The original Idyll Vineyard was planted in the late 1960’s by Darryl and Nini Sefton.  They were part of the Moorabool Valley’s renaissance, being among the first to plant after the region had been decimated by the phylloxera virus in the late 1800’s.

Whilst those original vines still exist, the winery has been developed over the years into the production and packaging operation it is today.

We certainly strive to continue the pioneering spirit of the Sefton, with our team continually working to push the boundaries of what can be achieved. We’re always looking at new ways and means to produce the best wines possible. 

In 2016, Rob and Anthony Costa invested into the company, injecting new vigor and capital into the business.  Day to day the winery is run by two Executive Directors – Michael Birthisel and Andrew Byers – whose vision is to continue to grow the business with a view to becoming a truly global wine player.

Having moved away from the Idyll brand for many years, the rebirth of the company two years ago allowed us to revive the name and re-launch the brand.

What is the aim and work ethic of the business?

As well as growing grapes at the winery, we source fruit from a large array of regions throughout Australia – from Swan Hill to McLaren Vale to the Barossa Valley and Coonawarra.  We then produce wines under an array of different brands that we distribute throughout Australia and global markets.

We actively pursue internal sustainability targets, and in 2017 Idyll Wine Co. switched to sourcing its electricity directly from the Ararat Windfarm.  We see this as our first step towards moving the winery to 100% sustainable power when we will source solar and battery power to fill the gaps when the wind is not blowing.

Tell us a bit about your wines.

At all stages of the winemaking process, the team is dedicated to extracting the very best out of the fruit that we possibly can.  Invariably we strive to maximize the expression of the varietal characters of the fruit.  It makes our wines fruit-forward and approachable. 

What do customers love most about your wines?

We really try to deliver great value for money – and we do it consistently vintage after vintage.  Our customers love that our wines will suit most occasions.  We enjoy being able to create great quality wines that consistently exceed expectations, at terrific value for money.

That’s what’s so great about winning the awards at the London Wine Competition – Arcadian Shiraz has been recognized as a top quality wine, which represents excellent value.  

What is the future looking like for the business?

We have undergone massive growth over the past 12 months and have some significant investment and expansion works in the pipeline for the next 12 months.  We are also looking to launch our first Idyll Blanc de Blanc and Idyll Chardonnay Pinot Noir sparkling wines later in the year, which we are very much looking forward to.

How did you come to enter the awards?

We enter some awards here and overseas – we support the global wine industry, and we believe strongly in our products. We enter awards that we believe align with our business and our values.

Would you have ever expected to take out the top prize at the London Wine Competition?

We knew that the wine was strong and made in our house style – heaps of fruit, a layer of oak, intense but not too serious.  We knew it was good value too – but looking at some of the competition that it was able to compete with and beat, we are super happy with that!!

How have you found the response from consumers since winning the prize?

It’s still pretty fresh, but the support has been great so far and we hope that it will continue.