Description
About Fetherston Vintners
Fetherston Vintners is the collaborative project of Chris Lawrence and Camille Koll. Having both spent significant time in hospitality and the wine industry, their deep love of food and wine forged a desire to create beautiful wines to share with those they love – an unstoppable force that simply had to happen.
The name Fetherston pays tribute to Chris’s late grandfather Gerald Henry ‘Tony’ Fetherston. Tony was an inspiring educator in the field of horticulture. Though he passed away when Chris was just four years old, Chris’s connection to Tony goes beyond a physical resemblance; it touches all elements of his life—a deep and intrinsic love of plants, growing ones’ own food and preparing it with heart, then teaming it with delicious wine. Tony’s interest in cooking embraced cuisines and cultures from all over the world, something that unites the two beyond the physical barriers of time. This love of plants was fundamental in leading Chris on his path towards winemaking and the wine industry.
The Winemaker
Chris’s winemaking career began in the kitchen. Working as a chef for over 13 years, he applied his trade in establishments all over Australia. His time in the restaurant industry forged a deep love of wine and taught him the deeply complex organoleptic concepts of flavour, harmony and balance.
Chris graduated as valedictorian from his applied science degree (oenology) in 2014, with a faculty medal for science. While undertaking his degree, Chris worked as Assistant Winemaker at Yering Station and undertook a vintage internship at Domaine Serene in the Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA. These experiences gave him a comprehensive understanding of what it takes to make premium cool climate sparkling, chardonnay, pinot noir, shiraz and cabernet sauvignon.
In 2014 Chris took on the role of Winemaker at Sunshine Creek where he continues to focus on making premium Yarra Valley wine.
