FOR more than 30 years, a boutique family winery has been producing handcrafted, premium wines from vineyards in Caversham.
Like many of the wineries of the Swan Valley, the winemaking story at Pinelli’s has a European and family theme.
Owners Domenic and Iolanda Pinelli migrated to Australia in the mid-1950s from southern Italy.
Mr Pinelli worked for the iconic Waldeck winery and in the late 1970s, he purchased seven acres of land from the Waldeck family.
He now has 13 acres which he refers to as “the pick of the vineyards of the area”.
Pinelli’s will hold a luncheon and sundowner this Sunday, as part of the Swan Valley Vintage Weekend.
Mr Pinelli brought to the land his experience and knowledge of tending and caring for vines – a skill learnt from an early age in Italy.
Together with his wife Iolanda, the Pinellis established a winery that has continued to deliver flavoursome wines.
“Wine-making is not easy work, it’s labour intensive. I’ve been doing this since 1960,” the 79-year-old said.
“In the early days, it was a very long day.
“You had to do a lot by hand, so I started work at half past four to five o’clock in the mornings and finished at 11 at night, but now things are automated.”
The baton of winemaking expertise has been handed to Mr Pinelli’s sons, Robert and Daniel, both qualified winemakers.
“It’s nice to be involved in a business where you are directly involved with customers, enjoying a product that you produce,” Daniel Pinelli said.
The family plan to open Fillaudeau’s restaurant on the estate next month.