Chris Smales

At the foot of Leanganook, in the granite hills of Central Victoria, winemaker Chris Smales shapes every drop that leaves Sutton Grange. He arrived from Blue Pyrenees Estate, taking the reins from Melanie Chester, and inherited an estate already committed to biodynamic farming — a discipline he has carried forward.

Chris works across two labels: the Estate range, built on French and Italian varieties suited to the site's cool granite soils, and Fairbank, drawing on the property's 19th-century name. It's an approach grounded in restraint — letting the vineyard do the talking.

The results speak for themselves. Under Chris's hand, the Fairbank Rosé has been crowned Halliday Wine Companion Rosé of the Year three vintages running — 2022, 2023 and 2024. The 2019 Fairbank Syrah went further still, taking out the Prime Minister's Trophy for Champion Wine of Show, Best Shiraz, and the Halliday Red Wine of Show at the National Wine Show of Australia.

It's rare pedigree for wine made in small batches, hand-picked parcel by parcel, on a single estate in Central Victoria.

Taste it for yourself.
The best way to understand Chris's wines is in the glass, at the cellar door where they're made.