Our Team

 Terrey Johnson – rural producer and wine grower

Terrey Johnson grew up on the land and following his studies in ecology as part of a Rural Science Degree at the University of New England, Armidale, has always pursued a relationship with the land based on diversity, balance and quality produce rather than exploitation and profiteering. The art and science of full flavoured wines have fascinated him since his university days. His realisation that Bantry Grove's geographic position provided the opportunity to diversify and produce exceptional quality cool climate grapes is the culmination of his long held values and his vast experience on the land.

Terrey Johnson's philosophy and values lead him to seek out like-minded people who understand the importance he and his wife Barbie place on family, friends and community, and their long term view of wine growing on a scale producing exceptionally high quality cool climate wines that benefit from their direct involvement and give them a degree of control that allows them the satisfaction of sharing the fruits of their labour directly with others.

Barbie Johnson – sales and marketing

After a career in nursing Barbie Johnson joined Terrey in the Bantry Grove wool growing and beef cattle operation before they replaced the sheep with their vineyard. Barbie Johnson carries the direct experience of growing and making wines with her wherever she goes to promote Bantry Grove wines. Whether it's at the Bathurst Farmers' Market on the fourth Saturday of every month at Bathurst Showground from 8am to 12pm, the annual Sydney's Good Food & Wine Show, the quarterly Blayney Markets, or in presentations to commercial customers, Barbie's good humour and devotion to the family's wines shine through.

Barbie Johnson's pride and confidence in Bantry Grove wines are constantly reinforced by feedback from commercial customers and consumers in leading tourism venues such as Jenolan Caves House, hotels such as the Royal Hotel, Carcoar, bottle shops such as Charlotte Street Cellars, Bathurst, as well as visitors to farmers' markets and Members of the Bantry Grove Inner Circle Wine Club, who appreciate Barbie's product knowledge, reliability of delivery and service. Barbie and family are ready and open to new opportunities for Bantry Grove wines in wine bars, cafes, restaurants, fairs and farmers markets as a result of new liquor laws in New South Wales.

Tim Esson – consulting viticulturalist

Tim Esson's cool climate expertise is directly transferred from his education and experience in the cool climate wine growing region of Marlborough, New Zealand. His experience as a viticulturalist in Australia includes vineyards in the Barossa Valley, South Australia, and the Hunter Valley, New South Wales, as well as the Orange Region, New South Wales. His studies include agribusiness management as well as viticulture which is an indication of his confidence in the future of vineyards such as Bantry Grove where a premium is placed on hand-crafted quality while keeping prices affordable and maintaining commercial viability.

Tim Esson has been involved in giving Terrey Johnson expert advice for more than 10 years and worked alongside him since the first Bantry Grove branded vintage in 2004. Tim Esson and Terrey Johnson are at one in what it takes to produce outstanding cool climate Australian wines in the Orange Region and how to take best advantage of Bantry Grove's unique soils and micro-climate as one of Australia's highest cool climate vineyards. They plan and monitor the growth and flavour of the grapes constantly and use the vineyard's elevation to extend the ripening period to intensify the fruit's character with stronger tannins, more acid, more colour and more flavour.

Richard Parker – consultant winemaker

Richard Parker completed his winemaking degree at Charles Sturt University and has been running the Long Rail Gully Winery for 10 years producing wines for the company's own labels as well as being the winemaker for selected vineyards in Orange, Cowra, Hill Tops and Canberra. He rates the fruit from Bantry Grove as amongst the very best he has to work with for the Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir varieties, for every vintage.

Richard Parker has earned a reputation for absolute care and outstanding results with grapes from vineyards such as Bantry Grove which warrant the complete attention he gives them in consultation with growers such as Terrey Johnson. Richard Parker works closely with Terrey Johnson tasting and oak testing to express the complexity of the fruit grown so meticulously at Bantry Grove and achieve wines unique in colour, flavour and style. Sharing a philosophy based purely on quality with growers such as Terrey Johnson has seen Richard Parker's reputation as a winemaker and Long Rail Gully Winery's capacity grow enormously over the past three years.