From Rebellion to Roots
Patrick Sullivan is one of Australia's most celebrated and respected winemakers — a figure who has evolved from the wild, fluorescent "Haggis" days of his twenties to the deeply rooted, biodynamic farmer he is today. Named Young Gun of Wine in 2016 and Best New Act in 2013 (the inaugural year of that award, created on the spot because judges were so taken by his wines), Patrick has spent nearly 20 vintages across the world — France, Spain, California, New Zealand, and Australia — before settling in the Strzelecki Ranges of Gippsland, Victoria. His wines are made from certified biodynamic vineyards with no irrigation, no tillage, minimal sulfur, and an approach that prioritises soil health above all else. The early wines — Haggis, Bonkers, Jumpin' Juice — were fluorescent, rule-breaking, and globally iconic. The new chapter — Tumblestone, Ada River, Millstream — is about fine Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, planted by himself, farmed by himself, on his own land. This is not a winemaker chasing hype. This is a man building foundations for the next generation [^102^][^104^][^106^].
From Selfridges to Bill Downie's Farm
Patrick Sullivan's wine story began at 12, when a school excursion to a winery sparked an interest that never faded. He spent school breaks working in vineyards, and by 19 he was in London — first at a Christmas temp job at Selfridges, then staying 18 months on the wine floor. It was there he met Masters of Wine and industry veterans who taught him enough to decide: go home, study wine properly [^102^].
Back in Australia, Patrick enrolled at Roseworthy Agricultural College (now Adelaide University), quickly swapping winemaking for viticulture — "It's strange," he recalls, "everyone studying winemaking wasn't so interested in tasting wines, but us lot studying viticulture — we tasted and shared bottles all the time." After a brief flirtation with actuarial science, he joined the legendary biodynamic farmer and winemaker Bill Downie in Gippsland. It was here that Patrick learnt the most important lesson of his career: how to sustain and improve soil health. The Downie connection would prove lifelong — Patrick still co-farms multiple sites with Bill today [^102^][^104^].
In 2010, a government tax rebate for small winemakers made Patrick's label financially viable. At 24, he made his first wine — a 2010 Heathcote Shiraz. What followed was a swathe of creative, no-nonsense, somewhat bonkers wines made completely naturally and without additions. He became famous for Haggis — a co-fermentation of Moscato, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Malbec, because "why not?" — which graced natural wine bar lists across the globe. Bonkers and Jumpin' Juice (with Xavier Goodridge) followed. These were wines that tipped everything people thought they knew about Australian wine on its head. But Patrick was already thinking about what came next [^102^].
"Maybe I was way too young or maybe it was just a storyline of the time and place. I was naive, but it was a lot of fun. A lot has changed in the last five years!"
— Patrick Sullivan
Volcanic Soils, High Rainfall & Deep Roots
In 2014, Patrick and his wife Megan bought a farm in the Strzelecki Ranges, Gippsland — a property they named Tumblestone. In 2016, they planted their first vines: a massal selection of Australian old-vine Pinot Noir and Chardonnay material from the Yalumba nursery, almost all own-rooted. Patrick hasn't found a rootstock he thinks suits the unique climate and soil, so the vines stand on their own roots — a bold decision in a region with as much rain as Scotland [^102^][^104^].
The soils are extraordinary: volcanic on blue clay, volcanic on sandstone with quartz and fossilised calcareous material. The property is surrounded by forest, with birdsong from every direction and a microbial population in the undergrowth that is extraordinarily rich. But the high rainfall brings challenges — downy mildew is the biggest threat, and Patrick has had to abandon the no-till approach he learned from Bill Downie in favour of methods that work in this wet, dynamic environment. The vineyard is dry-farmed, certified biodynamic, and planted with just one hectare to start — a financial and viticultural necessity for a first-generation winemaker with no family money [^102^].
Beyond Tumblestone, Patrick co-farms multiple sites across Baw Baw Shire with Bill Downie: Guendulain, Bull Swamp, Camp Hill, Millstream, and Manilla. Each site has its own microclimate, its own geology, and its own personality. Ada River is surrounded by forest with very little air movement, giving density and tension. Millstream is exposed, creating a different kind of linearity. Patrick works in the winery towards the strength of what each fruit parcel offers, resulting in distinct, site-specific expressions [^102^][^111^].
Patrick and Megan's own property, purchased 2014, planted 2016. One hectare of own-rooted Pinot Noir and Chardonnay (massal selection from Yalumba nursery). Certified biodynamic, dry-farmed, no tillage. Volcanic soils on blue clay and sandstone with quartz and fossilised calcareous material. Surrounded by forest, rich microbial life, extraordinary birdlife. High rainfall — as much as Scotland. The long game: vines won't produce until they find their depth.
