Writing a new family story

Growing up among the vines in McLaren Vale, Corrina got the vineyard jobs no one else wanted and worked in local cellar doors. Corrina considered a career in law, finished a commerce degree and travelled overseas for a year before coming back to study wine making at Adelaide University. 

During her studies, Corrina convinced her family to give her some fruit from their vineyard to make wine. The Oliver family were viticultural pioneers renowned for their ultra-premium grapes – but they didn’t make wine. Back then, 100% of their grapes went to other wineries. Corrina took a bold step in a new direction and Oliver’s Taranga was born. 

From her first experimental bottles of Shiraz in the 1990s, Corrina has built Oliver’s Taranga Vineyards into one of Australia’s most exciting and respected wineries, together with her cousin Brioni Oliver, Operations Manager. Corrina’s wines are handcrafted and boutique, using only the fruit from the family vineyards. They include McLaren Vale’s big three – Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache – and an exciting lineup of alternative varieties such as Fiano, Vermentino, Tempranillo, Mencia and Sagrantino. 

Grape growing remains a vital part of the family story, with Taranga selling around two-thirds of its premium grapes each year to high-end wineries. Since 1996, Oliver’s Taranga grapes have gone into Penfolds Grange – arguably Australia’s most famous wine – at least 14 times. For an Australian grapegrower, farming the grapes used to make this iconic wine is a high honour and growers cherish making the grade just once in their lives.

From winemaker to industry leader

In 2005, Corrina graduated from the Len Evans Tutorial, one of the world’s most exclusive wine school programs, and in 2006 she participated in the Australian wine community’s inaugural ‘Future Leaders’ professional and personal development program. After winning the Industry Leaders Fund Award in 2012, she headed to the US for the High Potentials Leadership Program at Harvard Business School. These experiences shaped her wine making style and made her an important voice in Australian wine.

Corrina has long been passionate about challenging the status quo and making the Australian wine community more diverse and collaborative. Along the way she’s collected a cabinet full of awards, judged and chaired wine shows and served on industry boards. From pioneering Mediterranean varieties and reinvigorating the McLaren Vale Wine Show to driving diversity and advancement in Australian wine, Corrina has created a lot of change in a short amount of time. But her passion for McLaren Vale and deep respect for her family’s heritage remains a constant. 

Corrina is also a champion for women in the industry, from her position as a committee member on the Australian Grape & Wine Diversity, Equality & Inclusion Charter. In addition, Corrina holds an advisory board position for the Australian Women in Wine Awards, is an active participant in Family Business Australia and was recognised by them as a Leading Woman in Business in 2022.

Disclaimer

This information is presented in good faith and on the basis that Wine Australia, nor their agents or employees, are liable (whether by reason of error, omission, negligence, lack of care or otherwise) to any person for any damage or loss whatsoever which has occurred or may occur in relation to that person taking or not taking (as the case may be) action in respect of any statement, information or advice given via this channel.