Our Winemaking Approach

Our Story

Our story takes place on Kangaroo Island, a remote and pristine haven nestled off the coast of South Australia. Here, amidst the island's unique cool-climate terroir and breathtaking natural beauty, a vision was born: to craft exceptional wines that truly capture the spirit of this remarkable place, guided by the masterful touch of French winemaking heritage.

Our Mission

Kangaroo Island, a pristine cool-climate haven in the Southern Ocean, is a wine region with untapped potential to produce world-class wines. At The Islander Estate Vineyards, our vision is to establish Kangaroo Island on the global map of fine wine.

We achieve this by harnessing the island's extraordinary viticultural advantages – its unique maritime environment and ideal growing conditions – and meticulously crafting its fruit with the refined elegance of French winemaking expertise.

The result is a distinctive range of wines, celebrated for their finesse and longevity, designed to stand uniquely among the country's best.

Winemaking

Here, amidst the unique maritime environment of Kangaroo Island, we draw on classic French winemaking techniques paired with the freedom of Australian winemaking to craft wines with a true creative expression. It is on this pristine island that Jacques and his partner Yale produce cool-climate wines, truly representative of their unique origin. 

“When I planted on Kangaroo Island, it was with a well-defined concept of the wine style I wanted to produce. My reasoning was based on the selection of the soil, the climate, the aesthetics of the place, the method of production, which does not compromise the quality, and the principle that a high-class wine must be the result of a natural balance of all its components.” Jacques Lurton

Establishing the vineyard on Bordeaux varietals like Cabernet Franc and Semillon, then adding others from around the world with the potential to thrive in Kangaroo Island’s unique growing conditions. We meticulously manage low yields for these varieties, employing specific winemaking techniques to unlock their finest expression.

Reflecting our commitment to quality, all grapes are hand-picked and meticulously sorted. Wild fermentation is utilised across our entire range of red wines, with thoughtful ageing exclusively in French oak. A signature of The Islander Estate Vineyards is the art of blending varieties to craft truly great wine. It offers the opportunity to select the finest characteristics from different grape varieties, achieving a more complete and complex final expression.

“The marriage of varieties makes it possible to better express the soil and create a unique style.”

The Islander Estate Vineyards winemaking philosophy is to allow natural acid and tannin to be the wine’s driving elements, with a focus on producing medium-bodied wines of elegance and finesse, but built to last.

Meet the Islander Estate Vineyards Team