NEWS: Sevenhill winemaker Brother John May recognised in the Queen's Birthday honours list

[n4sir]

Divine wine producer from Sevenhill Cellars recognised in Queen's Birthday honours list
ABC Rural
By James Jooste
Posted 13 June 2016 at 5:21pm

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-06-13/c ... s_adelaide

Sevenhill Cellars winemaker Brother John May has been recognised on the Queen's Birthday honours list, being made a member of the Order of Australia.

Brother John has dedicated much of his life to producing wine and promoting tourism in the Clare Valley.

He said he had become a winemaker overnight at Sevenhill in 1972, after a string of unfortunate illnesses and bereavements.

His first focus was on fortified wines and sacramental wines in the Clare Valley, but after many immigrants came to the region, particularly from Austria, more focus was put on table wines.

"We owed it to these people coming to Australia looking for a new life," Brother John said.

He said it was a prestigious role to make wine for sacramental purposes.

"It was a responsibility to do your job properly, and as a winemaker it was a bit of a prestige situation, but the sacramental wine was important from my religious point of view to make sure that wine was made to the canon law," Brother John said.

"It was a great privilege to sit in church and when the priest offered the wine, which becomes the blood of Christ in our faith, it was a bit of a thrill to feel you were responsible for that."

Brother John has watched the Clare Valley expand over the decades, and received his first gold medal for wine in 1975.

"That was a boost, that was a big boost to receive a gold medal," he said.

"You went along and helped to contribute, and to be part and parcel of the tourism. It's wonderful to see the tourism grow."

[Cloth Ears]

I remember meeting him in 1978, when I was allowed to buy a bottle of the Shiraz for my father with the strict instructions that he not open it for 10 years. We'd already had a house in Willunga for a number of years, and so I already knew about wines and their taste (if not their effect - being under 18, I was only allowed to spit). And I was really chuffed that I was able to buy this wine (officially, the teacher bought it - and brought it back with us).
An institution, he well deserves it. I loved the stories about how all the other winemakers helped him when he started out - as all the knowledge had recently been lost.

[phillisc]

+1
A really lovely gentleman. Remember fondly in my 20s (far too long ago!) buying flagons of Pedro Ximenez and other great fortifieds and having a tour of the Crypt. A special place.

Cheers
Craig

[Mahmoud Ali]

In my one visit to Clare Valley, back in 2001, many of the popular whites were sold out and I wasn't entirely impressed by the red wines, however the fortified wines were superb, in particular the old tawny and the 1987 and 1988 vintage port. Not sure that I would find them in Sydney we bought a few bottles to take with us. Years later, in Canada, they were drinking well. In fact, served blind, my port expert buddy thought the '87 Sevenhill VP was a "real port" and was trying to guess whether it came from an English or Portuguese house when I had to tell him it wasn't from Portugal.

Great memories of the winery and cellar and would love to revisit the place.

Cheers.............Mahmoud.