Martin Shaw
RAISING THE BAR
Martin Shaw helped spearhead the evolution of the Adelaide Hills as one of Australia’s most exciting wine regions. Thirty years later, his winery is still going strong.
A wine industry veteran, Martin Shaw has made wine all over the world. He cut his teeth at renowned Petaluma before heading overseas to work with different wineries and eventually set up the Flying Winemakers Network in France, Spain, Italy, Chile and New Zealand (flying winemakers are consultants who travel to different wineries). Now having completed his 30th vintage at his winery Shaw + Smith, Martin is a powerhouse of the Australian wine community.
An unflinching focus on quality
Martin added an exciting chapter to the Australian wine story in 1989 when he joined forces with his cousin Michael Hill Smith – Australia’s first qualified Master of Wine – to establish Shaw + Smith.
Based in South Australia’s dynamic, cool-climate Adelaide Hills wine region, Shaw + Smith produces premium, modern interpretations of classic wines, including a benchmark-setting Sauvignon Blanc, along with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Shiraz. The fruit comes exclusively from the Adelaide Hills, mainly from Shaw + Smith’s two vineyards – and soon from a third vineyard they recently bought.
Since the beginning, Martin and Michael have set out to produce the very best wine they could, and today Shaw + Smith is one of the region’s best-known wineries.
“The pursuit of wine quality is something that we’ve embraced from day one,” says Martin. “The journey of always trying to lift the bar and grow better grapes and make better wine is what we’re all about. We take extraordinary pride in everything we do.”
As part of this pursuit of quality, Martin and the team have adopted mostly organic practices in the vineyard and are moving towards being biodynamic.
“The sole goal is to produce better fruit, better wines, and improve the soil,” says Martin. “We are absolutely focused on making sure that we leave the site in better condition than when we came upon it.”
Looking back over the past few decades, Martin has plenty to be proud of. But he has no plans to slow down any time soon.
“This is our 30th vintage that we’ve just finished and having created a brand that is really perceived on the world stage as being exciting, that’s cause for great pride,” says Martin. “The future for Shaw + Smith is bright. Our goal is to become a truly great worldwide wine company.”
“The future for Shaw + Smith is bright. Our goal is to become a truly great worldwide wine company.” – Martin Shaw
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