Inspired by his years alongside Steve Flamsteed, Dave “Davebro” Mackintosh founded Arfion (“our wine” in Scottish Gaelic) in 2012. Having already formed relationships with some of the finest sustainable growers in the valley, it was his chance to make wines his way—to listen to the vines and the soils and intuitively respond to make the purest and most delicious wines possible. “All I need to do is baby the wines along, push the fruit to the edge, and make sure it doesn’t fall over the other side.” He favors early picking for its subtlety and freshness, “catching the wine in its perfect moment.” He says, “The cool thing about winemaking is you have 100 different elements coming together to form one thing. I am the caretaker for this collision of elements, trying to showcase the area, the sites, and the vintage in the wine.”

Dave is a true artist; the Fever label is his own work and is a homage to his take on terroir—a subject on which he has strong feelings. Too often, terroir is discussed without considering culture, and in Dave’s opinion, we’re missing a trick here. The fusion between natural and cultural elements is what he believes provides wines with a true identity. “It’s what makes Aussie wines Aussie, what makes Arfion wines Arfion.”

Yarra Valley Chardonnay in Dave’s hands is a thing of beauty. Always attractive and complex, he manages to capture both varietal purity and regional transparency without forcing the wines. His Pinot Noir, at once pristine and powerful, is an effortless example of wine made with a “less is more” mentality.

Alongside his great friend Steve Flamsteed, Davebro is also a partner in the Salo Wines project, established in 2008 with the aim of making a Yarra Valley Chardonnay that sat outside the stylistic norms for the region. Letting their creative minds loose, the first vintage was 50% whole-bunch fermented and a pretty out-there style, but it clearly struck a chord and was met with serious critical acclaim.

Since 2008, the pair have honed Salo, refining and tweaking each year depending on the vintage conditions, while always making Chardonnay with great weight, power, and structure. It’s a wine that is uniquely theirs, inspired by a desire to work together, to make wine from their favorite variety, and to have a good time doing it.

The boys sum it up best:
“When the right grape is married to the right soil and site, really cool things happen. This partnership can transcend all challenges and shine well above human interference. Occasionally the stars align and nature throws us a really beautiful growing season.”