One of the oldest vineyards in Victoria's Gippsland region. Source of the iconic Baw Baw Shire Chardonnay. Volcanic slopes, certified biodynamic, dry-farmed. Hand-harvested, indigenous yeasts, minimal sulfur. A site of tension, purity, and profound site expression. The wine that made Patrick's reputation for Chardonnay excellence.
Surrounded by forest with very little air movement. This gives the wines density and tension — a prettiness that Patrick accentuates with careful lees work. The Chardonnay from this site is lush, detailed, and enveloping. A site that demands patience and rewards it with extraordinary depth.
Quite exposed compared to Ada River, giving a very different kind of tension — linear, raw, and structural. Patrick leaves these wines alone in the cellar, allowing the site's natural personality to shine through. The result is Chardonnay of striking clarity and mineral drive — uncompromising and beautiful.
Soil First, Wine Second
Patrick Sullivan's philosophy has shifted dramatically since his twenties. The winemaking details he once saw as gospel — no sulfur, wild yeast, no additions — have taken a back seat to something more fundamental: soil health. "When you have your own land, it becomes all about your vineyard site and your locality," he explains. "I have the intention of making the best wine humanly possible, and leaving our piece of land in the best condition possible for the next generation. It's as simple as that" [^102^].
All vineyards Patrick farms are certified biodynamic. His own Tumblestone vineyard is dry-farmed with no irrigation and no tillage. In the cellar, fruit is meticulously sorted, gently crushed, and fermented with indigenous yeasts in neutral vessels. Very low doses of sulfur are used to protect the wines just before bottling — a pragmatic concession to stability that Patrick now views as far less important than how the fruit was grown. "I'd much rather drink a wine from someone that added acid and farmed well, than someone who didn't and sprayed a s*#&load of herbicide. The primary concern is making sure the soil is maintained and kept as healthy as possible" [^102^].
Patrick's approach is entirely sensory. The bottles are filled with a pure expression of the fruit, with no intervention other than time. He is entirely immersed in the process — a true purveyor of acclaimed, intriguing, and honest wines. The wines are inspired by emotion, a moment in time, and a sense of place. This is not remote-control winemaking; it is presence, intuition, and deep connection to land [^104^][^116^].
The Evolution: From Music Festival to Foundation
Patrick describes his early wines as music festivals — fun to attend, but the tent comes down eventually. The new chapter is about building foundations: fine Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, planted by himself, farmed by himself, on his own land. "I don't really wanna be cool anymore," he says. "I just want to farm well, go to Bill's place on a Sunday and have lunch with our families." This is not a retreat from ambition; it is ambition redirected — towards transgenerational thinking, soil health, and wines that can stand up against anything in the world. Humble, detailed, and built to last.
A Winemaker Who Refuses Labels
Patrick Sullivan is synonymous with Australia's natural wine movement — but he refuses the label. "The wine he makes is, put simply, the wine that he wants to make." This independence of spirit has defined his career: from the fluorescent Haggis days to the biodynamic Tumblestone era, Patrick has always followed his own compass. He is a three-time Young Gun of Wine finalist, a judge at top Australian competitions, and a wine buyer of international standing (formerly for Les Caves de Pyrene). Yet he lives in the middle of nowhere in Gippsland, surrounded by forest, with his wife Megan, their children, and dog Humphrey [^104^][^106^][^121^].
The wines have found their way to some of the world's best restaurants and wine bars — from Melbourne to London to New York. Patrick's Chardonnay in particular has become a benchmark for cool-climate Australian white wine: pure, mineral, textural, and precise. The Baw Baw Shire Chardonnay — from volcanic slopes, organically farmed, minimally made — strikes a balance between richness and tension that has earned it a cult following [^107^][^108^][^122^].
What sets Patrick apart is his intellectual honesty. He questions everything — including his own assumptions. He debates the merits of phosphoric acid versus copper for downy mildew, not because he wants to cut corners, but because he genuinely wants to know what's best for the soil. He acknowledges that there are no recipes when you're doing things for the first time. He admits that his early wines were born from naivety and fun. And he is unafraid to say that the next 50 years will be a slow burn — maybe he'll never get there, but the aspiration is enough. This is rare in a wine world that demands instant gratification [^102^].
"I want to make wines that can stand up against anything. It's an aspiration and a slow burn, which will take a lot of time — maybe 50 years, if I'll ever get there..."
— Patrick Sullivan
The Patrick Sullivan Range
Patrick's range spans three eras: the legacy wines (Haggis, Bonkers, Jumpin' Juice) that made his global reputation; the current single-site expressions (Baw Baw Shire, Ada River, Millstream, Bull Swamp) that showcase Gippsland's volcanic terroir; and the future wines of Tumblestone — his own farm — which will emerge as the vines find their depth. All are made from certified biodynamic fruit with indigenous yeasts, minimal sulfur, and no other additions. The style is precise, mineral, and site-specific [^102^][^104^][^111^].