Mitchell Taylor
TAKING ON THE WORLD
At the helm of a leading global winery, third-generation winemaker Mitchell Taylor wants the world to know that Australia’s wines are up there with the best.
Mitchell has been involved in the Australian wine community for most of his life. He’s Managing Director at Taylors (called Wakefield Wines in Europe, the UK and North America), founded in 1969 in the Clare Valley wine region by Mitchell’s grandfather. Having studied at some of the world’s most prestigious institutions and led wine industry associations, Mitchell brings a big-picture view, passionately pushing Taylors to produce exceptional wines. And the international awards, including Most Awarded Winery in the World 2017, speak for themselves.
Setting new standards in wine
Mitchell can trace his passion for the wine industry back to when he was just 7 years old, working on the bottling line at the family winery. Fast forward several decades, and he’s now the one guiding the business as Managing Director. Since joining Taylors in the late 1980s – coming from London’s banking and stockbroking sectors – Mitchell has helped grow the business to record levels.
“I saw the work of my grandfather and father, and I saw their passion, but I also saw where the business could improve,” he says.
But it’s not just about business growth. Mitchell is also involved in making the wines, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather. He works with chief winemaker Adam Eggins to craft acclaimed wines and push quality and innovation further.
Mitchell’s proudest moment was in 2018, when Taylors’ ‘The Visionary’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 was named World’s Best Cabernet at the International Competition of Cabernets in France.
“I’m most passionate about making sure that the world really knows that in this country and in the Clare Valley, we make some of the very best wines in the world,” says Mitchell.
Innovation and experimentation are vital to Taylors’ success.
“We’re always challenging ourselves, whether it’s new varieties, looking at how the climate is changing, looking at new fermentation techniques, looking at new pruning techniques,” says Mitchell. “We’re continually pushing ourselves to the limit.
“It’s a very exciting time to be in Australian wine. [The industry] has some of the finest vineyards and oldest vines in the world. We have the best young talent … We always want to improve, and we are open to new ideas. We're not going to let anyone tell us how we do things. And I think the rest of the world hasn’t even discovered our best wines yet.”
*Mitchell Taylor is a Board Member of Wine Australia.
“It’s a very exciting time to be in Australian wine. And I think the rest of the world hasn’t even discovered our best wines yet.” – Mitchell Taylor
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