"What started out as an idyllic retirement plan for Mike and Judy Press, has turned into a thriving business offering amazingly affordable wines to the world.
After working in the South Australian wine industry for over 40 years – from Penfolds under Max Schubert, to Seppelt, and finally to Mildara Blass as chief winemaker – Mike and Judy purchased their property in Kenton Valley, near Lobethal in the Adelaide Hills, in 1998. Planting 30 acres that year and a further 30 the following year, the plan was to sell their fruit to his industry contacts. Unfortunately, their timing wasn’t great as by the time the vines were producing, Australia was struggling with one of its biggest ‘grape-gluts’.
After a couple tough years, they soon realised that their best option was to turn their fruit into wine, so in 2003 Mike dusted off his winemaking boots and produced cleanskins for sale to the local market. Mike and Judy walked the streets of suburbs all over Adelaide and through the hills dropping flyers in peoples letter boxes and the cleanskins quickly gained a cult following, continually selling out.
Mike and Judy are still actively involved in the business, they live onsite at their Kenton Valley vineyard, son James is managing the vineyard and Mike is making all the wine. They remain a dedicated family company with an unchanged aim to produce quality wine at an affordable price, so it can be enjoyed by everyone, any time." - Mike Press
