From Two Hemispheres
Sarah Morris and Iwo Jakimowicz met at Curtin University in Perth, studying viticulture and oenology. What followed was a decade of flying winemaking — eight vintages in Spain, stints in Italy, Switzerland, South Africa, Portugal and France. They made millions of litres of wine for others, working within clear economic parameters, pushing wine into shape, tricking it up. Then they decided to make wine differently. In 2006, Si Vintners was born — the "Si" stands for Sarah and Iwo. In 2010, they bought a mature 1978 vineyard in Rosa Glen, Margaret River. They immediately implemented organic practices, then pivoted to biodynamics. Today, the Halcyon Vineyard is DEMETER certified. The wines are lo-fi, minimal intervention, wild-fermented, with only a scant dose of sulfur at bottling — and they'd happily do without that too. But the story doesn't end in Margaret River. They also own five hectares of ancient Garnacha vines across seven sites in the mountains near Acered, Aragon, Spain. Two hemispheres. One philosophy. From vine to bottle, a true taste of place.
Flying Winemakers, Grounded by Conviction
Iwo Jakimowicz was born in Poland and moved to Perth in 1987, aged eight. Straight from high school, he enrolled in viticulture and oenology at Curtin University — not because he had a burning passion for wine, but because the course stipulated work experience in Margaret River, and he wanted to surf. He took his second year off to get some real-life understanding, then headed to Red Hill Estate on the Mornington Peninsula in 2000 for his first vintage. He has been working two vintages every year since — somewhere in the southern hemisphere, somewhere in the north.
Sarah Morris studied the same degree at Curtin. The pair became friends, went their separate ways, but remained in contact. Sarah spent several years at Torbreck in the Barossa Valley, then ventured to Portugal and France before taking a job in Aragon and Catalonia, Spain. She alerted Iwo to a vacant role in the same company, and they worked the 2005 vintage together. Over eight years, they started with a 120-tonne harvest and ended up working across a substantial operation and millions of litres of wine. The pair became a couple. They would typically spend seven months in Spain, then come back to Australia for vintage, flying back and forth for blending in between.
Careers spent making wine for others — with clear economic parameters, pushing wine into shape, tricking it up — impressed on them that they wanted to make wine differently. That philosophy wasn't inspired by the swelling natural wine movement at the time, but rather by personal discovery, and that process was constantly evolving. The first Si Vintners wine was made in 2006 in a friend's shed. But the turning point came in 2010, when they found a mature vineyard planted in 1978 for sale in Rosa Glen, Margaret River. The price was well out of their reach at first, but by 2010 it had dropped enough to be just affordable. A deal was struck. They immediately implemented organic practices, then pivoted to biodynamics. It very much became about the land.
"We want to make wine that isn't pushed into shape or tricked up. Wine that reflects the place it comes from, and the care we put into the land."
— Sarah Morris & Iwo Jakimowicz
Halcyon & Aragon — Two Worlds, One Ethos
The Halcyon Vineyard in Rosa Glen, Margaret River, is the heart of Si Vintners. Planted in 1978, it is one of the region's older vineyards — mature, dry-grown vines that have seen decades of Margaret River seasons. The property was originally named Halcyon, and the name honours that history. The vineyard sits in a picturesque pocket of Rosa Glen, surrounded by jarrah and marri forest, with the Wadandi people acknowledged as the Traditional Custodians of the land. Since taking ownership, Sarah and Iwo have focused on converting the vineyard to a 100% biodynamic and organic operation, certified by DEMETER. The vines are dry-grown, meaning no irrigation — the roots dig deep into the gravelly loam and clay soils, drawing moisture and minerals from deep below.
But the story doesn't stop in Margaret River. In 2011, the year after buying the Halcyon property, Sarah and Iwo also decided to buy plots of vines in Spain — dotted across the mountains near the village of Acered, in Aragon. They now have five hectares of mostly ancient Garnacha vines spread across seven sites. Two local brothers tend to the vines and wines while Sarah and Iwo are in Australia. The pair fly back each year for harvest and to make the wines, then return to blend and bottle. It is a remarkable double life — two hemispheres, two harvests, one unwavering commitment to minimal intervention and site expression.
The Margaret River vineyard is now fully estate-only. They no longer source fruit from elsewhere — everything comes from their own vines. "A bit less to go around," they say, "but from the ground to the glass, everything is managed to our ideal specifications." The wines are raised in barrels, concrete eggs, or steel. They employ skin contact on some whites, raise some wines under flor yeast, and use extended macerations on some reds. But they also make straight varietal expressions — Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Semillon — that verge on the classic. Whatever the wine, all are lo-fi, biodynamic, and bottled with the scantest dose of sulphur.
Planted 1978. Dry-grown, mature vines on gravelly loam and clay. One of Margaret River's older vineyards. Converted to organic then biodynamic practices immediately upon purchase. DEMETER certified. Surrounded by jarrah and marri forest. Classic Margaret River varieties: Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc. Estate-only fruit — no external sourcing.
Five hectares of mostly ancient Garnacha vines across seven sites in the mountains near Acered, Aragon. Purchased in 2011. Tended by two local brothers while Sarah and Iwo are in Australia. The pair fly back each year for harvest and winemaking, then return to blend and bottle. A remarkable cross-hemisphere project that proves their commitment to place and minimal intervention knows no borders.
The Halcyon Vineyard is certified biodynamic by DEMETER — one of the most rigorous organic certifications in the world. No synthetic chemicals, no pesticides, no fungicides. Biodynamic preparations, composts, and a holistic approach to vineyard health. The result is fruit of exceptional purity and concentration, expressing the unique terroir of Rosa Glen without interference.
