John Fogarty
MOONLIGHT TRAILBLAZER
By day, viticulturist John Fogarty produces grapes for highly respected and traditional wines. In his spare time, he helps craft small batches of funky, experimental drops that cast Margaret River in a whole new light.
As Chief Viticulturist of Fogarty Wine Group, John manages 350 hectares of premium vineyards in Western Australia. Since 2002 he’s helped drive quality and innovation in the business, which processes approximately one-third of all Margaret River’s grapes. But what’s got John excited now is something much smaller and more adventurous.
From classic to cutting edge
Based at Deep Woods Estate in Margaret River, where he lives with his young family, John spends his days looking for ways to improve the vineyards that produce world-class Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon.
“I'm a fairly quiet sort of person that likes to be outside in the vines,” he says.
Deep Woods Estate is one of several brands within the Fogarty Wine Group, which is Western Australia’s largest wine business, renowned for its diverse range of award-winning wines. Founded by John’s father Peter in 1996, it also comprises Millbrook Winery and Evans & Tate in Margaret River, Smithbrook Wines in nearby Pemberton and Lake’s Folly vineyard in the Hunter Valley.
“I’ve had a great mentor in my father, and he’s shown me how to work hard and aim high,” says John.
But John’s story doesn’t stop at classic wines. In 2016, he launched an experimental side project to pursue his passion for the left of field. Together with Deep Woods Estate’s young gun winemaker Julian Langworthy and John’s brother Mark, who manages the finance side of things, they created the Goon Tycoons brand.
Their aim is to showcase different varieties and smaller vineyards throughout Western Australia. The trio’s acclaimed small-batch wines include a wild, unfiltered Riesling, a fresh Fiano and a Teroldego, a rare red variety from Northern Italy.
“We’re getting to play outside the box a bit, as opposed to making very traditional, classic styles of wine,” says John. “We call it our night-time job and it keeps us extremely busy, but it’s been great fun.
“I think you need to push the boundaries all the time, so we’re adventuring and trialling new things. Some may work, some may fail, but there’s always something more you could do.”
– John Fogarty
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