities; the very essence of St John’s Road.