Meet the maker | Robert Magdziarz

Robert Magdziarz founded Warramunda Estate in Coldstream, along with his wife Irene Magdziarz. Here, with their daughter (and also winemaker) Liv Zak-Magdziarz, they focus on wines that reflect their unique terroir. Sustainability is at the core of their ethos, combining organic and biodynamic philosophies to reflect and respect the earth in which the grapes are grown, with all wines being made from estate grown fruit.

I love the fact that it’s different every vintage - each year we have a new story to tell.         

What I wanted to be as a kid: A chef/restaurateur.

What I did before I became a winemaker: I followed my ambition as a kid - before becoming winemakers, we owned and operated a number of pubs and hotels.

The reason I decided to make wine in the Yarra Valley: Simply a love of the region. You can grow almost any variety here and make world class wine from it.       

What winemaking means to me: I love the fact that it’s different every vintage - each year we have a new story to tell.         

My proudest achievement and biggest learning: My proudest achievement was when Liv won the 2022 Langtons Yarra Valley Trophy for her malbec - my biggest advice would be to never take on a business partner, which is why we’ve remained family owned and operated.

Who I admire most in the wine industry: Jean-Louis Chave and Henri Jager.

The biggest barriers for winemakers in the Yarra: The ongoing costs to produce premium wines that are commercially viable is becoming a struggle - our industry at the moment is working its way through several challenges.

What I’d like to see happen next in the wine industry: I’d like to see wine regions in Australia classified like France’s Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC), to protect and preserve what’s so special about the wines coming out of regions like the Yarra Valley.

My wine of choice to relax on a Friday: I always seem to go to pinot noir!

My current music jam:  I’m old school… the Doors, Black Sabbath and Alice Cooper get a regular spin, but I also like Santana and Johnny Cash.