Q&A with a winemaker

Meet Matt Burton, owner of Gundog Estate, nominated for 2021 Winemaker of the Year by Gourmet Traveller WINE

Your family lives in Austinmer; you went to TIGS. How did growing up in the Illawarra shape you?

Moving to Austinmer from Balmain in Sydney, we just loved how accessible the Illawarra was, particularly the beaches. We’d spend most of our time with friends at Austi beach or rockfishing on the Headies rock platform. This kind of thing just didn’t exist for us in Sydney, so it definitely shaped our teenage years. No doubt these freedoms and the more laid-back Illawarra lifestyle shaped what I wanted in life. I have always valued natural beauty, proximity to the beach, and a desire to spend as much time as possible outdoors.

What inspired you to become a winemaker?

I grew up in a family where food and wine were always a big part of life. My parents are wonderful cooks and loved entertaining, and no doubt I really enjoyed the atmosphere and conversation (often about wine) this brought to the house. One of Dad’s old industry workmates owned a vineyard in the Hunter, and I decided it could be fun to spend a week there for our year 10 work experience program. I loved the scope of winemaking work – from the vineyard, with all the farm machinery, to the winery full of stainless-steel tanks, pumps, and wine barrels. This experience also introduced to me the links between winemaking to science and art; areas I was already interested in at school. The fit seemed natural and, from the age of 16, I really didn’t picture myself doing anything else!

What was the first wine you produced, and how far have you come since?

I took the reins as a winemaker at the age of 22 and I still laugh at how young and naïve I was. I can’t remember the first wine I made, but I’m guessing it was a little rough around the edges! Mastering any craft is a lifetime’s work, and after 20 years I feel I am only halfway there. I’ve learned a great deal over the years, getting plenty wrong and at least some of it right. Philosophically, I’ve stopped chasing impossible notions of perfection and tend not to worry too much about the things I can’t control – like the weather leading up to harvest. Overall, my approach to winemaking and life is much more measured and calm – I like to think this is reflected in some way in the wines we make.

What's the story behind the name, Gundog?

The brand is playfully named after the late family Cocker Spaniel, Karl. Gundog by breed but certainly not temperament – he’d invariably take off in the other direction at the sound of anything resembling a gunshot!

In business, what are you passionate about?

That’s easy – sustainability! More than a buzz word, it’s a philosophy linking the economic, social, and environmental aspects of our business (and lives). Sustainability shapes every decision we make as an organisation and has led to some incredible outcomes far beyond operating a financially viable wine business. For the second year, our business and wines are carbon neutral and, via our community partnership with 15 Trees, we’ve been able to support some amazing environmental regeneration projects. We also work with another community partner, Path 2 Change, to support their efforts in breaking the cycle of homelessness by getting disadvantaged young people into jobs.

You returned to Wollongong in 2018 and now live in Balgownie. What brought you back?

In 2017 we opened a second cellar door in Gundaroo, near Canberra. This coincided with our vineyard interests expanding into the emerging, and high-quality surrounding wine-growing regions. I found myself travelling big distances between the Hunter and Gundaroo, often making a detour to the family home in Austinmer to break the travel up. This seeded the idea of basing myself in Wollongong and bouncing between the two. Gundog had grown to a point where I could hand over some of the levers to my incredibly talented team. This lifestyle change was a bit of an experiment, but so far so good – it actually seems like the further away I get, the better the business does! My partner, Marissa, is from Wollongong so that made the move even more attractive.

Best drink to toast to the end of lockdown?

It’s got to be expensive and bubbly, right!?

Visit www.gundogestate.com.au