On International Women’s Day every year, the voices and stories of women across the world are celebrated, as we address the issues that cause gender inequality and diversity. But despite these issues remaining, such voices and stories take a backseat once the day is done.
We think it’s worth doing the opposite and actively challenging the issues that create these gaps in our industry. So, we’ve launched this weekly series, Wednesday Women, where we’ll profile the stories of the inspiring women in this great and wide industry.
Today we speak with Teresa Heuzenroeder, who after studying chemistry and microbiology at university pursued a change of direction, and following a 20-year winemaking career is now the Winemaker for Ovata by Oakridge.
“My first job out of university was working in a laboratory as a food microbiologist. I realised pretty quickly that the routine nature of a lab environment was not for me. The opportunity to join the wine industry came when I took a position as microbiologist at Yalumba in the Barossa Valley,” Heuzenroeder told The Shout.
“In that role I worked very closely with the winemaking team. A chance tasting one day led to a lightbulb moment when I realised that I wanted to become a winemaker – and so it went from there.”
Throughout her career, Heuzenroeder has worked across a diverse range of varieties, regions and styles, initially starting with large-volume commercial brands, where she gained a solid foundation and understanding of winemaking.
“I then gradually assumed responsibility for premium and single vineyard brands from cool climate regions including the King Valley, Eden Valley, Adelaide Hills and Tasmania. It was at that point I began to specialise in white and sparkling wine which has been my focus ever since,” she explains.
With her background in microbiology, Heuzenroeder says her decision to specialise in white and sparkling wine was a natural progression, and one that made use of her education.
“Sparkling winemaking in particular relies on a good understanding of the fermentation process as sparkling wines undergo two fermentations – the first to produce the base wine and the second where the magic of effervescence is created. Making sparkling is a combination of science and art requiring a high level of attention to detail which appeals to me.”
Always evolving
In Heuzenroeder’s current role, she works closely with the Oakridge team in the Yarra Valley, crafting the Ovata sparkling which was launched late last year. She also oversees premium sparkling winemaking across the Paragon Wine Estates portfolio, bringing more than 20 years of winemaking experience.
Having spent so many years in the industry, Heuzenroeder says it is the unpredictable nature of winemaking that keeps her inspired, and the evolution of her winemaking style.
“The nature of winemaking is that each vintage our fate is determined by what happens in the vineyard and the forces of Mother Nature. In the many vintages I have experienced no two have ever been the same. We can control some factors but the weather is not one of them, so each year the wines will be influenced by the seasonal conditions.
“It’s hard not to be inspired by the fact that each vintage will be different which provides the excitement and anticipation of what lies ahead each year.
“I’ve had the opportunity to work with some amazing people over the years who have shared their knowledge and in doing so helped to shape my winemaking style and philosophy. The wine industry is very collegiate and people are always keen to share their experiences and how they do things. Those exchanges often result in ‘aha’ moments of different things to experiment with each vintage that keep the wine styles evolving.”
Throughout her career, Heuzenroeder has also observed some unique changes in the winemaking space.
“I’ve seen a lot of change in the industry over time but none more so than in the last couple of years with changing consumer preferences, a shift to lower alcohol styles and the way in which we communicate and engage with our customers.
“The pace of change has substantially increased with the advent of social media so I must admit I tend to use channels such as Instagram and LinkedIn to gauge the latest trends and industry activity. There’s lots of great information to be gained from these platforms, however I do also use more traditional methods of industry journals, websites and just talking to other wine colleagues to keep abreast of what’s happening,” she concluded.
