Kerri Thompson
LIVING ON THE EDGE
Kerri Thompson is Australia’s Riesling queen, pushing winemaking to the edge with her experimental styles and laser-like focus on quality.
Winemaking is a way for Kerri to connect with her creativity and with the land she loves. And those are the things that drive her winemaking style. She’s been making wine in South Australia’s Clare Valley for more than 20 years, founding her winery, Wines by KT, in 2006. There she crafts small batches of wine from two carefully selected vineyards. Her love of life and passion for her craft translates to her wines – vibrant, clever and diverse, some with a sense of excitement and fun but never compromising on quality.
Following the Riesling trail
Kerri’s star was on the rise when she joined the historic Leasingham Wines in the Clare Valley in the late 1990s. She’d worked in some well-known wineries and cemented her skills in Italy and France. But her first Leasingham wine was a flop, coming in last at the local wine show. Disappointed but determined, Kerri used it as motivation – and the next year her wine won Riesling of the Year.
The experience kicked off her love affair with Riesling – a passion that’s seen her become one of Australia’s top Riesling makers and a beacon for innovative winemaking.
Kerri grew up in Adelaide but spent a lot of time near Clare Valley on her grandmother’s farm. She was drawn to winemaking partly because of its connection to agriculture and started studying winemaking when she was just 17.
“I feel like it was quite natural for me to come back to the Clare Valley,” says Kerri. “I’m really drawn to the landscape here. It’s a really special place. And to be able to find enjoyment and comfort in my business and work-related world is a real joy.”
Kerri works with Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache and Tempranillo, but Riesling is her biggest passion. She experiments with different styles, from classic, dry and zingy through to preservative-free, wild-fermented and funky. Recognised for her boundary-pushing work, Kerri was a finalist for the 2017 Gourmet Traveller WINE Winemaker of the Year award.
“Most of my experimentation has been based on teaching people that Riesling can be many different things and showing it in many different styles,” says Kerri.
“Making wine is so much fun and I’m really proud to be a part of the Australian wine community. We have this wonderful freedom to be able to harness the creative winemaking process and take it wherever we want to go.”
“Most of my experimentation has been based on teaching people that Riesling can be many different things.” – Kerri Thompson
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