All Halcyon Range wines come exclusively from the home vineyard. The vines are dry-grown — no irrigation, relying entirely on rainfall and deep root systems. This forces the vines to struggle, producing lower yields but greater concentration and complexity. "From vine to bottle, a true taste of place" is not a marketing slogan; it is a statement of fact.
Minimal Intervention, Maximum Expression
Si Vintners' winemaking is all about minimal intervention. They use native yeasts for fermentation and a very small amount of sulfur at bottling — and they'd be happy to do without that too, when possible. The wines are unfined and unfiltered, a choice that gives them a raw honesty and texture that is a beautiful departure from the polished styles often found in Margaret River. Their portfolio spans the familiar and the eccentric: varietal Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir sit alongside skin-contact Sauvignon Blanc, co-fermented blends, and wines raised under flor yeast.
For Sarah and Iwo, it is not so much about style but coaxing out expressions that reflect place — and a place that has been cared for lovingly. They employ a range of techniques depending on what the fruit and the vintage demand: skin contact on some whites to build texture and tannin; extended macerations on some reds to extract depth and complexity; raising wines under flor yeast to develop savoury, oxidative characters; and straight, clean varietal expressions when the fruit speaks clearly enough on its own. The wines are raised in barrels, concrete eggs, or steel — each vessel chosen for what it can bring to the wine, not for fashion or trend.
The result is a portfolio that defies easy categorisation. There are classic Margaret River expressions — structured Cabernet, elegant Chardonnay, perfumed Pinot Noir — alongside more experimental wines that push boundaries: the skin-contact Baba Yaga, the flor-aged Chinchecle Semillon, the pét-nat Fizz. This duality is at the heart of Si Vintners. They are not natural wine ideologues; they are winemakers who believe that great wine comes from great farming, and that the cellar's job is to reveal what the vineyard has already achieved. "It is not so much about style but coaxing out expressions that reflect place."
The Chinchecle Semillon — Flor & Concrete Eggs
One of Si Vintners' most remarkable wines: Semillon from 34-year-old vines, fermented and aged in concrete eggs for two years under a natural flor yeast. It is a wine of extraordinary complexity — saline, nutty, oxidative, and utterly unique. The concrete egg's shape allows natural convection, keeping the yeast in suspension and creating a wine of remarkable texture and depth. This is not typical Margaret River Semillon; it is something else entirely — a testament to Sarah and Iwo's willingness to experiment, to push boundaries, and to let the vineyard speak in unexpected ways. A wine that has earned cult status among natural wine enthusiasts worldwide.
New Wave Pioneers in Margaret River
Sarah Morris and Iwo Jakimowicz were early players in redefining what was a very established, and some would say conservative, region. When they arrived in Margaret River, the region was famous for powerful Chardonnays and Cabernet Sauvignons — polished, oaky, and often formulaic. Si Vintners introduced a different kind of wine: biodynamic, minimal intervention, wild-fermented, with raw honesty and texture. They were Young Gun of Wine finalists in 2013, recognised for their boundary-pushing approach and the quality of their wines.
The "Si" in Si Vintners stands for Sarah and Iwo — a simple, personal name for a deeply personal project. The wines are divided into two ranges: The Halcyon Range, crafted from their home vineyard, dry-grown from older vines, biodynamically certified with DEMETER; and The Sauce Range, fun, vibrant and refreshingly approachable, with fruit sourced from other vineyards grown with the same ethos. They also make vermouth, pét-nat, and experimental blends under various labels. The portfolio is eclectic but unified by a single thread: respect for the land, minimal intervention in the cellar, and an unwavering commitment to authenticity.
Beyond wine, Sarah and Iwo are deeply connected to community. They acknowledge the Wadandi people as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which they live and farm. Their cellar door — open Wednesday to Sunday, by appointment — is a gathering place for locals and visitors alike. They host weddings and events, building a space where wine, food, and people come together. And every year, they make the journey back to Spain to tend their Aragon vines — a ritual that keeps them connected to the roots of their winemaking journey and the broader world of natural wine.
"Whatever the wine, all are lo-fi, biodynamic and bottled with the scantest dose of sulphur. We'd be happy to do without that too, when possible."
— Sarah Morris & Iwo Jakimowicz
The Si Vintners Range
Si Vintners produces two core ranges — The Halcyon Range (estate-only, biodynamically certified, from the home vineyard) and The Sauce Range (fun, vibrant, sourced from like-minded growers) — alongside experimental wines, pét-nats, vermouth, and their Spanish Garnacha project. All wines are made with minimal intervention: wild yeast fermentation, no fining, no filtration, and only a scant dose of sulfur at bottling. The portfolio spans classic Margaret River varieties and boundary-pushing experiments, unified by a commitment to place and authenticity.
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Si Vintners (Official Website): You can purchase directly from their website for the most current selection.
P&V Wine + Liquor Merchants: A well-regarded retailer in New South Wales specializing in natural wines.
Annandale Cellars: A Sydney-based retailer with a great selection of natural and minimal-intervention wines.
Liberty Liquors: A Perth-based retailer where you can find their wines in Western Australia.
The Re Store: Another great option in Western Australia, with two locations in Perth.
Little Peacock Imports (USA): For customers in the United States, this importer is a key source for Si Vintners wines.
Buon Vino (UK): A UK-based importer specializing in fine natural wines from around the world.