The Baker!

The Baker


Iain Riggs, Managing Director, Chief Winemaker and part owner of Brokenwood, has taken Brokenwood from a small “hobby” winery and into the national and international arena.

Iain's skills in white winemaking revolutionised Brokenwood, which, when Riggs joined, produced only red wines. A year into his tenure, with the 1983 vintage, production levels changed to 70% white wine and 30% red.

Iain is also a regular show judge for capital city and international wine shows. The 2003 Hunter Valley Wine Show saw Iain take over from Len Evans as Chairman of the show. Previously he was, Chairman of Cowra and McLaren Vale Wine Shows, and Past Deputy Chairman of Wine Australia, the biggest wine exhibition in the southern hemisphere. He was also an inaugural board member of the Winemakers Federation of Australia, its Vice-President and President Australian Winemakers Forum.

In 2001, Iain Riggs was nominated by Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine as a finalist in the Winemaker of the Year feature.

Born in Burra, South Australia in 1955, Iain’s first insight into the wine industry was through relatives who lived in the Riverland region of South Australia. These were very much “brandy and dry” times, but the allure of table wine drew the young Riggs. The experience that set him on the path that was to become his life was a bottle of 1970 Leo Buring DW110 Riesling - he has been tied to the power of the vine ever since.

Iain studied at Roseworthy College between 1972 and 1975, graduating with honours. At this time, the industry was undergoing a major change - namely the emergence of white wine. He first worked at Bleasedale and Hazelmere in McLaren Vale. At Hazelmere, he sparked his interest in varietal blending and was one of the pioneers of the now-famous combination of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. At Hazelmere, Iain, as Chief Winemaker, focussed on white wines, and was crowned McLaren Vale Bushing King in 1982 with his multi-trophy-winning Chardonnay.

The owners of Brokenwood, keen to grow their business and expand into white wine production, offered Iain the job of Chief Winemaker in 1982. That year, a new winery was built. Iain’s skills in white winemaking revolutionised Brokenwood, which, when Riggs joined, produced only red wines. A year into his tenure, with the 1983 vintage, production levels changed to 70% white wine and 30% red.

Brokenwood’s owners had already committed to a program of multi-regional blending, and Iain quickly embarked on sourcing the best parcels of fruit available from premium regions across the country. His criteria for fruit sourcing is to secure fragrant wines that the Hunter Valley does not excel in, namely Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Riesling. The other major factor is to ensure a consistency of style, regardless of vintage variations which, in the Hunter Valley particularly, can be dramatic.

Iain is also known as one of Australia’s Shiraz specialists. There are six Shiraz in the portfolio - the single vineyard Graveyard Vineyard, Rayner Vineyard, Mistress Block and Wade Vineyard Block 2 Shiraz and the area blend Brokenwood Shiraz and Hunter ‘Baby Graveyard’ Shiraz.

Iain’s plans for the future are to further consolidate on the premium end of the market, with single vineyard regional wines leading the way. Iain is also a regular show judge for capital city and international wine shows, including the Air New Zealand Wine Awards, Chairman of the Hunter Valley Wine Show, and past deputy chairman of Wine Australia, the biggest wine exhibition in the Southern hemisphere. Iain was also awarded the Graham Gregory Trophy for outstanding service to the NSW Wine Industry for 2003.