William Downie is a recent addition to The Grateful Palate lineup. Bill is a Pinot Noir specialist utilizing grapes from the Yarra Valley and the Mornington Peninsula and only makes wines from this one varietal. After apprenticing with a couple of Australian wineries he went to Burgundy for a four month stint at Domaine Fourrier. He went back the next year and worked for Domaine Hubert Lignier as a cellar hand. The following year, due to the death of Hubert Lignier’s son who had been winemaker, he ended up becoming the winemaker for Domaine Lignier during the 2004 and 2005 vintages.

His fascination with Burgundy and the Pinot Noir grape exploded during his time spent in the Cote D’or. While working harvests in Burgundy he was able to come back for harvests in Australia and made his first Pinot Noir from Yarra Valley fruit in 2003. He now spends all his time in Australia making his own wines. The time spent in Burgundy made him a fanatic for quality and he spares no effort in making his Pinot Noirs. He utilizes a large group of pickers during harvest for what is a relatively small crop. They are trained to pick only the best fruit. He still oversees every grape going into the fermenters.